History-seeking Galopin Des Champs leads Irish Gold Cup entries

January 28, 2026

History-seeking Galopin Des Champs heads a potential field of 15 in Saturday’s Irish Gold Cup.

The ten-year-old is bidding to achieve a record-tying fourth crown in the Leopardstown showpiece that would put him on par with Florida Pearl.

The son of Timos is the 6/4 favourite in the ante-post market, aiming to build on his comeback third in the Savills Chase at this venue over Christmas.

He missed his usual reappearance in November’s John Durkan Chase at Punchestown with a small setback, a run that normally puts him spot on for the Savills – a race he landed impressively in 2023 and 2024.

Galopin Des Champs lost his unbeaten chase record at Leopardstown in the process, previously seven-from-seven that featured six Grade 1 wins alongside a beginners’ chase.

Patrick Mullins, assistant trainer to his father Willie, is on record saying the team at Closutton expects the staying chaser to improve for that effort.

Willie had initially expressed concern regarding the gruelling nature of his return and admitted he was unsure what sort of effect it would have on the horse going forward.

Starting off in a top-level three-mile chase and being pushed to the limit is hardly an ideal preparation and there must be at least a small chance he bounces on his next start.

If successful, Paul Townend will join Mark Dwyer, who won on Forgive n’ Forget in 1987 and Jodami in each of 1993, 1994 and 1995, as the most prolific rider in the race’s history.

Galopin Des Champs can also push his career earnings over the €2 million barrier with victory but it won’t be an easy task and becomes more difficult as he gets older.

19 of the last 23 Irish Gold Cup winners have been aged nine or younger and despite his deep adoration for the Dublin venue, he’s far from bombproof on this occasion.

Regardless of the outcome, he will remain one of the best to ever do it but the stars don’t seem to be aligning as well as they have in previous years.

With a heavy heart, he can be passed over at the prices.

🟡🟤 Galopin Des Champs – three Irish Gold Cups at his beloved @LeopardstownRC

🏇 22 runs
🥇 14 wins
🏆🏆🏆 Irish Gold Cup
🏆🏆 Savills Chase
🏆🏆 Cheltenham Gold Cup
🏆 John Durkan Memorial
👑 11 G1 victories
⭐️ Superstar pic.twitter.com/5b0eVnKdsL

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 1, 2025

Affordale Fury and Haiti Couleurs won’t allow another soft lead

Galopin Des Champs isn’t going to be gifted another soft lead as seen in the 2024 renewal so he’ll have to improvise with both Affordale Fury and Haiti Couleurs expected to be up with the pace.

Noel Meade’s challenger reached a career best by some distance when winning the Savills under an excellent front-running ride from Sam Ewing and he should be competitive again.

It will take more to come out on top here assuming Galopin Des Champs is able to take a step forward. Meade was of the belief pre-Savills the son of Affinisea’s preferred surface was soft, but the going was good that day and he seems versatile.

He is clearly still improving at age eight, fulfilling his vast potential over fences and after a few hiccups along the way he is proving patience is a virtue, taking full advantage of a long-awaited clear run.

Rebecca Curtis shocked a few when she announced her decision to send Haiti Couleurs to Leopardstown as a prep for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

He has already landed a huge prize over here, winning the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse last year and he is likely to make the running and ensure a fair test of stamina.

The nine-year-old won the Welsh Grand National last month, for which he was raised 5lbs to 159 and he’ll need to find a good bit extra to make a mark in top-level company.

His sole Grade 1 attempt to date resulted in being pulled up in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November and it’s hard to see him having a part to play in the finish.

Cromwell happy with Inothewayurthinkin ahead of revival mission

Inothewayurthinkin has it all to prove on his third start of the season, trounced a combined 94 lengths in his two so far and the Gold Cup hero looks a shadow of the champion we saw at Cheltenham less than a year ago.

A no-show in the John Durkan could have been forgiven over a trip much short of his optimum but serious alarm bells were raised when he was last of nine finishers in the Savills after drifting from 2/1 co-favouritism all the way out to 13/2.

Last season he steadily improved with every run, fifth in the Savills then fourth in the Irish Gold Cup, trimming the gap to Galopin Des Champs by eight lengths in the latter, showing a good, concrete foundation to build from.

This time around there appears to be no such groundwork and Gavin Cromwell has a mountain to climb to get him back. The yard has kicked into gear recently though which is a positive sign and could bode well for the eight-year-old.

He remains the joint-second favourite for Cheltenham and as long as his heroics last March haven’t left a mark on him, that impressive ability is still in there somewhere.

The son of Walk In The Park has always put his best hoof forward in the spring, as seen also winning the Kim Muir Challenge Cup at Cheltenham and the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree.

The betting should reveal plenty regarding expectations.

Spindleberry takes audacious step up, Stellar Story could make presence felt

Spindleberry could take an audacious step up, currently 3/1 for the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival but connections have been dreaming of a Gold Cup tilt for quite some time.

She enjoys an ease in the ground, is unbeaten over fences in five starts including the Grade 1 WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse last year and is still unexposed with just nine runs under rules.

The eight-year-old needs to take a big leap to challenge in an Irish Gold Cup but dreaming is what this sport is all about.

An interesting runner at a big price might be Gordon Elliott’s Stellar Story, an out and out stayer who should thrive in the testing conditions.

He was eighth in the Savills but easier ground and a stronger pace will help to see him in a better light. It’s a long shot as his odds suggest and he’ll want plenty of rain on the day.

I Am Maximus could build on impressive Savills performance

One of the most pleasant surprises of the festive period was I Am Maximus‘ performance in the Savills, runner-up to Affordale Fury and doing well to finish as close as he did after being hampered at the last fence.

A former Grand National winner, it was his first big showing in Grade 1 company since winning the Drinmore Novice Chase in 2023. Previously he had been well beaten in his attempts at the Savills and Irish Gold Cup over the last few years.

It remains to be seen whether he’ll target Aintree again but there’s plenty of life left in this ten-year-old.