Ruby Walsh believes Galopin Des Champs is 'just a better horse' than dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo and will prove hard to beat in the Boodles sponsored blue riband event.
Al Boum Photo was trained, like Galopin Des Champs, by Willie Mullins and Walsh is uniquely placed to assess the two staying stars.
Al Boum Photo won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2019 and 2020 before finishing third and then sixth in the two subsequent renewals but Walsh told the Cheltenham Countdown on Paddy Power Media’s From The Horse’s Mouth podcast that he believes the current title holder is the more talented of the pair.
"Al Boum Photo wasn’t anyway harder on himself, he was a very quiet horse," Walsh revealed.
"I would say Galopin Des Champs is just a better horse and is therefore able to recover and take those races whereas Al Boum had a big day in him and Willie got it out of him on the biggest day of all on two occasions. To me that looks to be the difference.
"Galopin Des Champs is very honest and does recover and even after looking at him after Christmas, you’re thinking ‘wow, what a performance,’ but to look at him on New Year’s Eve, he didn’t look like he’d had a run or you couldn’t see it in him. He didn’t look light or tucked up – the strength was still there and he’s able to recover and I suppose that’s the same with humans as well as with horses.
"Some players can play in every match and others can’t."
On the fourth instalment of the series Walsh, along with host Tom Nugent and Rory Delargy, discussed the Arkle Trophy, Cheltenham Gold Cup and Turners Novices’ Chase - as well as answering some questions from viewers.
Galopin Des Champs is on track to contest the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup on Saturday at the Dublin Racing Festival where he could face Fastorslow who has beaten him on the two occasions they've raced. Despite that record, Walsh believes the Martin Brassil-trained runner has it all to prove at Cheltenham: "I thought he was brilliant at Christmas and obviously he has Fastorslow as the fly in the ointment.
"Fastorslow beat him at Punchestown at the back end of last year and he beat him there this year over two and a half miles, but when I look at both horses, Galopin Des Champs has gone to Cheltenham on three occasions – he won a Martin Pipe, he was going to win a Golden Miller and he won a Gold Cup. Fastorslow has been twice – he’s been beaten in a Coral Cup and been beaten in an Ultima.
"So, is there an argument that Galopin Des Champs could be a better horse at Cheltenham and maybe Fastorslow isn’t quite as good? That’s just another way of looking at it so when you’re looking at the two of them, we know Galopin goes and does it at Cheltenham, Fastorslow has to prove it that he can."
Walsh isn't in any rush to take on Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but does believe that Lucinda Russell's Aintree Grand National hero Corach Rambler has been underestimated in the betting.
When asked if he would contemplate opposing Galopin Des Champs, the former top-class jockey replied: "No, I couldn’t – simple as.
"But he’s not everybody’s price so at each-way I’d be fully with Corach Rambler. I could see him coming home as in Gold Cups people get involved, horses get in the mix and plenty of horses fade from the home turn and I could see Corach Rambler picking off plenty to run into the money."
Cheltenham Gold Cup odds with Paddy Power:
10/11 Galopin Des Champs, 7/2 Fastorslow, 7 Shishkin, 8 Gerri Colombe, L’Homme Presse, 14 Bravemansgame, Hewick, 16 Gentlemansgame, 20 Corach Rambler, Monkfish, 33 bar
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