The highlight of the Punchestown Festival is the Punchestown Gold Cup.
Last year, Galopin Des Champs arrived for this race with a glowing reputation. Unbeaten in seven starts as a chaser, the most recent of which included winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup, few could anything other than a facile success for the odds on favourite.
Yet Martin Brassil's Fastorslow sprung a major upset at 20/1. The Ultima 2nd beat the Gold Cup 1-2 and in doing so threatened to ruin the favourites pristine record. On seasonal reappearance in the John Durkan he did it again to confirm his superiority.
Yet a reversal in the Irish Gold Cup before an unseating at Cheltenham has seen the Willie Mullins gelding return to the top table. A fifth rematch now ensues in the Punchestown Gold Cup 2024 with the score tied at 2-2, and with a return to the venue where it all first happened.
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Punchestown Gold Cup Odds
| Runner | Best Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Galopin Des Champs | 8/11 | BetMGM |
| Fastorslow | 3/1 | Coral |
| Gerri Colombe | 5/1 | Betfred |
| Shishkin | 8/1 | BetMGM |
| Corach Rambler | 12/1 | BetMGM |
| Journey With Me | 14/1 | BetMGM |
| Hewick | 14/1 | LivescoreBet |
Punchestown Gold Cup Runners
Here’s a look at a few of the betting market leaders.
Galopin Des Champs
After his defeat on the season reappearance caused a doubt over his well-being three Grade 1 victories have provided a monumental season for Galopin Des Champs as he collected a second Irish Gold Cup on a second Cheltenham Gold Cup at only eight years old.
Indeed, his Gold Cup win has since been boosted with second place Gerri Colombe going on to win the Aintree Bowl. However, although he is 10 lbs clear on the ratings, his shock defeat in this race last year still lingers in the memory and the concern is that of fatigue after a big season.
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Fastorslow
After dethroning the 1-2 from the Gold Cup in this race last year, many were unsure what to make of Fastorslow. However, he confirmed his ability with victory in the Grade 1 John Durkan chase on seasonal debut in November. Since then he's finished second in the Irish Gold Cup in a confusedly run race before unseating JJ Slevin at the Festival.
That mistake was uncharacteristic of him and means he arrives here fresher than the favourite. Moreover, although Galopin Des Champs has matured and improved this season, he has had a long campaign and may be primed to exact revenge at the place of last year’s upset.
Shishkin
A horse who's had the strangest season is Nicky Henderson's Shishkin. After refusing to race in the 1965 chase Ascot on debut, he unseated Nico de Bournville after the last in the King George not due to a jumping error but because of a stumble.
He looked likely to win that day and it was disappointing that he was withdrawn in the Gold Cup because of the Seven Barrows stable form. That meant he arrived at the Bowl after a two-month break having not really had it in normal race yet.
With that being full weeks between Cheltenham and entry this shave other than three this freshness wasn't such an advantage is that can be as he weakened into 4th in a somewhat sprint finish on soft ground. With that run behind him he could go well now back on a sounder surface but he must jump better than he did Aintree where a few errors didn't help.
Hewick
Having not been declared for Sandown this weekend it seems likely that Hewick could rock up here. The King George winner has only been seen once since his heroics and that was this month at Aintree over hurdles. After a 109 day break he was not seen to best effect over the smaller obstacles over which he is rated 22 lbs lower.
All of his major wins have come on good ground and therefore the forecast is in his favour. Compared to the favourite, Conflated and others such as Capodanno he has had a light season and that could stand him in good stead on Wednesday.
Punchestown Gold Cup Date & Start Time
The Punchestown Gold Cup is scheduled to be run on Wednesday 1st May at 5.25pm.
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Punchestown Gold Cup Tips
Although the focus for many is the rematch between galloping Deschamps and Fastorslow my preference is for SHISHKIN. I believe that Nicky Henderson's horse will appreciate a return to a sounder surface, one that saw him all but win the King George and a surface where he won the Aintree Bowl last season.
Although his run last time out was disappointing the three horses in front of him had all run at Cheltenham. With there being an additional weeks gap between Cheltenham and Aintree this year it may have counted for them rather than against them.
