Galopin for glory? Weighing up the key contenders for the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup

Five weeks to go. The Friday of the Cheltenham Festival is always slightly bittersweet – we know it's almost over, but there's still so much to enjoy. Including, of course, the biggest race of them all – the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (3.30). This year's running looks particularly intriguing. The market is dominated by potential superstar Galopin Des Champs but he faces rivals who have the credentials to write their names into history. Here, we look at the leading contenders as the 2023 Gold Cup draws tantalisingly into view . . .

Galopin Des Champs

Form: 1F1-11

Strengths: If Constitution Hill is the new king of the 2m hurdlers then Galopin Des Champs is the equivalent in the staying chase division. Willie Mullins' seven-year-old has looked destined for greatness since his comprehensive Martin Pipe win at the festival in 2021, and has progressed to the point he is now a short-priced favourite for the Gold Cup two years later. He has one major blot on his copybook – a final-fence fall in last year's Turners Novices' Chase, having given Bob Olinger a thrashing – but even that mistake hasn't poured water on the fire of excitement which follows him from race to race. His final assignment before Cheltenham came in the Irish Gold Cup, where a measured performance ended with a blistering finish as he met the last and powered home. The one to beat.

Galopin Des Champs: favourite for the Gold CupCredit: Patrick McCann

Weaknesses: Galopin Des Champs is yet to run over further than three miles, but the way he finished at Leopardstown – with Paul Townend taking an age to pull him up after the line – suggests the extra two and a half furlongs won't be an issue. His price is clearly prohibitive from a betting perspective and his exit in the Turners will be lingering on the minds of anyone who backs him – as well as his trainer and jockey. This is obviously his toughest assignment to date, against experienced rivals and previous Gold Cup winners. How good is he? This is the acid test.

Odds: 13-8

What they say

Willie Mullins, trainer:  "I was amazed that the press were doubting the fact that Galopin Des Champs had never won over three miles over fences. He had won over three miles as a novice over hurdles which is way harder than doing it over fences. To me he can go four miles. What I love about him now is that he's settling, he's not keen and Paul is able to put him wherever he wants him in a race. That's crucial for tactics going forward."

Galopin Des Champs04:37 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr:

Noble Yeats

Form: 1-P113

Strengths: Last year's Grand National winner as a seven-year-old, Noble Yeats is bidding to become just the third horse in history to complete a famous double by adding the Gold Cup to his CV next month. He bounced back from a disappointing reappearance at Auteuil in October with back-to-back wins at Wexford and in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree, before staying on well to take third in the Cotswold Chase last time out. Emmet Mullins is one of the best young trainers around and his stable star will be primed for the big day, and is likely to relish a stamina test up the hill.

Noble Yeats: the 2022 Grand National winnerCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Weaknesses: Winning the Grand National as a seven-year-old is obviously the mark of a brilliantly talented, prodigious horse but the Gold Cup is a step into uncharted waters for Noble Yeats. This will be the classiest company he has kept so far and there are question marks over whether he will be able to hold his own against proven Grade 1 performers. Either way, it will be fun to find out.

Odds: 15-2

What they say

Emmet Mullins, trainer (after the Cotswold Chase):  "I'm very happy. Noble Yeats hit the line well and fingers crossed he comes out of the race well so we can take it from there. He didn't disgrace himself there with the penalties he was giving away to the first and second-placed horses, so he's still exciting going forward."

Noble Yeats04:37 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr:

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A Plus Tard

Form: /121-P

Strengths: If A Plus Tard can produce a repeat of last year's performance then it's highly likely he will defend his Gold Cup crown. His 2022 win was a demolition job, winning by 15 lengths under Rachael Blackmore in a genuinely jaw-dropping display. He posted a Racing Post Rating of 184 for that victory – in the last decade only Don Cossack, who ran to 182 in 2015, has achieved a rating above 180. Still only a nine-year-old, the same again will make him very difficult to beat.

