Galopin Des Champs heads nine left chasing Gold Cup glory

Galopin Des Champs will face eight rivals in his bid for Cheltenham Festival immortality, as he leads the field for Friday’s centrepiece Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Willie Mullins’ star staying chaser has a phenomenal record at Prestbury Park, with a final fence fall when well clear in the 2022 Turners Novices’ Chase the only blip from four visits to the Cotswolds.

Since that day, he has been the dominant force in the staying division both at home at his beloved Leopardstown and when making his annual trip to Cheltenham, romping to victory in the blue riband for the past two years.

He now has the chance to do what former stablemate Al Boum Photo could not achieve and become the first horse since the great Best Mate to win three Cheltenham Gold Cups.

Galopin Des Champs may have seen off many of Friday’s rivals in the past but a fresh face will be Joseph O’Brien’s King George hero Banbridge after connections elected to put the nine-year-old’s stamina to the test in this elite event.

The supplemented Inothewayurthinkin (Gavin Cromwell) is one of two in the race for owner JP McManus alongside Emmet Mullins’ Corbetts Cross, with the former finishing fourth behind Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup last month.

Henry de Bromhead’s Monty’s Star was fifth on that occasion and takes his chance, with the Mouse Morris-trained Gentlemansgame rounding off the Irish contingent.

There will be three British-based representatives, with Royale Pagaille (Venetia Williams), Ahoy Senor (Lucinda Russell) and former Festival winner The Real Whacker (Patrick Neville) all declared.