AS by far and away the most successful jockey in the history of the Cheltenham Festival, Ruby Walsh should know what it takes to emerge as a star during racing’s biggest week of the year.
And the double Gold Cup-winning pilot is in little doubt Galopin Des Champs can elevate himself to the ranks of Prestbury Park greats by defending his title in the Blue Riband event on Friday.
Walsh’s two wins in the highlight of the four-day Festival came aboard Kauto Star, who emerged victorious in 2007 and 2009, but came up second-best in 2008 to Denman, so he knows how tough it is to defend the Gold Cup, but is adamant Galopin Des Champs has what it takes.
“Cheltenham, it does build to the Gold Cup, and I think Galopin is the one I want to see winning,” said Walsh.
The reigning champion hasn’t had things all his own way since triumphing on St Patrick’s Day 2023, losing to Fastorslow at the Punchestown Festival to finish last season, and then going under to the same opponent on his seasonal bow in the John Durkan back at the same venue in November.
However, he looked better than ever when romping to Savils Chase success at Leopardstown at Christmas before putting Fastorslow in his place in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival at the start of last month.
Walsh feels those last couple of runs make him a very worthy favourite at around 5/4 for the big one.
“I am hugely in the camp of Galopin Des Champs, I have allegiances to the Willie Mullins camp so I’m not going to turn my back on him,” said the 59-time Festival winner.
“He was brilliant here last year, I thought he was spectacular in Leopardstown at Christmas, he showed his superiority at the Dublin Racing Festival and the three-and-a-quarter miles really suits him.
“There’s no doubt Fastorslow is a faster jumper than him and has beaten him twice at Punchestown over three miles and two-and-a-half miles, but I just think Galopin is a little bit better than him. I do think they’ll be first and second.”
If Galopin Des Champs can keep hold of his crown, it would be a fourth success in six years for master trainer Mullins – who had previously drawn a Gold Cup blank – with Al Boum Photo going back-to-back in 2019 and 2020, despite barely seeing a racetrack elsewhere.
The fact that Galopin Des Champs has been kept busy has already secured him a place in the racing public’s affection that Al Boum Photo never quite achieved, according to Walsh.
“I’m hoping he wins and then goes to Punchestown and wins as well and then will you see him again next year?” he said.
“It’s the kind of campaigning you want to see. He’s already held in higher regard than Al Boum Photo because of how many times we’ve seen him, how much racing he’s done. And I think that’s what made Kauto Star great, it’s what made Desert Orchid great, it’s what made Istabraq great. Horses only become great by continuously running, and winning a lot of the time.
“Every sport needs superstars, we don’t have Constitution Hill, so hopefully that superstar becomes Galopin Des Champs.”
The absence of Nicky Henderson’s defending champion Constitution Hill from Tuesday’s feature, the Unibet Champion Hurdle, due to unsatisfactory bloods tests means another Mullins-trained runner in State Man will go to post as a raging-hot favourite, with the balance of power likely to swing even further towards Ireland after years of domination that not even the powerhouse British yards of Henderson and Paul Nicholls seem capable of altering.
Mullins is odds-on to have more winners than all the UK trainers combined, and while that sort of dominance has been viewed negatively in places, Walsh feels Irish racing fans should lap it up while they can.
“If you’re Irish you should really be enjoying what’s happening because the Sixties and the Seventies were glory days, but the wheel turned and the Eighties and Nineties were no fun and I think it will all turn again,” he said.
“History has a real habit of repeating itself, only none of us really like looking at history.
“If you look back, the wheels have turned before and they’ll turn around again. Galopin Des Champs or Fastorslow or Gerri Colombe or Hewick could make it eight of the last 10 Irish-trained winners of the Gold Cup, but who knows what that’s going to look like in three of four years’ time.”
As for the outcome of the Champion Hurdle, Walsh sees only one winner, but does accept the absence of Constitution Hill is a real blow to the Festival as a whole.
“Like any major sporting event, when you don’t have one of the stars it is going to be a disappointment, but it is what it is, horseracing is no different from any sport. All the athletes have to get there, and Constitution Hill isn’t here.”
“State Man sets a very good standard. Paul Townend is pretty adamant he didn’t show his true running in last year’s Champion Hurdle and if that’s a below-par State Man, that run is still good enough to win this year’s Champion Hurdle. Incredibly hard to beat.”
Last year’s Arkle winner El Fabiolo is another Mullins hotpot in Wednesday’s Champion Chase, although Walsh isn’t convinced he should be anywhere close to the 4/9 on offer, and wouldn’t be totally surprised if Jonbon, five-and-a-half lengths back in the Arkle 12 months ago, turned the tables and gave Henderson something to smile about.
“I think El Fabiolo’s plenty short enough, he jumps but he’s not an exceptional jumper,” he said.
“He does take a chance and someday that chance will catch up with you.
“I’m just not sure Jonbon performed in last year’s Arkle.”
If Jonbon could cause an upset, it would go some way to silencing those who think the Festival is becoming too predictable. Walsh can’t understand the naysayers and makes no apologies about his love of this week, and the magic it never fails to conjure up.
“I’ve always been a believer that the day is easier to pass if you’ve something to look forward to,” he said.
“When I look at the Cheltenham Festival and I listen to all the negativity, those people are obviously going to be millionaires come Friday because they know what’s happening, they know what’s going to win, it’s all so predictable. I just wish they’d all let me into the secret.
“There’ll be some great racehorses, there always is, and Cheltenham always throws up surprises, but it also throws up one or two bits of magic a day.
“I like top-end sport, whatever it is, wherever it is, I like watching the best, beating the best and that’s what you see at Cheltenham.”
