Stable Tour

Galopin Des Champs is being talked about in the simplest possible way here, which is that there are signs of life again at home and a clear sense from the yard that he is building towards Cheltenham rather than running out of road. The message is that his recent work has been his best at any stage this season, and that the people riding him are coming back with the right kind of feel, especially with Paul Townend getting back on board to take a closer look. The idea is that you can read plenty from a rider’s body language, and the point is made that Paul seemed notably happy after getting off him.

There is also an attempt to explain why his Irish Gold Cup run did not look as strong at the finish as some expected. The view is that his Christmas race was a really hard first outing of the season, and that it is difficult for a horse at this stage of his career to have a bruising comeback and then step forward again in a top level race soon after. From that perspective, the Irish Gold Cup was less about improvement and more about confirming that he is still a proper racehorse, and the expectation is that the run will have brought him on nicely with enough time left to recover and sharpen up.

The tone around his preparation is quietly confident rather than bullish, and the key hope is that the move back to Cheltenham and the build up into the Festival can spark him further. It is stressed that there has been nothing negative in what he has shown over the last two weeks, and that the priority now is simply for him to keep progressing through the final week. That is important because the discussion also acknowledges the reality of age, and the fact that it becomes harder to keep finding new improvement year on year even for a horse with his talent.

The final point is a wider one about what makes a great Gold Cup horse. The consistency of turning up year after year, staying sound, and holding form at the very top level is described as a rare quality in itself. The argument is that raw ability only takes you so far if a horse cannot stay healthy enough to run, and Galopin Des Champs is framed as exceptional because he combines high class ability with durability. That soundness, and the fact he has already delivered at the very highest level over multiple seasons, is what underpins the belief that he can still be competitive again when he returns to Cheltenham.

The message around Fact To File is calm, measured and quietly positive. He is described as being in very good form at home, with the wider yard also in strong shape, and there is no hint of concern in his preparation. Mark Walsh has been down to sit on him and came away pleased, which adds to the sense that the horse is thriving physically after his Irish Gold Cup success.

The big talking point is not his well being but his target. There is an acknowledgement that if he were owned by someone else the Gold Cup conversation might be much louder, but with JP McManus in the background the situation becomes more complex. JP has more than one horse capable of lining up in the Gold Cup, and from an owner’s perspective there is a strategic decision to be made. Running multiple horses in one race can increase your chance of winning but it can also mean coming home empty handed, whereas the Ryanair presents a clearer opportunity of securing a major prize.

That owner’s angle is stressed as something punters and the press do not always fully factor in. The suggestion is that the decision will not simply be about whether Fact To File stays the trip, but about what gives the best overall outcome for the team. At this stage there has not been a definitive discussion made public, but the possibility of sticking to the Ryanair remains very real.

On pure form, his Irish Gold Cup win impressed the yard. When the race turned into a test of stamina he found more, which naturally encourages the view that an extra few furlongs at Cheltenham would not be beyond him. He beat strong rivals that day and did it in a way that hinted at progression from last season, when he was already a high class performer over intermediate trips.

He is now a year older and expected to be stronger, and there is a feeling that he is still improving rather than standing still. The key unknown is simply which route connections will choose. If he lines up in the Gold Cup he brings momentum and proven top level form, but if he is aimed at the Ryanair the reasoning will be rooted in maximising the chance of another Festival success rather than testing stamina for the sake of it.

Gaelic Warrior’s position heading towards Cheltenham is described as positive but not finalised in terms of target. He is working well at home and there are no concerns from a physical or wellbeing perspective, yet the decision on whether he lines up in the Gold Cup or is kept apart from stablemate Fact To File has not been confirmed. The ownership dynamic is again relevant, with Rich Ricci expected to have his own view, and the final call likely to balance ambition with stable strategy.

Looking back at his career, there is an acceptance that he has taken an unconventional path. From being beaten in a Fred Winter to becoming a Grade 1 winner over multiple trips, his progression has been remarkable. The trainer’s view is that his stamina should not be underestimated, pointing specifically to his three mile novice win at Punchestown as strong evidence that he stays thoroughly when required.

What makes Gaelic Warrior unusual is his versatility. He has shown he can operate at shorter trips because of his athleticism and slick jumping. The argument is that over fences he gains ground in the air, which allows him to travel and quicken in races that might otherwise stretch him for pace. That blend of speed and stamina has allowed him to win at different distances, including a high class performance in the King George.

However, the step up to the Gold Cup trip is acknowledged as significant. The extra couple of furlongs at Cheltenham, especially in a truly run Gold Cup where there is rarely any let up in pace, present a completely different test from Leopardstown. The pull from the second last at Cheltenham and the stiff finish place enormous emphasis on stamina, and very few horses can cope with that pressure if they are not genuine stayers.

The feeling around Majborough is that the pieces finally clicked at the Dublin Racing Festival. There is clear credit given to Mark Walsh for wanting to ride him a certain way, even when earlier instructions in the season had not quite aligned. The addition of cheekpieces and a more settled tactical approach appear to have brought out a sharper, more focused performance, and the sense is that the horse responded when allowed to be ridden with clarity and intent.

