Galopin Des Champs still the horse to beat in Cheltenham Gold Cup despite John Durkan defeat
The dual Gold Cup winner had to settle for third behind two of JP McManus' rising stars
Galopin Des Champs is still the horse to beat in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham despite finishing behind Fact To File and Spillane's Tower in the John Durkan at the weekend, according to Timeform.
The dual Gold Cup winner had to settle for third behind the JP McManus-owned rising stars at Punchestown on Sunday, but the eight-year-old remains Timeform's highest-rated horse in the staying chase division.
Fact To File, last season's leading staying novice chaser, improved his Timeform rating to 172p (from 166p) with a half-length defeat of Spillane's Tower (169p from 158p).
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Both still have the Timeform 'small p' to show that further progress is likely, but Galopin des Champs (179) heads the ratings in the division based on the pick of his form, notably his first Cheltenham Gold Cup win in 2023 and his Savills Chase success last season.
Timeform's jumps editor Dan Barber said: "Galopin Des Champs is still the standard-setter in the division following back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cups, having started last season with defeat in the John Durkan and ended it with another Punchestown loss to boot, though there's a batch of strong newer blood from the last novice crop to contend with this time around and matching Best Mate's exploits will likely require his best Cheltenham performance yet.
"He'll still be the one to beat back at Leopardstown before then, however, with this encouraging comeback under his belt."
A Timeform rating of 165 is the benchmark for top-class form and there are currently 11 staying chasers who have reached that level, while the likes of Grey Dawning (163p), Corbetts Cross (163) and Inothewayurthinkin are others with the potential to reach that level.
Barber added: "Rarely can a race have fanned the flames of positivity in terms of the potential depth in a division as this year's John Durkan, as a pair of last season's leading novices lowered the colours of the reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup winner with another leading member of the staying scene completing the breakaway quartet – there might not be a Kauto Star or quite a Denman among them, but the number of top-class stayers on the whole looks likely to outstrip even that golden era."
Timeform staying chase ratings:
179 Galopin des Champs
172p Fact To File
172 Gerri Colombe
171 Fastorslow
170 l'Homme Presse
169p Spillane's Tower
167 I Am Maximus
166 Protektorat
165 Hewick
165 Ahoy Senor
165 Envoi Allen
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