April 30 / 17.30 Punchestown

17.30

Yielding

Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup (Chase) (Grade 1)

  • Prize money: £146280.99
  • 3m 0f 213y
  • 4 runners
RTE2
View Course
Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup (Chase) (Grade 1)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

5/4 (Won)

  • Win: £1.84

Form: 2-3112 C BF

Last run: 47 days

W: 11st 10lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 175

Form & Verdict
Deprived of a third Cheltenham Gold Cup triumph by Inothewayurthinkin following a thoroughly satisfactory preparation in the shape of two Leopardstown wins, following the same pattern as last season; 2-6 record at this venue is the principal negative, especially since two of his defeats were inflicted by Fastorslow in this race; less worryingly, twice beaten over 2m4f here in the John Durkan on his seasonal debut, though Spillane's Tower got the better of the duel for second here last December.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

6

2nd Feb 2026

Soft To Heavy

3m 0f 100y

15:30 Leopardstown

Galopin Des Champs

11st 10lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

Deprived of a third Cheltenham Gold Cup triumph by Inothewayurthinkin following a thoroughly satisfactory preparation in the shape of two C&D wins, following the same pattern as the previous seasons, taking in the Savills and this race, which he won for the third time last year; got tired on his reappearance in the Savills this time; should be spot-on now.

13/8

1st

2

30th Apr 2025

Yielding

3m 0f 213y

17:30 Punchestown

Galopin Des Champs

11st 10lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

made all, clear 3 out, went further clear after 2 out, kept on well, impressive

5/4

Form: 211-25 CD BF

Last run: 125 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 164

Form & Verdict
Completed a Grade 1 double (2m4f/3m1f) last spring at Fairyhouse and this meeting, defeating Monty's Star on the latter occasion; made an excellent reappearance in the John Durkan at this venue, splitting Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs over a trip short of his optimum; ground may have been quicker ideal when posing no substantial threat behind Banbridge in the King George; being a fresh horse could be a significant asset here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

14:55 Aintree

Spillanes Tower

11st 10lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: James Joseph Mangan

Won two Grade 1s in Ireland in spring 2024 during novice chase campaign (2m4f/3m1f, heavy/yielding) and posted first win since in the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham (3m1f, soft) this January; he was receiving 6lb from close runner-up L'Homme Presse last time and others in this have achieved more, but he's only eight and could still have improvement to come.

5/1

1st

4

24th Jan 2026

Soft

3m 1f 56y

Class 1

14:25 Cheltenham

Spillanes Tower

11st 4lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: James Joseph Mangan

Won two Grade 1s as a novice chaser, including over 3m1f at Punchestown in April 2024; no match for Galopin Des Champs in Punchestown Gold Cup 12 months later and he's been campaigned over shorter trips and hurdles since (not disgraced back at Punchestown on New Year's Eve); not easy to pin down but he should be suited by this return to fences and 3m+.

100/30

Form: 22-254 C

Last run: 47 days

W: 11st 10lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 159

Form & Verdict
Last year's Brown Advisory runner-up; finished the campaign with second to Spillane's Tower over C&D; only three runs this season; turned over at Tramore in January; ran well for a long way when beaten nearly 8l in fifth behind Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown in February; almost unseated rider at the ninth in the Gold Cup and hampered at the 15th; recovered but faded from before the last.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

9

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Montys Star

11st 3lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

Just 1-11 as a chaser, largely because he keeps trying in vain at Grade 1 level; fourth in last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup was one of his peak efforts, as was this season's never-nearer fifth in a Leopardstown Grade 1 at Christmas; he didn't fare so well in the Irish Gold Cup last time but was the only one matching strides with the top-class winner on the home turn; going up markedly in trip today, in a handicap, makes him a mouthwatering proposition.

14/1

6th

11

2nd Feb 2026

Soft To Heavy

3m 0f 100y

15:30 Leopardstown

Montys Star

11st 10lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

Chase record is an off-putting 1-10; can perform respectably at a high level; second in Grade 1s as a novice, fourth behind Inothwayurthinkin in last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup; laboured under a big weight burden in the Coral Gold Cup; finishes behind four of these rivals (and in front of four others) in the Savills.

25/1

OUR TIP

Form: 1-4U17 C

Last run: 47 days

W: 11st 10lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 167

Form & Verdict
Grade 1 winner from Captain Guinness over 2m at last year's festival; first two runs this season continued the emphasis on tests of speed; proved he stays 3m on a level track when finishing strongly to win the King George at Kempton in refitted cheekpieces; weakened from three out when set tougher stamina test in the Gold Cup; this is less exacting with only four runners.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Banbridge

11st 11lb

J: J J Slevin

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

So nearly won his second King George at Kempton over Christmas but, although he's a class act, excelling over 3m on good ground at that speed track doesn't mean that this test will suit him; his moderate late headway in the extended 2m4f Grade 1 Ryanair at Cheltenham last month isn't that persuasive either.

50/1

3rd

1

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Banbridge

11st 10lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Won the Martin Pipe over hurdles at this meeting in 2022 as well as a novice chase here that year, but Kempton is where his heart lies, having won the Grade 1 King George (3m, good) in 2024 and gone desperately close in the same race (first-time visor, retained here) on Boxing Day; however, he's been beaten a long way out at the last two Festivals, in this race and the Gold Cup, and a flat track may now be ideal; has something to prove.

6/1

4th

1

30th Apr 2025

Yielding

3m 0f 213y

17:30 Punchestown

Banbridge

11st 10lb

J: J J Slevin

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

jumped left on occasions, raced in third, went second 6th, struggling and lost second 3 out, weakening when lost third before 2 out, tailed off

4/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €3.30
Straight Forecast €4.49
Trifecta €9.00

Selections

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Galopin Des Champs

TOPSPEED:

Banbridge

SPOTLIGHT:

Spillane's Tower

POSTDATA:

Galopin Des Champs

The Irish Sun:

Banbridge