Nicky English, a renowned player and coach who has procured triumphs in All-Ireland, provided his forecasts for the forthcoming race. Given a choice among several underdogs from Willie Mullins, he prefers State Man, Ballyburn, El Fabiolo and Galopin Des Champs. In contrast, he advises countering Dinoblue in the competitive Mares Chase, should she hold favourable odds. He believes around 20 winners might hail from Irish grounds and Mullins could claim victory in 10 races. He supports Galopin Des Champs as the Gold Cup winner, although he doubts the thrill of competition at Cheltenham, owing to the domination by a handful of top-notch equestrians, scaring off competitors and potentially resulting in an unprecedented count of odds-on favourites.
In a different perspective, Ivan Yates, an influential broadcaster and former politician, has his eyes set on State Man, El Fabiolo and Dinoblue. He finds the market’s liquidity promising for improved odds on them. He also foresees the pitfalls of betting on Sir Gino in the Triumph, Minella Indo in the Cross-Country, and Corbetts Cross in the National Hunt Chase, drawing from their past performance records. With an estimate of 18 Irish victors, he also predicts Mullins will procure 10 wins. He remains ambivalent towards backing Galopin Des Champs for the Gold Cup, questioning the timing of his peak performance.
Paddy Power, the bookmaker, is unperturbed by the assumption of limited competition at Cheltenham of late, dismissing such concerns. He believes the presence of Mares races and intermediate distances is suitable and that the Ryanair triumph of Allaho, despite not being a champion in other competitions, support his stance. Although he isn’t fond of the handicaps due to their difficulty, he is convinced that a four-day running is justifiable and finds more positives than negatives with the festival. His top bet for the meeting is Envoi Allen in the Ryanair, who was victorious the previous year and appears underappreciated in the market. On the contrary, he is sceptical about Lossiemouth winning, considering her odds are too short for a beginner. He predicts 20 Irish winners and nine victories from the stable of Willie Mullins. Identified Galopin Des Champs as his anticipated Gold Cup winner, predicting an effortless victory if he matches his previous performance at Leopardstown.
Jimmy Barry Murphy, the All-Ireland winning player and coach, differs in opinion. His best bet is placed on Brighterdaysahead in the mares novice, with odds of 7-4 or 2-1. Conversely, he has reservations about Teahupoo winning in the Stayers, remarking that it might be too late for him. He anticipates 17 Irish winners and eight winners trained by Mullins. Interestingly, the former All-Ireland winner thinks that Cheltenham’s top-class races have lessened in competitiveness. He believes that high-ranking horses tend to avoid competing against each other and instead opt for weaker races, detracting from the festival’s competition level.
Galopin Des Champs is a robust contender for the Gold Cup, with an impressive showing at Leopardstown during the festive season. Attending Cheltenham is a cherished pastime, despite its considerable expenses. It’s troubling to note that attendance declined by 40,000 in the previous year, with competition potentially playing a role. The dominance of a few trainers in numerous races needs to be scrutinised.
Darragh Ó Sé, a six-time victor of the All-Ireland, has his opinions as well. Teahupoo is his favoured pick in the Stayers, considering his unfortunate loss last year and subsequent preparation for the upcoming season. For the Triumph Hurdle, he’s not backing Sir Gino, despite his previous win. He forecasts that winners from Ireland will surpass 18 and that Willie Mullins could very well contribute more than 10 to that total given his plethora of high-calibre contenders.
In the Gold Cup, he maintains that Galopin Des Champs is a formidable competitor, though his value is not reflected in such a hard-fought race, tipping Gerri Colombe as an underdog. In regards to competition at Cheltenham, he cautions against incessant modifications which might undermine the essence of the sport and its competition, urging the organisers to refrain from unwarranted adjustments.