Cheltenham Gold Cup: Galopin Des Champs on course to face five domestic challengers | Racing News happymamay

Gallopin des Champs, who is chasing a hat-trick, has 19 starts in the Cheltenham Poodles Gold Cup, with just five British contenders a record low in the blue ribbon event in March.

Nine-year-old Willie Mullins has been stout in winning the Gold Cup over the past two years and, after defeating his rivals at Leopardstown over Christmas, is made the short-priced favorite to repeat Greatest Comrade and take three successive Gold Cups.

His main rival in the market appears to be stablemate Fact To File, who downgraded the colors of John Durkan’s Galopin Des Champs before seeing the tables turn in the Savills Chase.

However, he is also among the main contenders for the shorter Ryanair Chase after 34 put their name in the mix for that particular contest on Tuesday morning.

King George one-two Banbridge and Il Est Francais both feature in the Gold Cup entries, while at the same time also holding tickets to both the Ryanair and Champion Chase, with Gordon Elliott’s Gerry Coulomb and Henry de Bromhead’s Monty’s Star being other notable names for the Main Event In Cheltenham.

The five tasked with upholding British pride are Dan Skelton’s returning Festival champion Gray Downing, Venice Williams’ pair of Betfair Chase winners Royale Pagaille and L’Homme Presse, King George IV’s The Real Whacker (Patrick Neville) and Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Signor.

A surprise omission from the Gold Cup entries is Jamie Mangan’s favorite King George and John Durkan’s runner-up Spillane’s Tower, who has a lone entry in the Ryanair Chase.

JP McManus-owned Jonbon heads the betting for the Queen Mother Champion Chase after 26 entries.

His potential rivals include a strong Closutton hand that includes two-time winner Energumene, last year’s Arkle champion Gaelic Warrior and the beaten favorite in the race 12 months ago in the form of El Fabiolo.