GALOPIN DES CHAMPS can land a historic third straight victory in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (GBB Race) (4pm) on the final day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
Willie Mullins' nine-year-old can land the Grade One feature for a third successive season and join chasing immortals like five-time winner Golden Miller and hat-trick heroes Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate.
Galopin Des Champs has already won 10 chases at Grade One level and completed a hat-trick of wins in the Irish Gold Cup on his most recent start at Leopardstown at the Dublin Racing Festival in February. That came off the back of a second successive success in the Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown and he is the leading staying chaser of his generation.
There doesn't look any chinks in his amour as he travels, jumps and stays superbly and he has saved his best for both the Irish Gold Cup and the blue riband at Cheltenham over the past few seasons. He can triumph again and give his trainer Mullins – who went years without winning the Gold Cup before the first of Al Boum Photo's two successes in 2019 – a fifth victory in the Cheltenham showpiece in the past seven years.
Gavin Cromwell's Inothewayurthinkin – who is favourite for the Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on April 5 – and Joseph O'Brien's King George VI Chase hero Banbridge are the biggest dangers to Galopin Des Champs' shot at a historic success. Cromwell's seven-year-old, who won winner of the Mildmay Movices' Chase at Aintree last April, is an improving young chaser but he probably isn't good enough yet to beat Galopin Des Champs. But he could put in a good run ahead of a potential crack at the world's greatest steeplechase on April 5. While although Banbridge is a top-class contender, his stamina up the Cheltenham hill will be tested and he may have to settle to minor honours.
READ MORE: Latest entries and weights for the 2025 Randox Grand National
LULAMBA can give Nicky Henderson a record-extending eighth victory in the Grade One JCB Triumph Hurdle (GBB Race) (1.20pm). The French import won on his debut for the Seven Barrows handler at Ascot in January having also scored when trained in France at Auteuil. He can build on that first success in Britain to land the opener to the final day of the meeting. The four-year-old is still a work in progress but he is open to plenty of improvement and he can score again ahead of chiefly James Owen's similarly unbeaten East India Dock, who is three from three starts including two wide-margin course and distance successes, most recently on Festival Trials Day at the end of January.
It could be another good day at Prestbury Park for County Carlow handler Mullins and JASMIN DE VAUX can win the Grade One Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Registered As The Spa Novices' Hurdle) (GBB Race) (3.20pm). The six-year-old won the Champion Bumper at last year's Festival although he has only won once in four starts over obstacles. That win was on his first start in a maiden hurdle over two miles at Navan in December. He has been fourth twice at Naas and Leopardstown in Grade One company since, gradually stepping up in trip. Now tackling three miles for the first time and back at Cheltenham Jasmin De Vaux can win again.
Mullins' ABSURDE hasn't run over hurdles since winning the William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (2pm) last year. But he can give the Irish trainer victory again. The seven-year-old is a smart performer both on the Flat and over obstacles and won the Skybet Ebor at York in August 2023 and also grabbed a victory at Chester in August before finishing fifth in the Melbourne Cup at Flemington in August. He is off an 8lb higher mark on his return to hurdling but he is very a big-game player and can score again ahead of Emmet Mullins' hat-trick-seeking McLaurey.
LIMERICK LACE can win the Grade Two Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase (Registered As The Liberthine Mares' Chase) (GBB Race) (2.40pm) for a second year in a row. Gavin Cromwell's eight-year-old mare beat the reopposing Dinoblue – who also sports the JP McManus colours – by three-quarters-of-a-length in this 2m4f contest. She sent on to finish 10th behind I Am Maximus in the Grand National and is again entered in the Aintree marathon. Having been second at Fairyhouse in January, Limerick Lace can return to winnings ways and score again before another trip to Merseyside next month.
IT'S ON THE LINE can go one better than last season with victory in the St James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase (4.40pm). Emmet Mullins' eight-year-old was second to Sine Nomine in last year's renewal before going on to win the Foxhunters' Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree the following month. He also won at the Punchestown Festival. And although he hasn't got his head back in front in two starts this season, it looks like his season has been geared around this race and a return to Aintree. He can win at Cheltenham this time and may also double at the Grand National meeting.
NO ORDINARY JOE can grab victory in the finale to the meeting, the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (5.20pm). The Henderson-trained nine-year-old finished second to fellow JP McManus-owned Iroko – who is on course for a crack at the Grand National – in this race two years ago. He has not won since December 2022 but is now down to a workable handicap mark and hinted at a return to winning ways when fourth, not beaten that far, at Warwick last month. Mullins' Kopeck De Mee and course and distance winner Wodhooh, from the Gordon Elliott stable, rate the biggest dangers.
Wright Ones
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL DAY FOUR
1.20pm Lulamba
2pm Absurde
2.40pm Limerick Lace
3.20pm Jasmin De Vaux
4pm Galopin Des Champs
4.45pm It's On The Line
5.20pm No Ordinary Joe (NAP)
