Galopin Des Champs, the esteemed winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2023 and 2024, will miss this year’s Cheltenham Festival due to a setback in training, confirmed by renowned trainer Willie Mullins.
The ten-year-old gelding, owned by Audrey Turley, had been aiming for a historic third Gold Cup win, an achievement previously only matched by legends like Arkle and Best Mate. However, after showing promise during a strong training session on Thursday morning, Galopin Des Champs was found to be unwell on Friday and will now be sidelined for the remainder of the season.
Mullins shared with Sporting Life, “Unfortunately Galopin Des Champs has been ruled out for the rest of the season. After working very well on Thursday morning, he wasn’t right on Friday morning and will miss the Gold Cup and the other spring Festivals.”
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Previously, Galopin Des Champs finished as runner-up to Gavin Cromwell’s Inothewayurthinkin in last year’s Gold Cup, and this season he has recorded two third-place finishes — in the Savills Chase and most recently behind stablemate Fact To File in the Irish Gold Cup.
With Galopin Des Champs out of contention, the Gold Cup favorites now include Fact To File and Gaelic Warrior, both priced at 7/2, followed by Jango Baie at 9/2 and Harry Redknapp’s The Jukebox Man at 5/1. Inothewayurthinkin is listed at 15/2 as he seeks to defend his title.
This news comes shortly after jockey Paul Townend expressed confidence in the champion’s abilities, despite this season’s challenges. Speaking as a Betway racing ambassador, Townend remarked, “I know Galopin hasn’t been at his brilliant best this season, but I don’t think he’s finished yet by any stretch of the imagination. He feels in great form at home, and we’re all hoping he’ll return to his peak on the biggest stage of all.”
He added, “Winning any Gold Cup is a massive achievement, but for him to go there, win a third Gold Cup, and regain his crown would be huge for everybody involved with the horse. It’s probably the most open Gold Cup I can remember, and there are plenty of horses in there you could make a really good case for, but if Galopin can return to his best, then he’d have a massive chance.”
The Cheltenham Festival is set to commence on Tuesday, March 10, with the esteemed Gold Cup scheduled for the following Friday.