Slevin backing Banbridge to challenge Galopin Des Champs

Jockey J J Slevin is confident King George hero Banbridge can give Galopin Des Champs a run for his money in his bid for a third victory in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Galopin Des Champs is an odds-on favourite to join racing legends like Arkle and Best Mate by becoming a three-time winner of the blue riband at Prestbury Park, after continuing his dominance of the division by completing a hat-trick in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

Slevin, though, knows what it takes to beat the Willie Mullins-trained superstar, having steered the currently sidelined Fastorslow to successive victories over him in the Punchestown Gold Cup, and believes Banbridge has “as good a chance as anyone” of denying Galopin Des Champs in the Cotswolds.

“Banbridge is a different beast to ride to Fastorslow in that he’s actually a little bit of a lazy racer, whereas Fastorslow would travel around and be there for you whenever you wanted him,” said the County Wexford-born rider.

“Banbridge takes a little bit of warming up to get into it and I think that’s a good thing for a Gold Cup, three-mile-two around Cheltenham and there’s a lot of galloping from the second-last to the line, and the fact that he’s able to win over two miles is massive because he should go through the race easier and jump quicker than your average three-miler.

“We should be landing there doing everything effortlessly and then he either stays or he doesn’t, at the end of the day.

“It’s hard to say you’re going to beat Galopin Des Champs, but do I think he can give him a race? Yes, very much so. My lad is uncomplicated, Paul (Townend) is going to do his thing and we’ll do our thing and see what happens as the race unfolds.

“I think I’ve as good a chance as anyone of beating him at present, looking at the field for the Gold Cup.”

The journalism graduate missed out on steering Banbridge to big-race success in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day as he was required to ride at Leopardstown, meaning Galopin Des Champs’ regular partner Townend came in for a plum spare.

Slevin is fully expected to be reunited with Joseph O’Brien’s charge at Cheltenham, however, and feels he has all the attributes to go close – provided underfoot conditions are in his favour.

He added: “He has a very good way of racing and he’s uncomplicated to ride. You can put him anywhere in a race and that’s going to be a big asset to him, as it’s not like a two-mile horse going up to three miles that is running on their nerves for the first mile and winging fences and doing too much.

“Good ground, as everyone knows, is his thing. We haven’t had that for the last two years, but all you need is one dry day and come Gold Cup time, the ground would be fine for Banbridge and I think he could run a big race.”

Having succeeded the retiring Daryl Jacob as retained rider for prominent owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede early in the new year, Slevin can look forward to sporting the double green on several occasions at Cheltenham next month, with El Fabiolo likely to be among his high-profile rides.

Winner of the Arkle two years ago but disappointingly pulled up after making a bad mistake as a red-hot favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase last year, the eight-year-old fell at the second fence in the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown, with Slevin in the saddle for the first time.

Trainer Willie Mullins has since suggested El Fabiolo could step up in trip for a tilt at the Ryanair Chase at the Festival and his rider feels that could be a good move.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get far enough to really find out what would have happened the other day. It was just one of those things, he got in a bit tight and caught the top of a big fence in Leopardstown and there’s no hiding place,” said Slevin.

“Hopefully he’ll have a little think about what happened to him and go racing with a clearer mind the next day.”

He went on: “When you hear Willie Mullins say something like that (stepping up in trip), you tend not to disagree. I think they had it in the back of their minds from the end of last year maybe. He’s a phenomenal horse and all going well, that could work the oracle for him.

“Honestly, the other day I went out thinking he was the best horse in the race and he probably was the best horse in the race. That is not to say he was going to win, but I felt if he turned up and everything went well, he was the one they would all have to beat.

“You’d be excited about him stepping up in trip and the ball might just hop a bit different for him over two-five.”

On his new role, Slevin added: “It was an honour to be asked by Simon and Isaac when Daryl retired and every day I go into the weighing room and see those colours by my peg, I feel proud.

“They’re great people to work with, they have a great team of horses and great trainers and the big thing is there’s a real team atmosphere to it – everyone is in it together.

“The week is not hugely different. I’m going into Willie Mullins’ a good bit more now and obviously Nigel Twiston-Davies has a few horses and Nicky Henderson as well. It’s great to be able to go over and ride out for those people – for me, it’s pretty cool.”