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Last season’s National Hunt Challenge Cup winner Corbetts Cross had to settle for second place on his opening start of the 2024/25 campaign at Wexford. The Irish horse was no match for Heart Wood in the Listed race over 2m7f.
A big season awaits! ??
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 28, 2024
Heart Wood gets his season off to a flying start with an impressive success in the Listed Michael Hickey Memorial Chase @WexfordRacecour.@BrianAcheson | @HenrydeBromhead pic.twitter.com/FXHWltLoJn
Although the seven-year-old has suffered an early defeat, his connections still plan to run the talented chaser in the Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival this season. He will bid for his second consecutive victory at the biggest meeting in Jump racing.
Corbetts Cross’ second assignment of the season is set to come in the UK in the Lancashire Chase at Haydock. He is the 4/1 second favourite in the racing odds for the Grade One race over 3m.
Mullins’ chaser is likely to be one of the leading horse racing tips for the race at the Lancashire course. His run at Wexford will have helped him shake off any cobwebs from his summer break, and he will not need to concede any weight to his rivals in the prestigious contest. Corbetts Cross is regarded as one of the most exciting second-season chasers in the 3m division. He is likely to face his toughest test to date at Haydock, with a strong mix of upcoming and proven Grade One winners in the field.
The Irish horse’s biggest rival at Haydock is set to be last season’s Cheltenham Festival winner Grey Dawning. Dan Skelton won the race in 2022 with Protektorat and his latest star chaser will be bidding to add his name to the roll of honour.
Ahoy Senor and Royale Pagaille are also set to line up against Corbetts Cross. They are two of the most experienced runners in the 3m chase division. The latter won the race in 2023 and will be bidding to become the first horse to win back-to-back renewals since Bristol De Mai in 2018.
If Corbotts Cross is to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup this season, the Blue Riband event in the sport, he will need to dethrone Galopin Des Champs. His fellow Irish raider has won the last two renewals of the Cheltenham Festival feature.
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS DEFENDS HIS CROWN! ??
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 15, 2024
Back to back @Boodles Gold Cup wins ?? pic.twitter.com/lVMiGhiVxm
Trained by British and Irish Champion Trainer Willie Mullins, Galopin Des Champs is a winner of nine Group One races now. He will be bidding to become only the second horse in the last 50 years to win the Gold Cup three times.
The eight-year-old suffered defeat on his final start of the 2023/24 campaign when he finished second in the Punchestown Gold Cup behind Fastorslow. He is likely to get the chance to reverse that form with his rival on his opening run of the new campaign in the John Durkan Memorial Chase.
With such strong depth on both sides of the Irish Sea, the 3m chase division is going to be fascinating to follow this season, with Corbetts Cross likely to be one of the horses in contention for all the major prizes.
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