Punchestown Gold Cup: Paul Townend reminds punters to not rule out Gavin Cromwell’s 12/1 runner

Willie Mullins has dominated the Irish, Cheltenham and Punchestown Gold Cups but can he do it again with Gaelic Warrior, or is there an outside chance?

Gaelic Warrior placed just behind Fact To File in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown and the now eight-year-old comes into this having won the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month by a huge eight lengths.

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It’s no surprise to see him favourite having also put in a mighty effort to place within a short head in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Gaelic Warrior aims for Gold Cup double

Paul Townend wrote in his Betway blog about Gaelic Warrior’s chances and reminds punters of a couple of other horses that stand a huge chance of winning.

Townend said: “There’s been plenty of buzz around the clash between Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File in the Punchestown Gold Cup (18:05), so much so that people are completely forgetting the fact that last year’s Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin is also in there, off the back of a good third at the festival last month.

“The truth is, there’s very little between Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File and the ratings back that up, so it’s just a case of who shows up on the day.

“Fact To File arrives here the fresher horse, which would be my main concern for Gaelic Warrior, because you just never know what a performance like that in the Gold Cup can take out of a horse.

“I’ve said it every year at this meeting with Al Boum Photo and Galopin Des Champs, but it’s so difficult to win a Gold Cup and back that performance up at Punchestown, and the horses that do manage it probably don’t get the credit they deserve.

“Whatever happens, this will surely be one of the races of the week, and I can’t wait to ride in it. There’s nothing between them, and it will probably come down to one small mistake or one bit of brilliance, but if Gaelic Warrior can put up a similar performance to Cheltenham it’s going to take something special to stop him.”

Inothewayurthinkin is ‘going to stay well’

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of last year’s Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin spoke on talkSPORT 2 with Emmet Kennedy ahead of the Irish Gold Cup this evening.

Cromwell detailed that he came out of the Cheltenham Gold Cup well, where he placed a valiant third and looks to benefit from going to Punchestown.

He explained: “Yeah he’s come out of the race well. Listen we were delighted with the result for a finish, but it was a frustrating watch for the majority of the race, where he didn’t really travel well and didn’t really jump well and jumping out to his right.

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“Listen I was confident that if he’d stay going he would stay on well in the finish and there was a few points in the race where I was concerned that Mark might pull him up but thankfully he stayed going and you know proved that the ability is still there.

“Listen he’s come out of it [Cheltenham] really well and we’re happy with him since. The ground is going to be yielding, the pace is going to be honest in this race, I’d imagine it’s not going to be simple to just to hold your position in the race but if he can do that and get into a good rhythm.

“He’s going right-handed which at Cheltenham he was jumping out to his right so this will be going right handed [at Punchestown] which is going to be a help to him, and if he can keep his position I think he’ll be staying on well to the finish.”

Mullins eyes 8th Punchestown Gold Cup

Mullins has four key runners in hopes to land his 8th Punchestown Gold Cup victory.

And the Irish trainer who won this last year with Galopin Des Champs has four runners this year: Fact To File, Gaelic Warrior, Champ Kiely and Grangeclare West.

Mullins told Sporting Life: “This has the potential to be a real top-class race, just like the John Durkan was, if both of our main protagonists Fact To File and Gaelic Warrior arrive here at their best.

“This is over three miles and the Durkan was two miles five but both appear in great order and I’d be hoping they’ll serve up another thriller.

“Danny was keen to stay on Champ Kiely, and he has a good record around Punchestown. Hopefully he can pick up some nice prize-money.

“Grangeclare West unfortunately unseated at the first at Aintree in the National but doesn’t seem any the worse for that. He’s another who it will be great if he can finish in the good money.”

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