Key Points
- This horse needs to bounce back but I think he has been primed for this race
- In a race with a lot of question marks, we know my betting tip can deliver
- Iāll be shocked if Paul Townend doesnāt take this Cheltenham Gold Cup ride
Today weāre looking ahead to the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, which is now just four weeks away. And we are looking at the biggest race of them all, the Cheltenham Gold Cup! Judging from the antepost markets, I think this horse is being overlooked at odds as big as 9/1. Especially as I think connections have had this race in mind all season, and he has a far superior chance than the 10% implied probability.
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Betting advice
- Friday 13 March 2026 - The Cheltenham Gold Cup -
Galopin Des Champs
@ 9/1 -
1pt each way
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Galopin Des Champs can regain his Gold Cup crown!
Iād be lying if I said that there wasnāt an element of sentiment to this bet. I would simply love to see Galopin Des Champs win a third Cheltenham Gold Cup, and Iām sure many of my readers would too. It would certainly be a result during the Cheltenham Festival week that would blow the roof off Prestbury Park. However, itās head over heart, and in this article Iāll break down my reasoning.
Galopin Des Champs needs to bounce back but I think he has been primed for this race
Iāll start off by acknowledging that Galopin Des Champsā two performances this season have been underwhelming, and itās clear that he needs to do much better to win a third Gold Cup. With that out of the way, I do think he has had excuses for both defeats. As usual, he was due to start off the season in the John Durkan over 2m 3.5f, which is a nice stepping stone for the staying Chases later in the season.
However, he suffered a setback which ruled him out of the race. Connections basically stated that the race is not the ābe all and end allā, so they are happy to give him extra time and bypass it. At his age, a slightly less taxing campaign was viewed as a potential positive. The downside is that he needed the run in the Savills Chase, by which point heās usually in great shape. Although he travelled with his usual zest, he petered out due to his lack of race fitness, finishing in third.
With the Savills Chase out of the way, I was hopeful we would see the old Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival. However, the vibes from Willie Mullins were completely off ahead of the race. He suggested that following his first run back over three miles, in Grade 1 company might have left its mark. The betting market also suggested a loss of confidence in Galopin Des Champs. Once again, he ran a nice race for a long way, but weakened at the business end, finishing third again.
I have a suspicion that Willie knows that Galopin Des Champs cannot go and dominate every race at the age of 10. Thatās why I believe he has picked out the Cheltenham Gold Cup as his target and will have him cherry ripe for this race. If that proves to be the case, we could see a completely different horse in March, and one that could take an awful lot of beating. All past disappointments would be forgotten if Galopin Des Champs lands his third Cheltenham Gold Cup!
In a race with a lot of question marks, we know Galopin Des Champs can deliver over C&D
When I look at the field, despite plenty of depth, I see a lot of horses with question marks. Fact To File is many peopleās idea of the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, especially after his impressive win in the Irish Gold Cup. However, he doesnāt convince me stamina-wise, and he clearly didnāt strike his connections as being a Gold Cup horse, as they didnāt even enter him for the race. That means he will need to be supplemented if he is to run.
Gaelic Warrior is another prominent contender, but with his keenness, he too could struggle to see out the 3m 2.5f trip. Spillaneās Tower was impressive in the Cotswold Chase, but thatās a Grade 2 and heās always come up short at the top table. The main Irish contender is Inothewayurthinkin, but heās hard to fancy after looking a shadow of his former self since his 2025 Gold Cup win.
In terms of UK contenders, Jango Baie and The Jukebox Man have tons of potential, but neither are proven for a stamina test like this. They also need to find further improvement to have any chance of winning a Gold Cup. Haiti Couleurs is progressing nicely, and could be a contender. Heāll certainly stay, but does he have the class? Then there are horses like Grey Dawning, who are fantastic, but also need to find more to win a Gold Cup. Beyond those already named, there are only big odds outsiders.
We simply donāt have a contender due to line up that looks bulletproof. They all have doubts about them, or questions to answer. There is always the chance that one of these younger horses will step up to the plate and deliver, but there are no guarantees. So, at a price of 9/1, surely you are better taking a chance on a tried and tested horse having one last big performance in him? Galopin Des Champs won the 2023 and 2024 renewals emphatically, and managed a clear second place last year on ground quicker than heād like.
Iāll be shocked if Paul Townend doesnāt take the ride on Galopin Des Champs
I think the jockey booking could be influential here. With Mark Walsh being JP McManusā retained jockey for the time being, if he is fit and well, he will almost certainly take the ride on Fact To File, if he is supplemented. As Willieās number one jockey, Paul Townend would then be left with a choice of Gaelic Warrior or Galopin Des Champs, assuming they both line up. He would also have the pick of the outsiders too, but itās extremely unlikely he would opt for any of those.
Considering the history between Paul Townend and Galopin Des Champs, I think Paul would find it impossible to abandon his old friend on the big day. I think he will stick with Galopin Des Champs and try to win a third Gold Cup. In turn, Patrick Mullins would ride Gaelic Warrior, which for me is the best outcome. With all due respect to Patrick, there is no comparison in terms of jockeyship between him and Paul Townend.
This also links back to the likes of The Jukebox Man, Haiti Couleurs, and Grey Dawning. Although Ben Jones, Sean Bowen and Harry Skeltonare all talented, they have never won a Cheltenham Gold Cup. There are plenty of races that Sean Bowen hasnāt won and heās gone on to land them in the last season or two, but itās undoubtedly an edge that Paul Townend has over them. His experience could be the difference between winning or losing on the day.
Can Galopin Des Champs land a third Cheltenham Gold Cup win?
Galopin Des Champs has been here three times before, winning in 2023 and 2024, and finishing second last year. We know that when heās at his best, he is capable of delivering, which instantly gives him an edge over his rivals who have questions to answer. I also believe Galopin Des Champs has been campaigned with this race in mind, and he will be 100% ready here. I also think Paul Townend will remain loyal, and with his ability and experience, that could make a difference on the day .
In terms of the negatives, Galopin Des Champs has been underwhelming this season, and he needs to prove that heās been saving his best for the Gold Cup. We also have a wave of up-and-coming staying Chasers ready to take him on. While some will undoubtedly fail to deliver, one or two could announce themselves as the next superstar in the division. Galopin Des Champs isnāt getting any younger, and itās more a case of whether he can get close to his best, rather than finding further improvement.
I do think a price of 9/1 and a subsequent implied probability of just 10% does him a disservice. For me, he has a stronger chance than his odds suggest, and he is well worth a play at that prics. Even if he bumps into one or two progressive horses that are too strong, he could still finish in the frame. Even if he only delivers place returns, that would see us with a 40% return on investment. Of course, the dream is that he secures a third Gold Cup for us!
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