He is still described as relatively young and immature in racing terms, which leaves room for further progress. That is important given what happened at Cheltenham last year in the Arkle, when his jumping unravelled at a crucial stage. The memory of that performance is still raw, with it acknowledged as one of the bigger disappointments. The hope this time is that it was simply a bad day rather than an issue with the track itself.

The Champion Chase is framed as a completely different challenge. The pace from the start and the sustained pressure into the final three fences mean there is no hiding place. It is highlighted as one of the most spectacular races to watch from the ground because of the sheer speed and commitment required, particularly when horses attack the last few fences flat out with no chance for the jockey to take a pull.

In that context, jumping becomes everything. A horse has to meet a stride at speed and adjust instantly if it is wrong. There is no time to reorganise and no margin for hesitation. If a horse is searching for an extra leg in mid air, it is usually already in trouble. That is why the emphasis is on Majborough keeping it together this year, maintaining rhythm and accuracy rather than brilliance alone.

Overall the tone is optimistic but cautious. The raw ability is not in doubt and the latest run suggested he has found a better way of racing. The key question for Cheltenham is whether he can reproduce that fluency under the unique pressure of a Champion Chase, where any lapse in jumping is magnified and punished immediately.

Lossiemouth’s defeat at the Dublin Racing Festival is not being brushed aside, but it is not causing panic either. The mistake she made early in the Irish Champion Hurdle clearly disrupted her rhythm, and the performance left connections disappointed. However, the key message is that her most recent piece of work at home has been much more encouraging. It was described as a very strong bit of work, the best she has shown in a while, and if she can reproduce that level again before travelling, it could force a serious rethink about targets.

There is a clear sense that this season she has been trained slightly differently, with more emphasis on sharpening her speed rather than purely building stamina. Her pedigree contains plenty of pace, and it is suggested that in previous seasons that natural speed may not have been fully exploited. The hope now is that she can combine that turn of foot with the stamina she has already proven at Cheltenham.

Her record at the Festival remains a huge positive. She has won three times there and has shown she handles the track extremely well. One vivid memory referenced is the moment she surged clear at the top of the hill, travelling so strongly that Paul Townend could barely contain her. That display of cruising speed, followed by the ability to see out the trip, underlines why she is still viewed as a major player in open company despite being a mare.

The big question is race selection. The Champion Hurdle looks more open this year, which tempts many to want to see her take that route. At the same time, the Mares’ Hurdle represents a clearer opportunity. The reality of training for major owners is acknowledged, with the emphasis placed on winning at the Festival rather than finishing an honourable second or third in a more glamorous contest. Decisions are framed around maximising the chance of coming home with a winner.

Poniros returns to Cheltenham with the tag of last year’s shock winner and a very different set of expectations. The view from the yard is that he has done well physically, looking stronger and more mature than he did twelve months ago. That said, there is an acknowledgement that it is never straightforward for a five year old who had a busy four year old campaign to come back and compete at the same level. The transition from a hard juvenile season into open company can be demanding, both mentally and physically.

His recent work has been encouraging. He is described as strong in himself, and there is hope that the added size and substance this year represent genuine strength rather than just condition. The trainer is clear that he has done what he can with him at home and that the raw ability is already there. With his extensive experience on the Flat, he does not need to be drilled hard to understand racing. That foundation means he arrives as a seasoned racehorse, even if his hurdling experience is still relatively limited compared to older rivals.

There is no bold claim being made about him as a likely winner, but he is firmly put forward as an interesting contender. In the right scenario, particularly if the field size is manageable, his experience and tactical speed could make him competitive. An each way angle is openly suggested, especially if the race does not cut up too much and places are on offer.

Final Demand’s campaign has had a clear turning point. After winning his first two chases, including a Grade 1 at Christmas, expectations were high, but he failed to reproduce that level at the Dublin Racing Festival. The immediate reaction was to question whether the preparation race at Limerick, now run over a longer trip on demanding ground, may have left a mark. There is a strong view that heavy winter ground can take more out of a novice than connections first realise.

In hindsight, there were warning signs. He looked a little flat in running and did not show the same spark late on. There was an explanation offered that he was not given a hard race at Christmas because the rider felt the job was done, and forcing him to change gear sharply might have done more harm than good. Even so, the Leopardstown run confirmed that he was not quite himself, and that prompted changes at home.

The yard has since altered riders in his work and focused on sharpening him up through schooling. That session appears to have been a key moment. After jumping the other morning he reportedly went home with his tail in the air, a small but significant detail that suggested enthusiasm had returned. The hope is that he is one of those horses who thrives as the weather improves, with better ground and a hint of spring bringing back his energy.

There is no appetite to question the three mile trip. The commitment is clear that he will be trained for it and run over it, with no hedging about alternative distances. The belief remains that stamina is not the issue, and that if he returns to the level of his earlier chase wins he has the class to compete.