A Plus Tard and Rachael Blackmore after winning the 2022 Cheltenham Gold CupCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Weaknesses: A Plus Tard has only been seen once since his Gold Cup win, when he was pulled up in Betfair Chase at Haydock, won by Protektorat. That disappointing run was put down to a travel-related illness, with trainer Henry de Bromhead then pulling him from the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas due to a banged joint. De Bromhead is clearly confident his star can retain his crown without a further prep run – it would be a fine training performance if A Plus Tard can do it again.

Odds: 8-1

What they say

Henry de Bromhead, trainer: "He seems great at the moment and we are looking forward to the Gold Cup."

A Plus Tard04:37 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr:

Bravemansgame

Form: 114-11

Strengths: Bravemansgame's King George victory, when putting L'Homme Presse to the sword, felt like a coming of age performance. It was no secret Kempton was the eight-year-old's main target but his win threw him firmly into the Gold Cup mix, and trainer Paul Nicholls delighted racing fans by confirming afterwards all roads would lead to Cheltenham. Before the King George his only other run this season came when he landed the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. Fresh and progressive, he will be a danger to all.

Bravemansgame: winner of the King GeorgeCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Weaknesses: Bravemansgame missed Cheltenham last year due to the soft ground before a disappointing performance at Aintree, and it's clear Nicholls will take no chances with his star on the day. The Gold Cup will prove a bigger stamina test than Kempton and a career best will likely be needed, but he is a maturing horse. Nicholls seems quietly confident about his chances but while he has enjoyed a fine season, he is without a festival winner since Politologue won the Champion Chase in 2020.

Odds: 8-1

What they say

Paul Nicholls, trainer: "I think the Gold Cup is an open race. I'm dead happy. Bravemansgame was in his box watching on Saturday [Cotswold Chase, January 28]. I wouldn't have wanted to run him on that testing ground and I didn't feel like I needed to give him a run. We'll hopefully have him at his best on some nice spring ground in March. I've been thrilled with what he's done this season. He's a Charlie Hall and King George winner and I think he's in a great place. He looks really well and I'm going into it thinking he's got a lovely chance."

Bravemansgame04:37 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr:

The best of the rest

Stattler (8-1): Finished a good second behind Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup. Has plenty to find to reverse that form but he was an impressive winner of last year's National Hunt Chase, so should relish a return to Prestbury Park.

Conflated (12-1): Missed the Dublin Racing Festival to head straight to Cheltenham after his win in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown. His stablemate Fury Road came third that day, before putting it up to Galopin Des Champs until the final fence in the Irish Gold Cup. Conflated could be well placed to challenge the favourite.

Ahoy Senor (12-1): It was a disappointing start to the season for Ahoy Senor, as three comprehensive defeats saw him drift out to 50-1 in the Gold Cup betting. However, he returned to form in the Cotswold Chase, securing an emotional success for trainer Lucinda Russell and entering calculations again.

Protektorat (16-1): Last year's third announced himself as a major contender again with victory in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, before a disappointing run in the Cotswold Chase. Afterwards trainer Dan Skelton remained confident the Sir Alex Ferguson-owned eight-year-old would be in the mix again at Cheltenham.

Hewick (20-1): It would be the fairytale story of the festival if Hewick, an €850 purchase, could land the big one. The Shark Hanlon-trained eight-year-old won last year's bet365 Gold Cup and was last seen landing the American Grand National over hurdles at Far Hill. Prepare for the party of a lifetime if he wins the Gold Cup.

Verdict

As mentioned, a return to last year's form for A Plus Tard would make him very tough to beat, but is it a realistic prospect? Noble Yeats should thrive over the course and distance and is open to plenty of improvement, likewise Bravemansgame. But while Galopin Des Champs' odds aren't attractive from a betting perspective, he could be a once-in-a-generation talent, and his still untapped potential can see him cement his place as the star of the chasing division.

Galopin Des Champs04:37 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr:

Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (3.30 Cheltenham, Friday, March 17)

Betfair: 6-4 Galopin Des Champs, 7 Stattler, 15-2 Noble Yeats, 8 A Plus Tard, Bravemansgame, 11 Ahoy Senor, 12 Conflated, 16 Protektorat, Minella Indo, 20 Hewick, Sounds Russian, 33 bar

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Read more on the 2023 Cheltenham Festival:

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