Galopin Des Champs should be too good for rivals
Galopin Des Champs and Paul Townend.
Having lost the battle against the weather on Saturday what should have been day one of the Dublin Racing Festival has become day two and Galopin Des Champs can delight his legion of fans by winning the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup for a fourth consecutive time.
The dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner is a force to be reckoned with at any track he visits but he has always reserved his best for Leopardstown, a venue he was unbeaten at over fences until last month’s Savills Chase.
He faded late on to finish third to Affordale Fury and I Am Maximus that day but, unlike in previous seasons, that was his first run of the campaign after a small setback meant he had to miss the John Durkan at Punchestown, his usual starting point.
The Willie Mullins-trained 10-year-old has always taken a giant leap forward from his seasonal reappearance to his second outing and, with the testing ground very much to his liking, the confident expectation is that trend will continue this weekend.
Should it do so, Galopin Des Champs ought to be too good for his 12 rivals.
Stablemate Spindleberry can lead the chasing pack home.
In the absence of Kopek Des Bordes, the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase should be a penalty kick for Romeo Coolio.
The Gordon Elliott-trained seven-year-old reached a high level over hurdles but was always likely to be even better over fences and the evidence of this season – three runs, three wins – suggests that is very much the case.
The suspicion is his optimum trip down the road will be over further but that slight concern is offset by the fact conditions this weekend will put a greater emphasis than usual on stamina.
In Kargese, Romeo Coolio faces a talented mare but it’ll be a disappointment if he can’t get the better of her.
The Irish Arkle might be the only Grade One to elude Mullins on day one as the opening two top-level contests look destined for Closutton.
Narciso Has came off second best to Mange Tout at Fairyhouse in November but is fancied to turn the tables on the Elliott-trained horse in the Gannon's City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle.
Narciso Has took a big step forward from that run when winning at Leopardstown over Christmas and is fancied to enhance his Cheltenham credentials here.
Stablemate Doctor Steinburg should get punters off to a flying start in the opening race of the weekend, the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle.
The six-year-old is two from two over hurdles this season and the form of his most recent success, at Navan last month, got a timely boost when runner-up Thedeviluno ran out an impressive winner of a Doncaster Grade Two last weekend.
The market suggests the bumper will end up a straight match between It’s Only A Game and Charismatic Kid and the first-named horse is fancied to come out on top for Martin Brassil.
Second on debut at the Punchestown festival last May, It’s Only A Game made no mistake on his return to the Kildare venue in November and the form of that win was boosted by runner-up Boycetown bolting in at Down Royal on St Stephen’s Day.
The Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle looks fiendishly competitive but the Emmet Mullins-trained Dippedinmoonlight shaped encouragingly when second on his first start over three miles at Fairyhouse earlier this month and his light weight here should aid his cause.
D Art D Art could also go well at a big price.
The Barberstown Castle Handicap Chase is a similarly tricky puzzle but the consistent Jacob’s Ladder looks to have decent claims.
1.15 Doctor Steinburg
1.50 Narciso Has
2.25 Dippedinmoonlight
2.55 Romeo Coolio
3.30 Galopin Des Champs (Nap)
4.05 Jacob’s Ladder
4.40 It’s Only A Game (NB)
1.15 Kazansky
1.50 Mange Tout
2.25 D Art D Art
2.55 Kargese
3.30 Spindleberry
4.05 Western Diego
4.40 Charismatic Kid
