Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. He did his usual thing; he jumped very well and and ran hard right to the line. I loved what he did at the second last in particular. Galopin Des Champs received a brilliant reception from the crowd when he came in. State Man did what he needed to do; he got round to make it 11 Grade 1 victories and counting.
Do I see him doubling up in March? Sticking with the senior divisions, Solness took another step forward in the Dublin Chase under an excellent ride from Danny Mullins. Marine Nationale ran well on Sunday. He closed the gap on Solness a little from Christmas and seems to be progressing this year with a view to peaking at Cheltenham, hopefully on some better ground. He was very good on his one visit to Cheltenham in the Supreme, and could be a bit of each-way value in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Gaelic Warrior is just inconsistent, but you can never rule out the idea of him putting in a huge performance somewhat out of the blue. Ballyburn is a machine, and he did what he had to do in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase on Sunday. As for the two milers, Majborough was pretty unbelievable in the Irish Arkle. What he did from the back of the second last was very taking, and the Arkle at Cheltenham is shaping up to be some clash!
It was the Willie Mullins show in the novice hurdles too. I mentioned Kopek Des Bordes as my number one novice from Christmas earlier in the year, and he looked a monster in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle. What he did on Sunday was pretty astonishing.
He gave some good horses a fair old hammering and His jumping improved from his debut too. Final Demand travelled sweetly and jumped well in the Nathaniel Lacy, and he absolutely hosed in to be fair.
