The 2025 Punchestown Gold Cup may only boast a small field, but one of its four runners in on the cusp of history. As Galopin Des Champs looks to break his Punchestown Festival hoodoo, Joe Napier previews the Wednesday feature.
Can Galopin Complete His Gold Cup Cabinet?
With three Irish Gold Cups and two Cheltenham Gold Cups, it is difficult to pick holes in the career of Galopin Des Champs. Yet, he has zero Punchestown Gold Cups, finishing as the runner-up in the past two renewals after having endured almost identical seasons prior.
Despite winning his first two races at the County Kildare course, both Grade 1s with one each over hurdles and fences, he has subsequently lost his last four. His development into a stamina monster may have heeded his attempts to win back the John Durkan Chase in recent seasons, but he is also almost certainly weaker going right-handed. Course specialist Fastorslow is absent this time though, so will not be defending his crown, and maybe this is the time for him to complete the set.
Tower and Bridge Combine for Main Defence
Both of Galopin Des Champs’ main market rivals arrive here looking to bounce back from disappointments.
Spillane’s Tower is the first, who is yet to race in 2025. He has the rare distinction of being 1-0 up against Galopin in their personal match so far, as he was second to the nine-year-old’s third in this season’s epic John Durkan Chase won by Fact To File. That form was massively franked at Cheltenham, but James Joseph Mangan’s charge never got into contention in the King George when attempting to back that up.
He proved he can go well fresh that day though, and his record over fences at Punchestown reads 1112. He won the Grade 1 Champion Novice Chase over course and distance last season, so could well pose a serious threat, for all he is yet to entirely convince regarding his stamina.
Banbridge, meanwhile, landed the aforementioned King George with a sustained late burst, proving his stamina for 3m. It is a mark of that performance that he went off second favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but he was last of seven finishers.
It is possible that the New Course at Prestbury Park simply isn’t to his taste and he went off shorter than the eventual winner Inothewayurthinkin that day. He is also unbeaten here, winning both starts, including in the Punchestown Champion Chase over 2m a year ago.
Could Rachael Pull Off Monty’s Masterclass?
11 runs under rules have only produced two victories from Monty’s Star, but this immensely consistent horse has done very little wrong in his career. Only once has he seriously disappointed, when pulled up in the 2023 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, but just once has he finished outside of the first four otherwise.
He was fifth at Leopardstown and fourth at Cheltenham, though once again, he is a horse who has excelled so far at Punchestown. His only chase success came here, while he was only denied by ¾-a-length behind Spillane’s Tower in the Grade 1 novice chase over track and trip 12 months ago. He may not have the class, but he is unlikely to go away without a fight.
Punchestown Gold Cup Free Bets
Ahead of the Punchestown Festival, and the Gold Cup, you can claim £30 in free bets with SkyBet. This only requires a small outlay of 5p to begin with, the minimum bet you need to place on their sportsbook. Once that settles, the free bets will be ready to use in your account, while there are also the following Punchestown Festival free bet offers below.
| Bookmaker | Offer |
| SkyBet | Bet 5p Get £30 in Free Bets |
| Betfair | Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bet Builders |
| Ladbrokes | Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets |
| Bet365 | Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets |
Verdict
Though only three rivals square up against him, all have won at Punchestown at a better rate, and more recently, than GALOPIN DES CHAMPS. Nevertheless, he has finished second in this for the past two seasons only behind a serious course specialist in Fastorslow and he should be too good for these. Banbridge might make it the most difficult, being unbeaten at the track, with him easily having beaten Spillane’s Tower in the King George, while Monty’s Star, though fourth choice, is not completely ruled out.
- Galopin Des Champs
- Banbridge
- Spillane’s Tower
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