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FRIDAY’s Gold Cup (4:00pm) brings four days of the Cheltenham Festival to a climax and there’s the potential for one of the all-time greats to be crowned.
If Galopin Des Champs isn’t already in that conversation as a two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, then he undoubtedly will be if becoming the first horse since Best Mate in 2004 to record three successive wins in Jump racing’s blue riband event.
Willie Mullins’ nine-year-old arrives here in outstanding form, having followed the same path as last season, winning the Savills Chase and then the Irish Gold Cup in imperious fashion.
On both those occasions he beat Fact To File who was a brilliant winner of the Ryanair Chase on day three of the Festival, and that makes the form look rock-solid.
Galopin Des Champs has just about everything, he is versatile and uncomplicated to ride, and once unleashed towards the finish he has shown that virtually nothing can live with his relentless galloping.
Everything is set up perfectly for him to create history and the roof would truly be blown off Prestbury Park if he can do it.
He’s going to prove mighty hard to beat.
I had already put up Venetia William’s L’Homme Presse for this race ante-post but he has been forced to miss this engagement through injury.
However, I’m happy to switch allegiance to the Gavin Cromwell-trained INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN.
He has been supplemented for this race at a cost of £25,000, despite his owner already Corbetts Cross in the race.
If there is a horse that can put it up to the great champion, and potentially even pick up the pieces if he isn’t on song, it’s this improving seven-year-old.
He was an impressive winner of the Kim Muir at last year’s Festival despite giving little respect to his fences.
This season his jumping has improved and he caught the eye in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown behind Galopin Des Champs last time.
He was beaten over seven lengths there so clearly has to step up if he’s to get any nearer in this, but I think the extra two furlongs and stiffer finish will be right up his street.
Comments from the Cromwell team have been quietly positive and I think he looks poised to run a big race.
Odds of 7/1 are well worth taking each-way.
POINTERS
Inothewayurthinkin e/w 4.00pm Cheltenham
