Cheltenham peak the ultimate aim with Galopin Des Champs

Galopin Des Champs will be geared to hit his peak in the Cheltenham Gold Cup when he returns from the early-season hold up which prevented his traditional return in Punchestown’s John Durkan Chase.

That race has been the starting point for Willie Mullins’ 15-times winner the past three seasons, but the master of Closutton is now eyeing options over the Christmas period before dreams of a third Gold Cup at Prestbury Park come into view.

“He just got held up earlier in the season and Willie was happy to skip the John Durkan and work towards Christmas with him,” said Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father.

“With him being a bit older, Willie is maybe thinking of gearing his season more towards the end of the season than the start of the season.

“The Gold Cup is where we want him 100 per cent right, so we’ll work back from that.

“He’s nine going 10, so he’s not young but at the same time is not old and he seems the same Galopin Des Champs to us anyway.”

Galopin Des Champs may have little to prove to his legion of supporters, but at the opposite end of the scale, the exciting Anzadam will be given a first shot at Grade One glory when heading to Newcastle for a red-hot Fighting Fifth.

Arriving at Closutton unbeaten in two starts in France, he has supplemented those wins with another two under Mullins’ stewardship, last seen bolting up in the Limestone Lad Hurdle at Navan in January.

He now faces the acid test of his ability on his trip to Gosforth Park, locking horns with Constitution Hill and the young pretender to the two-mile throne, Dan Skelton’s The New Lion.

“It’ll be a big ask for Anzadam and he has to take a huge step up on his form,” added Mullins.

“It won’t be easy taking on the likes of Constitution Hill and The New Lion, but it’ll let us know where he slots in the pack.

“Willie decided to split them (Anzadam, Lossiemouth and Ballyburn) the three ways he did and it means Anzadam heads to Newcastle.”