The Irish Gold Cup 2024 takes centre stage this Saturday at the Dublin Racing Festival 2024 and despite a small field it’s still quality over quantity with the current champ and Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs in the race. See below the other runners the Willie Mullins star chaser will face in his title defence, plus the latest betting, the key Irish Gold Cup trends and our Leopardstown best bet.
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Irish Gold Cup Runners: Galopin Des Champs Takes On Old Rival Fastorslow
Connections of Galopin Des Champs had been pondering sending last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner straight to the Festival after his facile Savills Chase win over Christmas.
However, they’ve decided to take in one more race – the Irish Gold Cup, which is run at the Dublin Racing Festival this Saturday, and is also a prize their 8 year-old mopped up on the way to Cheltenham last term.
Galopin Des Champs was last seen running away with the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas – beating Gerri Colombe by a massive 23-lengths and as a result it’s no shock to see the best UK horse racing betting sites having him as the long odd-on favourite in the Irish Gold Cup on Saturday.
Fastorslow Has Beaten Galopin Des Champs Twice
However, there will still be some wary of wading in at that short price on Galopin Des Champs – especially as he’s now taking on the horse that’s beaten him twice since his Cheltenham Gold Cup win – Fastorslow.
This Martin Brassil-trained 8 year-old continues to play second fiddle to Galopin Des Champs in the betting and some would argue that he’s not quite getting the credit he deserves for seeing off the Gold Cup winner – not once, by twice.
The first of those Galopin defeats came in the Punchestown Gold Cup last April and the most recent in the John Durkan at the same track at the end of November (watch below).
Fastorslow has not been out since that John Durkan success but took that race off a 214-day break, so the absence isn’t an issue. Connections decided to miss the Savills Chase over Christmas to freshen him up for this and despite still being rated a massive 12lbs inferior to Galopin Des Champs, will have his supporters.
The niggle for Fastorslow backers though is the track. His form at Leopardstown is not great. The 8 year-old has run at the Dublin venue three times and been 10th, 12th and 5th (of 5), which came in last season’s Dublin Chase.
These track stats are in contrast with Galopin Des Champs’ record at the course which reads an impressive 6-1-1-1-1 and is yet to lose a race there.
How Many Times Has Willie Mullins Won The Irish Gold Cup?
No trainer has won the Irish Gold Cup more times than Willie Mullins – the Closutton handler has bagged a staggering 12 Irish Gold Cups and counting.
Mullins started his Irish Gold Cup haul with Florida Pearl, who won the race four times between 1999 and 2004, while his most recent winner in the Leopardstown race was, of course, Galopin Des Champs 12 months ago in 2023.
- Galopin Des Champs (2023)
- Kemboy (2021)
- Bellshill (2019)
- Sir Des Champs (2013)
- Quel Esprit (2012)
- Kempes (2011)
- Rule Supreme (2005)
- Alexander Banquet (2002)
- Florida Pearl (1999,2000,2001,2004)
2022 Irish Gold Cup Winner Conflated Back For More
Former Irish Grand National winner I Am Maximus and Coko Beach are other Irish Gold Cup runners, but the betting suggests the only other horse with a squeak of mixing with the main two is Conflated, who won this race in 2022 (watch below).
The Gordon Elliott-runner was a gutsy winner of the race two years ago – beating off the former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo. That success was, however, Conflated’s last win having run five times since and will also been to bounce back from unseating in the Savills Chase last time out.
Trainer Gordon Elliott has won the Irish Gold Cup twice before, with Delta Work in 2020 adding to Conflated’s success.
Irish Gold Cup Trends: Which Horses Tick The Leopardstown Stats?
See below the key Irish Gold Cup trends ahead of the 2024 running. Use these to help find the best profile of horses based on past winners.
- 21/21 – Raced at Leopardstown over fences
- 20/21 – Ran in the last 6 weeks or less
- 18/21 – Won over at least 3m before in their career (any code)
- 17/21– Aged 9 or younger
- 16/21 – Won a Grade 1 Chase before
- 16/21 – Won between 3-5 times over fences (rules) before
- 15/21 – Raced in the Savills Chase (Leopardstown) last time out
- 15/21 – Favourites placed
- 15/21 – From the top 3 in the betting
- 14/20 – Winners that went onto run in that season’s Gold Cup (1 winner, Sizing John 2017)
- 13/21 – Irish-bred
- 13/21 – Won over fences at Leopardstown before
- 13/21 – Rated 160 or higher
- 13/21 – Placed in the top 3 last time
- 8/21 – Trained by Willie Mullins (11 wins in total)
- 8/21 – Won last race
- 7/21 – Favourites
- 3/21 – Won by a previous winner of the race
- The average winning SP in the last 20 runnings is 11/2
Irish Gold Cup Tips: Hard To See Past Galopin Des Champs
If the Irish Gold Cup was run at Punchestown then Fastorslow would certainly have a stronger case. However, the form of the Martin Brassil runner at Leopardstown is average to say the least – with three runs and three poor efforts.
Yes, he’s proven he’s got the beating of Galopin Des Champs, but both of these wins came at Punchestown.
Plus, if we add to the poor track form of Fastorslow to the top course record that Galopin Des Champs has, then the Mullins runner can gain his revenge on Saturday.
The Gold Cup winner is 4-from-4 at the Dublin venue over fences and could not have been more impressive at the track again in the Savills Chase over Christmas.
Add in that the Willie Mullins yard are in flying form at present, then GALOPIN DES CHAMPS is the strong Irish Gold Cup tip to win, before heading to the Cheltenham Festival to defend his Gold Cup crown, where he’s around Evs with the best online betting sites.
Irish Gold Cup Runners and Betting In Full
Latest 2024 Irish Gold Cup betting from leading bookmaker BetMGM, where you can get a £40 free bet after staking £10.
- Galopin Des Champs 2/5
- Fastorslow 11/4
- Conflated 12/1
- I Am Maximus 33/1
Irish Gold Cup Recent Winners
- 2023 – GALOPIN DES CHAMPS (30/100 fav)
- 2022 – CONFLATED (18/1)
- 2021 – KEMBOY (11/4)
- 2020 – DELTA WORK (5/2)
- 2019 – BELLSHILL (2/1)
- 2018 – EDWULF (33/1)
- 2017 – SIZING JOHN (100/30)
- 2016 – CARLINGFORD LOUGH (20/1)
- 2015 – CARLINGFORD LOUGH (4/1)
- 2014 – LAST INSTALMENT (8/1)
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