A Cheltenham contest to follow, a festival handicap contender and Galopin Des Champs versus who?
Three key takeaways from this week's big-race action
Potential opponents for Galopin continue to fall by the wayside
The staying chase division has arguably been the standout this season, with bigger than usual fields producing some cracking races, but in terms of the bigger picture they have served to make Galopin Des Champs look almost unopposable in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Monty’s Star, second to Fact To File and Spillane’s Tower in a pair of Grade 1s last year, was the latest to test his credentials when he lined up odds-on for the New Year’s Day Chase at Tramore.
He was and still is fourth favourite for the big one in March, but hardly did his claims any favours with a five-length defeat to Willie Mullins’ Embassy Gardens, who would not have been anywhere near his trainer’s Gold Cup plans before the race. Monty’s Star can be expected to improve for his first start since May, but that was also Embassy Gardens’ first appearance of the season.
Fact To File, the only other Gold Cup contender priced at single figures, was this week made favourite for the Ryanair Chase. You’d like to think the Gold Cup remains his first choice despite defeat in the Savills Chase, although if he reopposes Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup and continues to race keenly in another loss, connections will understandably begin looking at the race which may be easier to win.
L’Homme Presse, fourth in last season's Gold Cup and an encouraging third in the King George on his return, also this week had the Ryanair raised as an option should the ground be soft. Suddenly, realistic potential usurpers to Galopin Des Champs' Cheltenham crown could be rather thin on the ground.
Sam Hendry
Massive hike might not stop Springwell Bay in Festival Plate
Cheltenham's New Year's Day meeting saw a phenomenal performance from Springwell Bay, who tore apart the field in the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase to win by nine lengths.
Having finished second to Grade 1-winning hurdler Jango Baie when trying to give that rival 8lb last month, he was well found in the market and travelled supremely well throughout before merely being pushed out to score.
He's going to take a massive hike in the handicap when reassessed, but don't rule him out if he is targeted at the new novice handicap at the Cheltenham Festival in March or the Plate.
His joint-trainer Jonjo O'Neill did something similar with Sky Pirate, who rose a total of 18lb in two comfortable handicap wins before taking the Grand Annual as a novice off a career-high mark in 2021.
Harry Wilson
Relkeel could hold key to several big spring races
Lucky Place has seemingly earned his place on Nicky Henderson’s stellar Cheltenham Festival team after he continued his progress in the Relkeel Hurdle.
The Stayers’ Hurdle is now on his agenda, but those left chasing him home could be key to several big spring handicaps.
Golden Ace is set to drop back in trip after two defeats over middle distances and if her victory over Brighterdaysahead is to be taken literally, a mark of 144 could be dangerous in races like the Betfair and County Hurdles.
Gowel Road has now been runner-up at Cheltenham a remarkable four times this season, but is surely due a day in the sun and he is qualified for the Pertemps.
Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see if the handicapper relents with Langer Dan after a second disappointing run of the season, or if his 160 mark is retained. There was no budging after his defeat in the Long Distance Hurdle and his effort on New Year’s Day was even worse. A bid for a third Coral Cup may not be out of the question yet.
Sam Hendry
David Power Jockeys’ Cup standings (ITV races)
Harry Skelton 174 points
Sam Twiston-Davies 162
Nico de Boinville 154
Harry Cobden 148
Sean Bowen 120
British jump jockeys’ championship
Sean Bowen 117 wins
Harry Skelton 108
Sam Twiston-Davies 78
Harry Cobden 65
Gavin Sheehan 63
British jumps trainers’ championship
Dan Skelton £1,772,898
Paul Nicholls £1,241,146
Nicky Henderson £971,138
Olly Murphy £889,073
Nigel Twiston-Davies £865,604
Irish jump jockeys’ championship
Paul Townend 59 wins
Darragh O’Keeffe 50
Sam Ewing 50
Keith Donoghue 44
Danny Mullins 35
Irish jumps trainers’ championship
Gordon Elliott €2,577,090
Willie Mullins €2,243,100
Gavin Cromwell €1,170,525
Henry de Bromhead €1,119,975
Joseph O’Brien €775,975
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