Irish Champion Trainer Willie Mullins has won the last two renewals of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, with his star chaser Galopin Des Champs prevailing in the Blue Riband event in the sport in 2023 and 2024.
Mullins will head to the Cheltenham Festival with a strong team once again, including with the defending champion, as he bids to complete a hat-trick. However, his best chance of landing the week’s top prize looks to be with second-season chaser Fact To File.
Last Season’s Star Novice Shone at Punchestown
The 🟩🟨⬜️ show 📺
holds off Spillane’s Tower to lead home a JP McManus one-two in a brilliant edition of the Grade 1 John Durkan Chase.
The new kids on the block in the staying chase division!@punchestownrace | @WillieMullinsNH pic.twitter.com/pFqV5lTQyv
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 24, 2024
Fact To File showed his class again on his opening start of the 2024/25 campaign, winning the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Chase. It is now the 11/4 favourite in the horse racing betting for the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup on the back of that performance.
As the race results show, Fact To File beat a strong field at Punchestown, including his stable-mate Galopin Des Champs. Last season’s Punchestown Gold Cup winner Fastorslow was also in the race but proved no match for Mullins’ chaser.
Fact To File’s next assignment will likely come at Leopardstown during their festive meeting. The Savills Chase is a race Mullins has mentioned for his horse. His final run before heading to Cheltenham will likely come in the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Galopin Des Champs Chasing History
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS DEFENDS HIS CROWN! 🏆
Back to back @Boodles Gold Cup wins 💯 pic.twitter.com/lVMiGhiVxm
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 15, 2024
Only one horse in the last half-century has won three Cheltenham Gold Cups, so should Galopin Des Champs prevail in the race for the third straight year, he will add his name to the history books.
Best Mate achieved the feat between 2002 and 2004. Since then, Kauto Star and Al Boum Photo have won the race twice, but both failed on their hat-trick attempts. Galopin Des Champs will be nine years old when he lines up in March, so he still has time.
The dual Gold Cup winner faces his toughest test this campaign as last season’s leading novices face a big threat to his dominance. The nine-time chase winner has an official rating of 177, his lowest since March 2023.
Ireland Dominate Gold Cup Entries
Irish horses dominate the entries for this year’s Gold Cup. Spillane’s Tower will wear the same silks as Fact To File at Cheltenham and will be bidding to reserve his form with the John Durkan Memorial Chase winner. The six-year-old finished less than a length behind Mullins’ horse at Punchestown.
James Mangan’s gelding won two Grade One races last season as a novice. He prevailed in the Willow Warm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse, while a month later, he had success at the Punchestown Festival in the Champion Novice Chase.
The Irish horse will be making his first appearance at the Cheltenham Festival this season. He is considered one of the most exciting prospects in Ireland and will bid to give his trainer the biggest triumph of his career so far.
The 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup takes place on Friday, March 14th, day four of the Cheltenham Festival.
