PAT KEANE: Stupid to dismiss Sir Des as a real player in Gold Cup

There were plenty willing to knock Sir Des Champs as a possible Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, following his hard-earned defeat of Flemenstar in the Hennessy at Leopardstown a week ago, but here's one who continues to believe he has a massive chance next month.

None of the horse's three runs this season, including beating Flemenstar by a length and three parts in the Hennessy, are remotely good enough to see him winning the biggest prize in National Hunt racing. When scoring at Leopardstown, he recorded a time just 4.3 seconds faster than it took Salsify in a hunters chase two races later.

When you consider Salsify was racing an hour after the Hennessy, on a surface that would have been well churned up by then, that puts in perspective Sir Des Champs' performance.