Irish Gold Cup: guide to runners and predicted finishing order

Seconds out, round three!

and are heavyweights in the chasing division and each has already given the other a bloodied nose in the past three months.

It was Fact To File who came out swinging when they met in the John Durkan at Punchestown in November, delivering a knockout blow in the closing stages, but it was a different story in the rematch at Leopardstown over Christmas, when bullied his conqueror into submission.

And now the pair will go toe-to-toe for a third time, in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday, with plenty riding on the outcome.

If Galopin Des Champs can give his stablemate another thumping, then it will be a short price that connections of Fact To File will throw in the towel with regard to another potential clash in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup in mid-March. Instead, a lesser scrap in the Ryanair Chase will probably be in order. 

But this isn’t just about who is in the yellow and brown corner, and who is in the gold and green. A final field of ten has been declared and in the past decade 20-1, 33-1 and 18-1 chances have prevailed, with not one favourite obliging between 2013 and 2022.

Here's a guide to all the runners. Watch what happens live on Racing TV. 

Leopardstown form: 24311UU. Grade One wins: 2. Odds: 66-1. 

The surprise 2022 winner of this race showed it was no fluke when returning to land the Savills Chase later in the year but since then the cupboard has been bare, with his past two visits to Leopardstown ending with him losing his jockey at the final fence, including in last year’s edition of this race. 

He’s looked a fading force this term, finishing well adrift in the Savills Chase last time after an abortive attempt to reinvent him as a cross-country performer. 

Leopardstown form: 154. Grade One wins: 0. Odds: 12-1.  

Hit the deck running on his return this season when making all in the Grade Three New Year’s Day Chase under Mikey O’Sullivan at Tramore, giving 6lb and a five-length beating to the odds-on Monty’s Star. 

It was interesting that positive tactics were employed – he didn’t make the running in any of his novice chases last term – and his jumping is an asset. O’Sullivan retains the partnership. 

However, it’s difficult to know what to make of that heavy-ground form – Embassy Garden’s five career wins have all been achieved in the mud - or whether he will be able to build on that victory on this contrasting track. He’s got a good record when fresh but his past two campaigns have fizzled out. 

Leopardstown form: 12112. Grade One wins: 2. Odds: 7-2. 

The first two clashes between Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs have had us on the edge of our seats but will they go their separate ways after this, or is their rivalry only getting started? 

Fact To File came out on top when they met for a first time in the John Durkan, but it was a different story in the Savills Chase last time when Galopin Des Champs stayed on much the strongest to score by 7½ lengths. 

His stamina reserves seemed to be emptying in the Savills after he had briefly threatened to eyeball the winner between the final two fences. 

His supporters will cling to the notion that he raced quite keenly early on and that he will last longer provided he switches off better. But that’s also a delicate juggling act for Mark Walsh because he will not want to give a relentless galloper like Galopin Des Champs too much of a head start. 

Walsh is a master of playing his cards late and will have fond memories of the 2016 running when he stormed clear on the McManus-owned Carlingford Lough after sitting well off the pace. The combination traded at 999-1 in-running but ended up winning by a dozen lengths. 

Leopardstown form: 6111111. Grade One wins: 10. Odds: 4-6. 

The outstanding Galopin Des Champs is odds-on to secure a third successive Irish Gold Cup and, if he prevails, then a third Cheltenham Gold Cup in March will surely also beckon. 

There can be little dispute that he loves Leopardstown, having won all six of the races he has had over fences at the track. He has a passion for Cheltenham, too, with his only defeat in four visits to the Festival being when falling at the final fences in the Turners’ with victory at his mercy. In truth, he’s a serious weapon wherever he goes. 

Galopin Des Champs was dominant from start to finish when landing a second Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, at the main expense of Fact To File, building on his encouraging comeback third behind the same horse in the John Durkan over a shorter (inadequate) trip at Punchestown. 

He is versatile regards the ground, probably jumped as well as he ever has last time, reflected by the RaceiQ data, and is rarely a hostage to fortune these days as he clearly enjoys bowling along up with the pace. 

The nine-year-old is seeking a fourth successive win at the Dublin Racing Festival, and will emulate Jodami and Florida Pearl if winning three Irish Gold Cups on the bounce. The latter, also trained by Mullins, went on to land it a fourth time. 

He's a hard horse to find holes in, even when his jumping lacks polish. For instance, 12 months ago he surrendered almost 12 lengths in the air to the slick Fastorslow, but still beat him readily by four-and-a-half lengths. 

Leopardstown form: 616. Grade One wins: 1. Odds: 66-1. 

He was a fluent winner from Corbetts Cross in the big 3m novice chase at the Christmas meeting at Leopardstown in 2023, but he was off the track for 11 months afterwards and has not looked the same horse in two starts this season. 

There were persistent whispers for him when he returned in the John Durkan but he wilted after being up with the pace a long way. It was a similar story in the Savills Chase last time, when he travelled well to two out before emptying. 

Leopardstown form: 5. Grade One wins: 2. Odds: 33-1. 

It was puzzling that he did not defend his King George VI Chase crown over Christmas, especially with the word “good” featuring in the going description given his penchant for decent going. Instead, he ran over hurdles here at Leopardstown, despite the fact he’s not as good as over the smaller obstacles. He ran creditably but ended up helping make up the numbers. 

Some will assume that’s what he will doing here, too, although I would not be surprised to see him make his presence felt. 

He was running a blinder in the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup when falling in the closing stages, and he finished only a couple of lengths behind Galopin Des Champs when third in the Punchestown Gold last year. 

is a rugged stayer these days, and his jumping is usually solid. He ran typically well when edged out by course specialist Envoi Allen at Down Royal in November, when last seen over fences, and if the ground dries out a bit more then so much the better for him. 

One niggle is that during his busy career he has never run over fences at Leopardstown – or even been declared to run over the larger obstacles until now. But there’s no reason why this course will not play to his strengths.  

Leopardstown form: 2443P. Grade One wins: 2. Odds: 50-1. 

Last season’s superb Grand National winner again has Aintree at the top of his agenda. 

He’s officially the second highest-rated runner in the line-up (has a mark of 169) but this race must be seen as a stepping stone towards his defence, and I’d imagine his connections will be satisfied if he can show some spark, keep errors to a minimum and be staying on at the finish, such as in this race last year when he plugged on to be a distant third. 

For a horse blessed with so much ability/stamina, his jumping remains flawed and he also has a lazy streak in him. He was again not fluent in the Savills, although that can only partly explain a tepid display when he did not seem to take much interest and was eventually pulled up five out. 

He is not entered in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and I’d imagine the intention is that this will be his final outing before heading back to Liverpool. 

Leopardstown form: 95. Grade One wins: 2. Odds: 20-1. 

The youngest horse in the line-up is another not engaged in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. It could be that the Grand National also ends up being his main aim. 

He thrived in the spring last year, landing a big gamble in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham (off a mark of 145) before taking a Grade One prize at Aintree. 

Inothewayurthinkin predictably found the John Durkan too much of a speed test on his return but his latest fifth in the Savills Chase (beaten about 15 lengths) was more like it. He lacked gears at the end of that race and will almost certainly be seen to better advantage once his stamina is properly tested. 

The National weights will be released on February 11. The British assessor has him on 159, which is 18lb inferior to Galopin Des Champs. 

Leopardstown form: 138. Grade One wins: 1. Odds: 66-1. 

Added a cherry to Willie Mullins’ title cake when landing the bet365 Gold Cup on the final day of the British season in April. 

However, he’s failed to make any impact in the John Durkan and Savills Chase this term, barely budging out of rear on both occasions. 

He will no doubt revive at some stage, although it could be that it will not happen until he returns to handicap company. He’s another to watch with the Grand National in mind. 

Leopardstown form: 4. Grade One wins: 0. Odds: 8-1. 

I’m a fan of imposing bay who has a series of good races in defeat behind such as Corbetts Cross (in a Fairyhouse beginners’ chase), Fact To File (second in the Brown Advisory), Spillane’s Tower (runner-up at Punchestown) and (second on his return at Tramore). 

As a novice, he looked the type who would progress again once getting a proper test of stamina but his comeback defeat on New Year’s Day, when getting 6lb from Embassy Gardens, admittedly looked a good opportunity spurned. 

Perhaps he needed the run, which would not be a great surprise given his physique. 

Saturday should tell us more, although it may not be that straightforward as the Henry De Bromhead yard has suffered an untimely dip in form, enjoying only two winners from 58 runners in January. 

It’s difficult to get away from Galopin Des Champs, who can again get the better of Fact To File. Hewick looks overpriced to make the frame. 

1 GALOPIN DES CHAMPS. 2 FACT TO FILE. 3 HEWICK. 4 EMBASSY GARDENS 5 MONTYS STAR 6 INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN 7 I AM MAXIMUS 8 MINELLA COCOONER 9 GRANGECLARE WEST 10 CONFLATED.