Irish Gold Cup 2025 Preview and Prediction
Cheltenham Gold Cup favourites Galopin Des Champs and Fact To File are set to come head to head once more, at the Dublin Racing Festival this Saturday, in the Irish Gold Cup. Both of these horses will face a strong field with eight other runners at Leopardstown at 15:30.
Galopin Des Champs looks to make it three consecutive wins in the race, last year comfortably beating Martin Brassil-trained Fastorslow by over four lengths. Stable jockey Paul Townend takes the ride as usual, reuniting the iconic partnership.
Galopin Des Champs v Fact To File
Last time out for the pair was the Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown just over a month ago. The veteran Galopin Des Champs came out on top in that contest winning convincingly by a margin of seven and a half lengths in front of Fact To File.
This result reversed the form of the John Durkan chase earlier in the season in November, where the JP McManus colours represented the top two, with Fact To File winning from Spillane’s Tower and then Galopin Des Champs.
The gap between first and third being two and three quarter lengths. This contest was run over two miles and three and a half furlongs compared to the Savills over three miles and half a furlong.
Other Runners
This sets up a fascinating trilogy between the two Irish-trained stars. The race will feature four other stablemates from the Willie Mullins yard, with Embassy Gardens, Grangeclare West, Minella Cocooner and Grand National winner I Am Maximus all being declared.
Just the one entry from the Gordon Elliott stable in the form of Conflated, who won the Savills Chase back in December 2022 for the Gigginstown House Stud, but has struggled for form in recent times.
Other runners set to race include King George hero and 800 euro purchase Hewick who is currently being trained by Miss Tara Lee Hogan, Gavin Cromwell’s Inothewayyourthinkin in the JP McManus silks and the promising Monty’s Star with Rachael Blackmore in the saddle.
More Racing at Leopardstown
The going has been announced by the racecourse as yielding ground for the chases and soft ground for the hurdles.
It is going to be an action-packed weekend of racing at Leopardstown, with many other big names on the cards which can give us an insight for possibly the last time until the Cheltenham festival in just under six weeks time.
Names such as Lossiemouth, State Man, Ballyburn and Gaelic Warrior all look likely to feature on the card on Sunday at the Dublin Racing Festival.
As for the British racing, the highlight this weekend is Sandown on Saturday, with the feature race being the Grade One Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novice’s Chase. Nicky Henderson’s Jango Baie and Ben Pauling’s Handstands have both been declared to run in the four runner race.
Verdict: It’s an interesting race with many quality horses, however I am going to go for Galopin Des Champ to show his class and win his third Irish Gold Cup in a row. I personally wouldn’t count out Monty’s Star to impress and come through with a big run also.