Timeform's David Cleary reflects on the Gold Cup victory of Galopin Des Champs at Cheltenham on Friday.
The centenary Cheltenham Gold Cup proved to be a straightforward task for Galopin des Champs. He had 8 lb in hand on Timeform ratings, was sent off at a shade of odds on and never really looked in much danger of defeat, ridden handily and always having the leaders covered.
Rain yesterday and overnight made for very testing conditions, the time taken over seven minutes for just the third time this century – Native River and Bobs Worth, both thorough stayers, were the others to win in a similarly slow time. Only six of the eleven that set out finished, even the winner required to really knuckle down once he got to the front.
So far as the form goes, Galopin des Champs probably didn't have to run to his very best. He was kept up to his work to defeat Gerri Colombe by three and a half lengths, the margin nearly 20 lengths narrower than it had been between them at Christmas. That said, the runner-up surely ran the race of his life.
Corach Rambler, out the back for a long way, ran a cracker to finish third, setting himself up with a great chance to win back-to-back Grand Nationals. L'Homme Presse also ran with plenty of credit, weakening only after two out having raced up with the pace. This, though, was Galopin des Champs' race – he's an above-average Gold Cup winner and just the right age to become the first to win the race three times since Best Mate.
