(3 minutes read)
This year’s renewal of the Blue Riband of steeple chasing, The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, contains a warm favourite in the formidable shape of Galopin Des Champs. Trained by Willie Mullins, he looks set to go off at a very short price
We assess whether he is the real deal and check out the quality of the opposition led by the Paul Nicholls trained King George winner, Bravemansgame.
A Plus Tard ridden by Rachel Blackmore (pictured) is also back to defend his title and has something to prove after his flop in The Betfair Chase last autumn.
Cheltenham Gold Cup 2023 Best odds, best Gold Cup bets and each way offers provided by our partner firms, Bet365, William Hill, Bet Victor, Betfred and Boylesports.
Galopin Des Champs
Dodgy jumper? Unproven over the Cheltenham Gold Cup distance? Overrated?
These are just some of the numerous questions surrounding the Cheltenham Gold Cup aspirations of the Willie Mullins trained potential superstar.
One thing is for sure. There is an abundance of talent associated with this horse and if you wanted a particular trainer to harness that talent, Mullins is the man. Galopin Des Champs has been laid out for this race for some time and providing he sees out the trip, he should take all the beating.
He certainly passed his first major stamina test at Leopardstown latest, tackling 3 miles for the first time in The Irish Gold Cup. He travelled ok, with new tactics employed whereby he sat just off the pace rather than his customary exuberant bold front running style, which has decimated so many fields in the past.
Beating Stattler by eight lengths was good form and Galopin looked like he had more in the tank as well. He’s got a big job to do to win The Gold Cup but this horse has the X factor about him. Our choice at 15/8 best with William Hill and NRNB.
Bravemansgame
The Paul Nicholls charge has not put a foot wrong this season, impressing many with his Charlie Hall and particularly King George VI Chase wins.
He has matured and has much improved this season : he looks to be the best chaser in the UK at the present time. He is also for me the best jumper of a fence in the Gold Cup field and travels well. He has not been anywhere near off the bridle in his two runs this season.
But question marks remain.
The trip is a big uncertainty. Staying three miles impressively on flat tracks like Wetherby and Kempton does not automatically translate into a Gold Cup horse as we have seen down the years.
Although he was a different horse at the time, he didn’t stay up the hill in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle in 2021 against Bob Olinger.
However, the big doubt for me is the simple fact that fingers have been burnt many a time in the last ten years hoping that champion trainer Paul Nicholls can rekindle the Kauto Star/Denman flame of producing top notch Gold Cup horses. Silviniaco Conti, Topofthegame, Cyrname, Frodon and Clan Des Obeaux all achieved various honours but either due to indifference to the task at hand, injury or lack of stamina, have failed to progress to win the ultimate prize in racing. It does represent a nagging doubt.
I would therefore want better value than the 13/2 (bet365, William Hill, Betfred and Boylesports) currently on offer.
A Plus Tard
Last year’s Gold Cup winner would probably be joint favourites with Galopin Des Champs if not for that absolute stinker of a run in the Betfair Chase back in November.
He hasn’t been out since so the lack of a recent run does almost offer the sense of unexposed dark horse about him, but if he reproduces the form of his Betfair 2021 win and last year’s Gold Cup win, then Galopin Des Champs has something serious to think about. Intriguing and could be outstanding value at 8/1 NRNB with William Hill.
Noble Yeats
Previous Grand National winners don’t usually represent a threat in a Gold Cup due to the endless variables in comparison: totally different tracks, didn’t types of stayers and the speed/travelling factors of a Gold Cup horse don’t usually equate with the dogged determination of a Grand National winner.
But in Noble Yeats’ case, there is certainly an exception to the rule. His victory in the Grade 2 Many Clouds Chase at Aintree and his gallant third to Ahoy Senor in the Cheltenham Cotswold Chase surprised a few and suggests that he is a staying force to be reckoned with.
Therefore, he could pick up the pieces if the hill gets the better of Galopin and Bravemansgame et al. 9/1 best with William Hill NRNB.
Stattler
This Willie Mullins trained second string is the archetypal dour stayer although he has seen the back end of Galopin Des Champs on at least two occasions and from some distance.
Nevertheless, he has staying form around Cheltenham having won the National Hunt Challenge Cup last Festival over 3 miles 6 furlongs. Solid form this season with a neck defeat to former Gold Cup winner Minella Indo and he was far from disgraced when finishing 8 lengths behind Galopin Des Champs last time out in The Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
Each way chances but needs more give in the ground. 9/1 best with William Hill NRNB.
Best Each Way Chances
The one horse who stands out a mile is previous winner Minella Indo who is clearly priced too high at 20/1 (bet365, William Hill, Bet Victor and Boylesports). This will not be available on the day.
It is easy to forget that the Dan Skelton trained Protektorat was an impressive winner in The Betfair Chase, as long as you forgive his relatively poor run in the recent Cotswold Chase. We know he stays the Gold Cup trip after his third last year. 14/1 best with William Hill and Bet Victor.
Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Ga Law clearly needs to improve significantly to figure but a recent course winner in the field at 100/1 (bet365, William Hill, Bet Victor, Boylesports) can't be ignored.
Who Will Win Cheltenham Gold Cup 2023?
The Gold Cup always has entries with plenty of question marks and the race has shown no mercy to the young pretenders down the years but the appeal of the enigmatic Galopin Des Champs is too strong to ignore. This is a horse that has systematically decimated his rivals in every race in the last 2 years. Minella Indo is the best each way bet of The Cheltenham Festival.
Galopin Des Champs WIN 15/8 William Hill NRNB
Minella Indo EACH WAY 20/1 bet365, William Hill, Bet Victor and Boylesports
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