Irish weekend preview: Galopin Des Champs can turns the tables on Fact To File
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The highlight of the weekend’s actions comes on Saturday afternoon at Leopardstown, where stablemates Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs head a cast of nine for the Grade One Savills Chase. There is a strong case to be made for each, but Galopin Des Champs boasts a tremendous record here and can advance it to a perfect six.
The dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was behind Fact To File in the John Durkan Memorial, but there were positives to be taken from the run. Oftentimes, particularly at Punchestown and over that two-and-a-half-mile trip, he struggled to jump and go with the pace, but he was able to lead that day and was only run out of it in the closing stages.
Up in trip and with that run under his belt, he should be much better this time and can make his experience count against Fact To File, who remains a top prospect and could yet develop into the best staying chaser in training. He is not dismissed lightly.
Kaid d’Authie looks the one to beat in the Savills Maiden Hurdle. Willie Mullins’ four-year-old made his Irish debut earlier this month at Navan and was in front until crashing out at the back of the fifth hurdle. Sent off a heavily backed 1-3 chance that day, he was clearly expected to stay in front the whole way.
On his only outing in France, he contested a hurdle won by then and now stablemate Majborough and was noted making good late progress into fifth place. He remains a high-class prospect and with a clear round of jumping, he can get straight back on track.
The feature of the four days in Limerick is the Grade One Guinness 00 Faugheen Novice Chase and Impaire Et Passe can give Willie Mullins a fourth win in six runnings by taking Saturday’s race.
A top-class novice hurdler, he proved not to be Champion Hurdle class when in against the best but wrapped up last season with two Grade One victories. In late November, he made his chasing debut and while there were moments when it looked as though he might struggle to get on top, he got better the further they went and eventually won by a wide margin. The form has since taken a couple of knocks but, ultimately, he was in a different league and can make the step up to the top level.
On Sunday’s card in Leopardstown, State Man can reverse Morgiana Hurdle form with Brighterdaysahead when they renew rivalry in the Grade One Neville Hotels Hurdle. Better for that run, in four completed starts at this venue the Champion Hurdler has won this race twice and the Irish Champion Hurdle twice. A quick return to winning ways beckons.
Savante will appreciate the step up to two and a half miles for the novice handicap hurdle and holds strong each-way claims while, at Limerick, Sommesky will take a world of beating in the auction maiden hurdle, having finished fourth to Ballygunner Castle on his hurdling debut.
12:20 Kaid d’Authie
12:50 Stay Gold
1:20 Quai De Bourbon (NB)
2:00 Home By The Lee
2:35 Galopin Des Champs (Nap)
3:05 Feet Of A Dancer
3:40 Kovanis
12:20 Sermandzarak
12:50 Portarlington
1:20 Chapeau De Soleil
2:00 Asterion Forlonge
2:35 Fact To File
3:05 Win Some Lose Some
3:40 Soir De Garde
12:30 Shoot The Blue
1:05 Final Demand
1:40 Impaire Et Passe
2:15 La Malmason
2:50 Dancingondaceiling
3:25 Kings Halo
3:55 Mossy Way
12:30 McLaurey
1:05 Will The Wise
1:40 Sa Majeste
2:15 Sainte Dona
2:50 Jeriko De Baune
3:25 Baggars Rock
3:55 Road Exile
12:10 Argento Boy (nap)
12:45 Savante (nb)
1:20 Lot Of Joy
1:55 Ballybawn Belter
2:30 State Man
3:05 Tounsivator
3:40 Koktail Brut
12:10 The Enabler
12:45 Taponthego
1:20 July Flower
1:55 Sequestered
2:30 Brighterdaysahead
3:05 Mr Percy
3:40 Sortudo
12:00 Rocky’s Howya
12:32 Rusheen
1:07 Robbies Rock
1:42 Say It So
2:17 Sommersky
2:52 Ned In The Park
3:27 River Vale
12:00 Wine An Dine
12:32 Brave Adam
1:07 Eagles Reign
1:42 Maroto
2:17 Custom Taylor
2:52 Walk In The Dark
3:27 Knockbrack Rambler