The last of the three Gold Cups at the big spring meetings, the Punchestown equivalent is the only one raced on a right-handed track. With a top field featuring possibly the biggest name in jumps racing, Joe Napier previews and provides his 1-2-3.
Fastorslow caused a major upset in the race a year ago, running down Bravemansgame and Galopin Des Champs for a first Grade 1 success.
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
(Willie Mullins/Paul Townend)
Very little else needs to be said about Galopin Des Champs. A dual Cheltenham Gold Cup champion, rated 180, eight-time Grade 1 winner over fences, and an earner of over £1,000,000 in prize money, he could retire now and still be hailed as a hall of famer. His career needs no additions to mark it as historic.
Yet, this race represents an opportunity to make it even more complete. It has been largely forgiven based on the success he has had since, but he met with defeat in this a year ago when possibly feeling the effects of his season. Then, on his reappearance, he was beaten again at this venue over 2m3½f, so there are Punchestown ghosts for him to defy. An extra week’s break between Cheltenham and this race should help him this time around though and we know he is the most talented horse in the race.
FASTORSLOW
(Martin Brassil/JJ Slevin)
The ultimate underdog in 2023, Fastorslow remains one of just two horses to beat Galopin Des Champs over fences when that rival has completed. Not only did he manage that feat as an unconsidered 20/1 outsider in this race a year ago, he repeated the trick at this track in the Grade 1 John Durkan Chase in November over half-a-mile shorter,
Drier ground may also be of benefit to him here, but this race also represents a comeback mission for his connections. That is primarily the case for his rider JJ Slevin after what looked like a soft unseat in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but his charge is usually a very sound jumper and may well serve it up to the favourite yet again back at Punchestown.
CORACH RAMBLER
(Lucinda Russell/Derek Fox)
It is fair to say that if the Grand National had gone smoother that the Punchestown Gold Cup would not have been on the radar for Corach Rambler. However, a spill at the first fence at Aintree, when attempting nothing less than a defence of his crown, has evidently caused a rethink, although it is a sign of his wellbeing since that he is declared here just 18 days on.
Of course, he did not do much running at Aintree, but he has suffered no ill effects from his unseat of Derek Fox. A month prior, he had put in a career best when chasing home Galopin Des Champs in third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but that track and trip probably suit him more than this one and it is difficult to see him overturning that form.
HEWICK
(Shark Hanlon/Jordan Gainford)
One of the stories of the season arrived just a day later than Santa Claus, although if Father Christmas himself had threatened to be as late on the scene as Hewick was in the King George, there’d have been plenty of tears on Christmas morning. Nevertheless, as other stumbled and tired, the diminutive nine-year-old kept plugging away, and ultimately ran out quite a cosy winner of Kempton’s flagship event.
How he got there does temper expectations for his chances in this race, given it features an altogether deeper field. Equally, he does not come here as fresh, although he has won after a recent appearance in the past, and ground conditions should be suitable enough for him. He boasts an each-way chance, but even his fairytale luck may not extend to winning here.
THE FIELD
Five others provide significant depth to this edition of the Punchestown Gold Cup. Conflated has been seen regularly in recent times, placing in both the Ryanair Chase and Melling Chase at Aintree. The step up in trip on this ground may well suit as long as he is not feeling the effects of a long season. On the other end of the spectrum, Journey With Me has been seen just twice this term, though both appearances have come since the start of March. He is unexposed as a staying chaser, but did win impressively at Fairyhouse last time out.
That day he beat Appreciate It by nine lengths, conceding Willie Mullins’ charge 3lb. However, a reversal of that form is possible under these conditions, with Appreciate It having run very well at Punchestown on three occasions, including when becoming only the second horse to beat Galopin Des Champs when runner-up in the John Durkan earlier in the season.
One of the remaining pair is another Mullins inmate in Capodanno. His best form this season has been at this trip, but he comes here after completing in the Grand National, which is likely to have taken a toll. He tired into 16th that day, while Gentlemansgame makes up the field, though also looks exposed at this level after his defeats at Cheltenham and Aintree recently.
VERDICT
Only one horse has ever won the Irish, Cheltenham and Punchestown Gold Cups in the same season, that being Sizing John in 2017. Galopin Des Champs attempts to repeat that feat, and the extra week between Cheltenham and Punchestown this year should help him improve upon last year’s disappointing effort. However, the value play may well be to back FASTORSLOW to defend his title after his surprise victory last year. This track clearly brings out the best of him, while he may go better on quicker ground than the favourite. The selection was not beaten too far behind Mullins’ chasing great in the Irish Gold Cup when everything went perfectly for Galopin, but that might not be the case here. Those two should be the only ones to focus on, but after an upset last year, two who could be considered at bigger prices are Appreciate It and Journey With Me, both of whom are unexposed at this trip in this company.
- Fastorslow
- Galopin Des Champs
- Journey With Me
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