'He is so exciting' - Galopin Des Champs out to put festival mishap behind him

Sunday: 4.55 Fairyhouse
BoyleSports Gold Cup Novice Chase (Grade 1) | 2m4f | 5yo+ | RTE 1/RTV

If you are not egg-cited about seeing Galopin Des Champs on Easter Sunday, then jump racing is not for you. The highest-rated novice chaser in training is back in action and we are in for a treat if he is in the same sort of form as in the Turners' Novices' Chase at Cheltenham last month.

He didn't win that, of course, as an unfortunate stumble a stride after landing at the final fence deprived him of a wide-margin success over Bob Olinger. It was such a shame to see such a scintillating display finish in such fashion.

But the ratings don't lie. Galopin Des Champs now boasts a mark of 169, which is 12lb superior to anything else in this field, and has already beaten officially the second-best horse in the race.

That nine-length win over Master McShee arrived in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival, where Galopin Des Champs was as spectacular as ever and produced his fair share of extravagant leaps.

A repeat of that performance would be more than good enough here but the big poser for punters is whether the dramatic departure at Cheltenham has had any lasting effect on the six-year-old.

Five of Galopin Des Champs's last six runs have been on left-handed tracks – three at Leopardstown and two at Cheltenham – but going right-handed shouldn't be any cause for concern as he was a wide-margin winner of a Grade 1 novice hurdle at the Punchestown festival last year.

Master McShee has had a cracking campaign. He got his Grade 1 win in the Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick over Christmas and held his head high in open company at Navan last time when just denied by Sizing Pottsie in a Grade 2 contest over an inadequate trip. This extra emphasis on stamina will be much more to his liking.

Riviere D'Etel: steps up in trip and may shine under a 7lb allowanceCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Riviere D'Etel is interesting. She traded at a low of 2.58 in the Arkle at Cheltenham but finished fifth having been too fizzy through the first half of the race. She gets 7lb from her five rivals and it will be fascinating to find out how she gets on over this longer trip. The furthest she has gone since joining Gordon Elliott is 2m1f.

Beacon Edge returns to the scene of his biggest triumph. He stormed home to land the Drinmore over course and distance in November but has failed to fire since and was well beaten in the Brown Advisory when we saw him last.

This Grade 1 race is all about Galopin Des Champs and barring accidents like the one last month he should get the job done. He is, after all, already vying for favouritism for next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup with A Plus Tard at around 4-1.

Willie Mullins has won the last three runnings with Al Boum Photo (2018), Voix Du Reve (2019) and Janidil (2021) and it would be a big shock if the champion trainer didn't make it four in a row here.

'He's potentially the most exciting horse around at the moment'

Paul Townend thinks Galopin Des Champs is potentially the most exciting horse in training at the moment and reports him to be none the worse for his late mishap in the Turners at Cheltenham.

Stressing that it wasn't a heavy fall, Townend said: "He has shown no ill-effects from Cheltenham at home. He seems in great form. It wasn't as though he got a pearler of a fall or anything.

"It didn't happen that day but he is the horse they have to beat in this. He is so exciting. Two and a half miles is ideal and the ground should be in lovely condition.

Paul Townend: 'Galopin Des Champs is the horse they have to beat'Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Speaking in his Ladbrokes blog, Ireland's champion jockey added: "He looks potentially the most exciting horse around at the moment. I hope I can stay on his back this time. It's a good race, a Grade 1, and I'm talking like he just has to turn up. He is going to have to perform and if he does he is the one they have to beat."

'Once Master McShee doesn't burst, I won't be disappointed'

Paddy Corkery is always a character and joked that he would have Master McShee washed down and halfway home by the time Galopin Des Champs got to the line.

It was tongue in cheek, of course, but what a story it would be if a small stable like Corkery's was able to take the Easter Sunday showpiece at Fairyhouse with the eight-year-old.

Corkery was refreshingly honest when speaking about the chances of his stable star and warned punters that his prospects hinge on whether he bursts a blood vessel or not.

He said: "This has been the plan since Leopardstown in February. Galopin Des Champs is a very serious horse but my fella seems to be in very good order.

"Once he doesn't burst, I won't be disappointed. It's brilliant to be running in races like this and he's had a fantastic season no matter what happens here. We've put a tongue-strap on him because he was making little bits of noise in his work as well as at Limerick and Navan. I may put a tongue-strap on myself during the race too!"

Master McShee (right): will wear a tongue-tie for the first timeCredit: David Keane (racingpost.com/photos)

What they say

Sean Flanagan, rider of Beacon Edge
He's a horse that already excited me and he didn't fire at Cheltenham last time. He's definitely better than that.

Frank Berry, racing manager to JP McManus, owner of Blue Sari
It was nice to see him win at Gowran last time. He's probably got a mountain to climb with Galopin Des Champs here but hopefully he can run well.

Mouse Morris, trainer of French Dynamite
It was a nice performance from him last time at Thurles. He seems to be in good form at home.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Riviere D'Etel
She seems to be in very good form since Cheltenham but it's a massive ask against Galopin Des Champs. She ran very well for a long way in the Arkle and it will be interesting to see how she gets on over this longer trip but, as I said, it is hard to see anything beating the favourite.

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