Despite having five of the six John Durkan Memorial Chase runners, including Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs, top Irish trainer Willie Mullins was denied his tenth success in the Punchestown Grade One race with Fastorslow upsetting the County Carlow applecart.
Galopin Des Champs Beaten In John Durkan Seasonal Reappearance
Last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champ was the big star on show at Punchestown racecourse on Sunday, as the warm favourite for the John Durkan Chase – a race the 7 year-old took last season.
That success 12 months ago provided trainer Willie Mullins with his nineth win in the Grade One Chase and with five of the six 2023 entries it was long odds-on the County Carlow hander would be making it into double-figures in this contest.
However, despite being sent off as the red-hot 1/2 John Durkan favourite, Galopin Des Champs never looked at home early on with several jumping errors creeping into first run back.
In-running Galopin Des Champs quickly drifted out to odds against with this stablemate Appreciate It making the running, and despite a brief challenge for the lead, it was clear entering the Punchestown straight the Gold Cup champ was in trouble.
Having looked a bit one-paced and not able to pick up Appreciate It and the eventual winner Fastorslow, it was his second defeat now since Cheltenham, with many horse racing fans now wondering if that Gold Cup win has left its mark.
Galopin Des Champs is now out to 3/1 (from 2/1) in the 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup betting market.
John Durkan Chase 2023 Result In Full
- 1st Fastorslow 9/1
- 2nd Appreciate It 6/1
- 3rd Galopin Des Champs 1/2 fav
Fastorslow Conquers Galopin Des Champs For A Second Time
Fastorslow lowered the colours of Galopin Des Champs in the Punchestown Gold Cup back in April and despite this was still sent off as big as 9/1 with the best UK horse racing betting sites against Galopin Des Champs for Sunday’s John Durkan Chase.
This Martin Brassil runner was the only non-Willie Mullins runner in a field of six for the 2023 John Durkan Memorial Chase, but defied those odds to show his Punchestown win from last season was no fluke.
As a result Fastorslow, who was runner-up to the eventual Grand National winner Corach Rambler in last season’s Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, is now into 5/1 in the 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup betting market.
Trainer Martin Brassil has never won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but did win the Aintree Grand National with Numbersixvalverde in 2006.
WATCH: The 2023 John Durkan Chase
🔥FASTORSLOW takes down the Mullins battalion 🔥
Fastorslow picks up where he left off last season by staying on strongest in a thrilling edition of the G1 John Durkan Memorial Chase.
Hot favourite Galopin Des Champs is beaten AGAIN!@punchestownrace 🏇 pic.twitter.com/eham04KPcL
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 26, 2023
Galopin Des Champs Drifts In 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting
Galopin Des Champ’s John Durkan defeat saw the best online gambling sites push the Willie Mullins 7 year-old out to 3/1 for the 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup, with Gordon Elliott’s Gerri Colombe firming up to a solid 4/1 with most firms.
Willie Mullins has won the Cheltenham Gold Cup three times since 2019, while trainer Gordon Elliott has won the Gold Cup just once (Don Cossack, 2016).
- Galopin Des Champs 3/1
- Gerri Colombe 4/1
- Fastorslow 5/1
- Shishkin 14/1
- Bravemansgame 14/1
- L’Homme Presse 16/1
- Gentlemansgame 20/1
- 33/1 Bar
Note: Odds are subject to change
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