'It should be a great race' - can anyone stop glorious Galopin Des Champs in bid for Irish Gold Cup hat-trick?

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Galopin Des Champs is already in esteemed company with his two Gold Cup triumphs and stunning six from six record over fences around Leopardstown and a third consecutive Irish Gold Cup would further bolster his formidable CV.

The nine-year-old's campaign is following a similar path to last season in that he returned with a defeat in the John Durkan before putting up a stunning display in the Savills Chase at Christmas.

Stablemate Fact To File emerged from the novice ranks to thwart him at Punchestown, but Galopin Des Champs reasserted his dominance over a longer trip at Leopardstown in emphatic style, producing an enormous leap at the last before pounding seven and a half lengths clear.

It's round three between the two but several talented staying chasers such as Gerri Colombe and Fastorslow have tried to dethrone Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown and found themselves trailing in his wake.

Trainer Willie Mullins is expecting another barnstormer of a race, saying: "Galopin Des Champs is coming back to a track he clearly loves and appears to be in good form, but the same comments apply to Fact To File, he’s in great shape as well. It should be a great race."

Stablemate Embassy Gardens bounced back to form on his seasonal return at Tramore on New Year's Day and Michael O'Sullivan retains the partnership, while Mullins also saddles reigning Grand National champion I Am Maximus, Grangeclare West and Minella Cocooner.

"Embassy Gardens put up a great front-running display over two miles and five furlongs in Tramore on very testing conditions. It will be interesting to see how he handles this step up in class.

"The same comment applies to I Am Maximus, Grangeclare West and Minella Cocooner. They all deserve to take their place but will need to produce career best performances if they are to win."

'Hopefully he can keep improving' - Cromwell hoping Inothewayurthinkin can close the gap

Inothewayurthinkin: won the Mildmay under Mark Walsh

Inothewayurthinkin: Cheltenham Festival scorer looks to be improvingCredit: Edward Whitaker

Gavin Cromwell is hoping Grade 1-winning novice chaser Inothewayurthinkin can take another step forward from his Savills Chase effort and give Galopin Des Champs and Fact To File more to think about in the Irish Gold Cup.

The seven-year-old was an impressive winner of the Kim Muir at Cheltenham last season under top weight and took another leap forward to land Grade 1 honours at Aintree where he defeated Iroko by four lengths despite putting in a chaotic jumping performance.

He returned in the John Durkan in which he finished last of the seven finishers but improved on that effort when beaten 15 and a half lengths into fifth in the Savills Chase at Christmas.

With his jumping steadily improving, Cromwell is hopeful he can get closer to the Willie Mullins-trained pair. He said in his William Hill blog: "He’s up against a lot of the same high-class horses and we’re just hoping he can keep improving and close the gap to them. He took a step forward from the John Durkan to the Savills Chase and we’re hoping he can take another here."

What they say

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Conflated
He won the race a few years ago, but he's not performing to that sort of level now and looks up against it.

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Monty's Star
He's great. I'm very happy with him. He will improve a lot fitness-wise from his return at Tramore and we think he's going there in good shape. We think he's improved plenty at home.

Tara Lee Cogan, trainer of Hewick
He came out of Leopardstown well. His participation is ground dependent and we want to run him at Cheltenham, so we don't want to bottom him out either. We've always maintained we don't want to run him on soft or heavy ground over fences.

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