Cheltenham Festival's forgotten horse can test Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup

ON paper is looks like the Irish dominance in the Gold Cup is set to continue.

Ireland have won eight out of the last ten renewals — including the last five!

And anyone with half-decent eyesight knows Galopin Des Champs will join the modern greats when he retires.

The way he demolished a top field in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas was simply stunning.

He not only beat them but destroyed them — I’m not sure if the ‘speedy’ Gerri Colombe will ever recover.

Galopin is the perfect equine staying machine, so he wins another Gold Cup, right?

To answer my own question, he should be odds on, perhaps he will be after the Dublin Festival next month.

However, I do think there is a horse who could test him… and that is L’Homme Presse.

What the trainer says...

Venetia Williams told Cheltenham Betting: "Hopefully he’ll run well at Lingfield on Sunday and will improve a bit for it as he won’t have run for such a long time.

"All being well, if he comes out well from that, he’ll have one more run between then and the Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

"People are saying take out the favourite and it is a pretty open race. There’s a lot of water under the bridge though before then."

Venetia Williams’ stayer has been the forgotten horse of the race and a big performance on his return at Lingfield tomorrow will see him shorten for the Cheltenham feature.

At his best, he’s a bold jumping, staying beast.

Rewind a few years ago and he won a very competitive Brown Advisory Chase at the Festival on his first go at three miles — relishing every yard.

He loves Cheltenham — holding an unbeaten record of two wins from two starts.

Last season he defied a lofty rating of 164 to win the Rehearsal Chase. He unseated in the King George when last seen, but jumped badly right and that effort is easy to forgive.

The time off will not have done him any harm and I believe he has the talent to put it up to Willie Mullins’ hot favourite.

FESTIVAL PUNT

THE markets for the Festival are starting to tighten up.

I hope I have convinced you L’Homme Presse is huge value for the Gold Cup.

And I reckon the 10-1 in the market without Irish hotpot Galopin Des Champs is a shrewd bet.

Let’s have £25 win on him. Stay Away Fay is starting to become serious value in the Brown Advisory. £25 win at 6-1 please.

ONE TO WATCH

THE Moscow Flyer Novices’ Hurdle has in the past been a very good Cheltenham trial for Willie Mullins.

However, I’m not convinced about Mystical Power who won this year’s renewal and is now 4-1 for the Supreme. He’s a huge lay for me.

Remember to gamble responsibly

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chases their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed