Galopin Des Champs will miss next week’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup after suffering a setback.
The ten-year-old lifted the Gold Cup in both 2023 and 2024 and finished runner-up to Inothewayurthinkin last year.
However, he won’t get the chance to try and reclaim his crown at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival on Friday (13th March).
Trainer Willie Mullins, who has fired in 113 Cheltenham Festival wins, told Sporting Life:
“After working very well on Thursday morning, he wasn’t right on Friday morning and will miss the Gold Cup and the other spring festivals.”
Before the news broke, Galopin Des Champs was around 7/1 in the betting to win back his crown, sitting just behind stablemate Gaelic Warrior and leading British hopes Jango Baie and The Jukebox Man in the betting.
Alongside his Gold Cup victories, he also landed the 2021 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at the meeting.
Galopin Des Champs has won £1,667,974 in total prize money from his 26 career races to date.
🏆❌ GALOPIN DES CHAMPS has been ruled out of the Cheltenham Gold Cup after suffering a setback.
💬 "After working very well on Thursday morning he wasn't right on Friday morning, and will miss the Gold Cup and the other spring Festivals.”@WillieMullinsNH | @CheltenhamRaces pic.twitter.com/OQDth4BGjt
— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) March 6, 2026
The celebrated chaser claimed his 12th Grade 1 when winning the Punchestown Gold Cup last April, although this season he hasn’t quite hit the same heights, finishing third in both the Irish Gold Cup and the Savills Chase.
Leopardstown has long been a happy hunting ground for him, with his recent performances there helping cement his status as one of Irish racing’s standout performers.
His absence could have a significant knock-on effect for the Mullins yard looking to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup prize money.
Stable jockey Paul Townend had been widely expected to stay loyal to Galopin Des Champs before the late withdrawal.
Galopin Des Champs would have also been looking to become the first Gold Cup winner aged 10, since Cool Dawn in 1992.
Could Fact To File Now Be Supplemented For Gold Cup?
That may now open the door for Paul Townend to take the ride on Gaelic Warrior – the horse he won the 2024 Arkle Novices’ Chase on.
While Irish Gold Cup winner and stablemate Fact To File – owned by JP McManus – could yet be supplemented for the race.
Final confirmations will be revealed on Saturday 7th March, with McManus having until midday to add last year’s brilliant Ryanair Chase winner to the field at a cost of £25,000.
Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting Odds (4pm, March 13th)
- Gaelic Warrior 4/1
- Fact To File 4/1 *
- The Jukebox Man 9/2
- Jango Baie 9/2
- Inothewayurthinkin 7/1
- Haiti Couleurs 8/1
- Grey Dawning 14/1
- Spillane’s Tower 14/1
- 25/1 bar
Note: *Gold Cup betting odds are subject to change and Fact To File still needs to be supplemented.
Galopin Des Champs Career In Numbers
- Runs: 26
- Age: 10
- Wins: 15
- Prize Money: £1,667,974
WATCH Galopin Des Champs Winning The 2024 Gold Cup at Cheltenham
