4.00 3m. 2f. 70yds. 9 Declared. Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1 ) of £646,880.00 5-y-o plus
1st - €363,999.00 2nd - €137,139.00 3rd - €68,634.00 4th - €34,285.00 5th - €17,207.00 6th - €8,603.00 7th - €4,269.00 8th - €2,199.00
Formscan - GALOPIN DES CHAMPS is almost impossible to oppose in his bid to join a select band of equine legends as a three-time Gold Cup winner. The imperious nine-year-old is as tough and consistent as he is classy and has looked better than ever this season in landing a second Savills Chase and a third Irish Gold Cup. He is seemingly bombproof. Connections of Fact To File admitted defeat after his clashes with Willie Mullins' superstar at Leopardstown and diverted to the Ryanair, with owner JP McManus represented instead by the supplemented Inothewayurthinkin, who was so good in the Kim Muir last year but only fourth in the Irish Gold Cup. Corbetts Cross, another 2024 Festival hero, also carries the famous green and gold silks, although he has plenty of ground to make up on Banbridge from their Kempton meeting. Providing he stays the trip, the Joseph O'Brien-trained King George hero looks the one for the forecast.