It’s the sport’s most elite company and Galopin Des Champs will be a worthy addition should he successfully defend his Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup crown on Friday.
It is the 100th anniversary Gold Cup and over the years only eight horses have won steeplechasing’s Blue Riband more than once.
Arkle, Best Mate and Cottage Rake were triple winners. L’Escargot, Easter Hero and Al Boum Photo scored back-to-back. Kauto Star is unique in regaining the title, as is Golden Miller for his five-in-a-row between 1932 and 1936.
Since those days, it has become National Hunt racing’s coveted prize with a roll-of-honour full of legendary names such as Desert Orchid and Dawn Run, as well as comparative curios like the 100-1 Norton’s Coin (1990) guaranteed a slot in racing history.
Cheltenham Festival 2023: Race times, TV details, best of the Irish and more
JP McManus’s new purchase The Wallpark on target for tilt at Grade One glory in Ascot’s Long Walk
Ile Atlantique team weighing up January options
Lossiemouth stamps her authority on Champion Hurdle betting with defeat of Teahupoo
Winning more than once was beyond respected names such as Denman (2008) and Captain Christy (1974), while others like Night Nurse and Carvill’s Hill came up short of scoring at all.
It’s a daunting context when the 11 starters face the tape at 3.30 on Friday, although an exhilarating one too considering the stakes. Irish runners have an edge in quantity but also the overall initiative in quality terms.
Fastorslow is level 2-2 with Galopin in their own private rivalry, while the Robcour-owned pair Gerri Colombe and Gentlemansgame are legitimate contenders at their best.
The latter represents Mouse Morris, a former Gold Cup winner in 2006 with War Of Attrition, while Gordon Elliott will aim to add to Don Cossack’s 2016 triumph with Gerri Colombe.
A home team without Shishkin is automatically weakened, although it does include last year’s runner-up Bravemansgame, the Grand National winner Corach Rambler, and a potential dark horse in L’Homme Presse.
Nevertheless, it’s a Gold Cup that looks to revolve around the defending champion.
Circumstances conspired against Galopin Des Champs a year ago to such an extent that Paul Townend was forced into one of the all-time great improvisational big-race rides.
Townend’s sangfroid under such pressure was remarkable and, despite some unusually ropy jumping, Willie Mullins’s star eventually came through to win in style by seven lengths.
He looked a superb winner on the day, but a school of thought developed suggesting the effort involved might have been behind two subsequent defeats by Fastorslow.
However, any Gold Cup ‘curse’ theory was shot to pieces at Christmas when Galopin put up a Leopardstown performance that left veteran observers struggling for comparison.
Maybe Gerri Colombe wasn’t quite at his best but there were still 23 lengths between them at the line and the Mullins star went through that line as if only getting going.
Fears of a bounce effect from such a massive display didn’t happen back at Leopardstown last month where Fastorslow came up short, albeit while giving the impression half an eye was being kept on the ultimate Gold Cup prize.
Those who argue that gap might be bridged are presuming a similar preparatory eye hasn’t been employed for Galopin Des Champs’ route back to Cheltenham.
One assumption is that any repeat of his awesome display in the Savills Chase will make Galopin Des Champs all but impossible to beat.
Having had stamina doubts swirling around his head a year ago, there are now doubts about him needing soft ground to blunt some of his rival’s supposed speed advantage. All of it looks like an exercise in grasping at straws if the Mullins star bring his A-game back to the scene of his most famous triumph.
Ruby Walsh has said he believes Galopin Des Champs could be the best we’ve seen since Kauto Star. Based on last year’s display, and particularly that Leopardstown rout, it’s hard to argue with him.
The Mullins team is also represented by the talented but fragile Monkfish who looked all over a future Gold Cup winner during a stellar novice career three years ago.
There have been just three starts since then, all over hurdles, and there could hardly be a deeper end for Monkfish to jump into over fences.
If his career is a reminder of the demands required to compete, never mind win, at the very top level over fences, then Galopin Des Champs looks set to underline how glorious the end result can be.
Brian O’Connor’s Cheltenham tips – Day 4
1.30: Bunting; 2.10: Absurde; 2.50: Lecky Watson; 3.30: Galopin Des Champs (Nap); 4.10: Its On The Line; 4.50: Allegorie de Vassy; 5.30: Waterford Whispers
Nap and Double: Galopin Des Champs & Waterford Whispers
- Listen to our Inside Politics Podcast for the latest analysis and chat
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
