Much of the lead-up to Friday’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup will focus on stamina and whether the favourite, Galopin Des Champs, can successfully race further than he ever has before.
Jumping racing’s “Blue Riband” is run over three miles, two furlongs and 70 yards. In a game where an inch can be as good as a mile, even the last bit is to be reckoned with.
The furthest Willie Mullins’ star has gone before is three miles, once over fences in last month’s Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown, and once over hurdles as a novice at Punchestown.
He was so convincing in the latter that Mullins has never doubted his endurance and can’t understand concerns about his capacity to last out the Gold Cup test.
Rather like the saying goes on the annual run-in to flat racing’s Blue Riband in the Epsom Derby, if you know your horse stays a mile and a half, then it’s probably too slow.
One thing Galopin Des Champs isn’t is slow. He proved that in his novice season when his power-packed jumping caught the imagination and perhaps even led to his festival downfall a year ago.
His final-fence fall, when clear in the Turners, became an indelible image of Cheltenham 2022.
What has been so noticeable this season is the contrast between that flamboyance and the restraint with which he races now.
Rather than any game of “catch me if you can”, in two starts this term it has been a calm exercise in sitting in and waiting for the right time to pounce.
Last month’s performance at the Dublin Racing Festival was a case in point. After a brief moment of concern on the run to the last, at the line it looked like Galopin Des Champs was only getting into top gear.
Appearances can be deceptive though and plenty will be prepared to oppose the favourite due to his unproven staying power.
No better proof comes than actually winning the race and Henry de Bromhead’s pair of Gold Cup heroes, A Plus Tard and Minella Indo, supply it in spades.
They have swapped first and second in the Gold Cup for the last two years but come into their third renewal on the back of very differing preparations.
Indo duly beat Stattler at Tramore on New Year’s Day when taking the Al Boum Photo route.
In contrast APT has had a torrid time, flopping on his Haydock comeback when travel sickness was blamed, and then missing his Christmas target after knocking a joint.
Against all that is how his 15-length rout a year ago was one of the most memorable Gold Cup performances of modern times. It earned him a lofty 180 rating, a full half-stone superior to where Galopin Des Champs is.
Only eight horses have won the Gold Cup more than once and only Kauto Star has regained the crown.
Trends fans will be all over that in relation to the de Bromhead runners but for A Plus Tard a more mundane consideration might be ground conditions being softer than ideal for him.
If they suit Minella Indo, they also seem to bring into mix home hopes such as last year’s third Protektorat and Ahoy Senor. For Paul Nicholls’ chances of emulating Tom Dreaper’s record five race wins with Bravemansgame, the drier the going the better.
But with seven of the 13 runners coming from Ireland, hopes will be high for a 29th Irish-trained winner in the 95th Gold Cup.
Rare horses have won both the Gold Cup and the Grand National but none collected the Aintree leg first. That’s what Noble Yeats will try to do for Emmet Mullins and his ground versatility, as well as no doubts at all about stamina, are big plusses.
Staying power is also proven in Stattler’s case and Gordon Elliott is convinced a distance of ground is precisely what Conflated requires.
However, Galopin Des Champs comes into Gold Cup in form and with his best still seemingly in front of him. Versatile in terms of ground, he also carries maximum stable confidence.
On St Patrick’s Day, it could ultimately prove worth pinning faith on an Irish favourite’s capacity to both out-kick and outlast everything else up the famous hill.
