Galopin Des Champs' scintillating 23-length success in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on Thursday earned him a Timeform rating of 181 (from 179), identifying him as the highest-rated horse in training.
Galopin Des Champs had been beaten by Fastorslow in the Punchestown Gold Cup on his final start of last season and the John Durkan Memorial Chase on his reappearance last month. However, Willie Mullins’ Cheltenham Gold Cup winner proved better than ever in the Savills Chase, producing a display of rare quality to power so far clear in the straight. He is now rated 1lb higher than sidelined stablemate Energumene on Timeform’s current list of top chasers.
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Timeform's chase handicapper Phil Turner said: “At first glance, a 23-length defeat of fellow Gold Cup hopeful Gerri Colombe might suggest an even higher rating than 181, but the proximity of some of those in behind limits the view that can be taken of the form, as does the fact that several of those who were kept towards the inner seemed to pay for racing on the worst of the ground late on.
"That said, it was still a performance right out of the top drawer by Galopin Des Champs and his strength at the finish was so striking that it suggests an even higher rating is in his locker at some stage, particularly if connections continue with the sort of positive tactics that were back in use yesterday.
“The absence of old rival Fastorslow was clearly a shame and he’ll continue to warrant respect given he’s currently got a two-one lead on their head-to-head meetings, whilst the mercurial Shishkin has developed into a live Cheltenham Gold Cup contender since last year’s Festival too. However, Galopin Des Champs has re-cemented his position as the division leader with yesterday’s outstanding display – indeed, he’s our highest-rated jumper in training at present.”
Nicky Henderson is responsible for the highest-rated chasers in Britain in Shishkin (176§) and Jonbon (174). Jonbon is a full brother to Douvan who, with a peak rating of 182, remains the highest-rated horse trained by Mullins, though Galopin Des Champs is only 1lb behind on the figures and has the potential to exceed that benchmark.
Timeform's highest-rated chasers:
- 181 Galopin Des Champs
- 180 Energumene
- 176§ Shishkin
- 175p El Fabiolo
- 174 Jonbon
- 173+ Fastorslow
Abbreviations:
p - the horse is likely to improve
+ - the horse may be better than rated
§ - the horse is unreliable
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