Ruby Walsh: Galopin Des Champs on the cusp of greatness
CUSP OF GREATNESS: Galopin Des Champs in training for the Cheltenham. Pic:Healy Racing
It may be race number 25, but there is no doubt the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup is the ultimate feature of this meeting. It is the pinnacle of the sport, and every youthful thoroughbred is judged on its potential to be a Gold Cup horse.
Today’s field has the perfect mix of class and dour stayers, but everyone's judgement can be clouded, as mine is by Kauto Star. He is the one horse that managed to carry me to the summit of the sport, and he was all class, so I will always side with that type when trying to find the winner of this contest.
Galopin Des Champs, Bravemansgame and A Plus Tard fit the bill, with Noble Yeats, Ahoy Senor and Stattler falling into the stayers’ bracket. Conflated is in limbo for me and has the potential to be either, so he represents the each-way pick. But I want to find the winner.
The A Plus Tard of 12 months ago would win, but not even Henry De Bromhead will know if that one will turn up. Paul Nicholls needs one more Gold Cup to join Tom Dreaper as the most successful trainer in Gold Cup trainer history and is making all the right noises about Bravemansgame. One suspects he knows what is required, but the forecast rain could scupper his chance.
That leaves Galopin Des Champs as the percentage call. The trip is the only unknown, as it was for Kauto in 2007, but I firmly believe that won't be an issue, and this fellow is on the cusp of greatness.
Every jockey deserves a horse to be associated with. Charlie Swan had Istabraq, Barry Geraghty had Moscow Flyer, Rachael had Honeysuckle, I had Kauto, and Paul Townend could be about to start a similar journey with Galopin.
I know he will always have Al Boum Photo, but there is something different about this horse. I hope it happens for them both, as one deserves it as much as the other, and I hope they have as much fun fulfilling their dreams as I had.
For jockeys, some decisions are more complex than others. Paul Townend was never going to get off Facile Vega to ride Il Etait Temps just because of one bad run from the former, and Impaire Et Passe was on his shortlist since Christmas. But this Triumph Hurdle is awkward for him. Had he not run into trouble on Lossiemouth at the Dublin Racing Festival, then the guessing would have been removed, and he would know just how good she is. But that is not the scenario he faced Wednesday morning when picking her over Blood Destiny as his ride for this afternoon’s opening race.
You or I can wait until 1.29pm today to see how much of the forecast rain fell before deciding which one to back. The more of it that does, the more you want to be with Blood Destiny and, conversely, obviously, the less with Lossiemouth. Paul can only hope he judged the forecast right because he doesn't have that luxury. He has chosen Lossiemouth, which made Blood Destiny a bigger price but, in reality, they should be the same price because splitting them is impossible. Therefore, purely from a value point of view, Blood Destiny is my pick.
At the last two Festivals, Willie Mullins has plundered a handicap with a potential Grade One horse: they were Galopin Des Champs and State Man. Some people believe Hunters Yarn could be the next one. I don't think he would have won either of the novice hurdles run so far this week and he is, in fact, in the race he should be in, unlike the other two. But he still has a chance.
Colbert's Cross, to my eye, looks like a future Gold Cup horse, showing the speed to win over two miles at Naas and the stamina to win over three at Fairyhouse. He has what I would consider to be ‘having it all’, and there is no way I would oppose him in the Albert Bartlett.
Embassy Gardens is Willie's number one, and he is a robust and honest individual who might get caught for a turn of a foot late on here if the gallop isn't strong enough.
Chances are that, in the Gold Cup aftermath, the hunter chase will pass me by, but it won't pass David Christie, who will look to avenge last year's near miss of Winged Leader with Vaucelet. Allegorie De Vassy will test Paul Townend's strength and awareness late in the day as he will attempt to keep her from going too violently right. If he succeeds, she will collect, but that’s a big if and for the first time in many years, I don't have a fancy in the lucky last.
