Punchestown Gold Cup Odds: Corach Rambler 10/1 to win Grade 1 feature

Former Grand National winner and recent Cheltenham Gold Cup third, the Lucinda Russell-trained Corach Rambler is bidding to plunder the Punchestown Gold Cup on Wednesday evening.

The Co Kildare venue is playing host to the five-day conclusion of the Irish jumps campaign, with all-conquering Willie Mullins once more the major force to be reckoned with.

On day two at Punchestown, Mullins' Cheltenham hero Galopin Des Champs is favourite to win the top prize of €180,000 in the Gold Cup, but could Corach Rambler, a 10/1 chance, become the first UK-based winner of the prestigious Grade 1 since Clan des Obeaux in 2021 and only the second since 2010.

Belonging at the top table

Russell is keen to see what Corach Rambler can do in a second clash with the best staying chasers in Britain and Ireland this spring.

At Cheltenham in March, her stable star was third in the Gold Cup behind Galopin Des Champs and Gerri Colombe, with the runner-up landing the Aintree Bowl since.

Russell's 10-year-old was some 13-lengths adrift of the winner in the Cheltenham race, with talented sorts like L'homme Presse and Bravemansgame in his rear view mirror.

That podium finish will have gone a long way in terms of dictating this piece of race-targeting for Russell, with Corach Rambler proving himself no back marker amongst the best around in the staying chase division.

Getting over Aintree mishap

Of course, Cheltenham was viewed by many as a prep for Aintree and the defence of his Grand National crown.

Usurped on the day as favourite by eventual winner I Am Maximus, Corach Rambler went off at odds of 15/2 to win the Aintree marathon for a second time but his race was over before it had properly started, with Derek Fox ejected from the saddle at the first fence.

Corach Rambler's trainer believes he'll have no physical concerns after that mishap at Aintree and she's confident he belongs in esteemed company, suggesting 'the spill at Aintree probably took a bit more out of him mentally' than anything else in a recent blog post.

Facing the best in the business

Standing once more in Corach Rambler's path will be the best staying chaser in Britain or Ireland, the 180-rated dual Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs for Mullins and Paul Townend, the 4/6 favourite.

He was turned over in this race a year ago by Fastorslow and Martin Brassil's charge is 7/2 to retain the crown. Like Corach Rambler, he comes here off the back of an unseat, having deposited JJ Slevin in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham almost seven weeks ago before the battle lines were truly drawn.

He has twice downed Galopin Des Champs around here, following up his win in this race last year with John Durkan success in November, but has two reversals to the same opponent so far in 2024.

UK winners infrequent in Punchestown showpiece

If Corach Rambler can prevail, he will become the fifth UK-based winner of this race since it became an open Grade 1 contest in 1999.

Paul Nicholls landed successive renewals with Neptune Collonges in 2007 and 2008, while Philip Hobbs exported the prize with Planet Of Sound in 2010 as the mighty Denman could only finish fourth in the hands of AP McCoy.

Nicholls was again the man with the plan as Clan des Obeaux won in 2021 under Sam Twiston-Davies, holding off two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo in what turned into a pulsating duel between the pair from three out.

UK hopes this time rest squarely on Corach Rambler as the likes of King George winner Hewick, former Irish Gold Cup hero Conflated, Journey With Me, Capodanno, Appreciate It and November's bet365 Charlie Hall Chase scorer Gentlemansgame – rated a 50/1 hope for Mouse Morris and Rachael Blackmore – complete the field for the day two Punchestown feature.

Punchestown Gold Cup odds

• Galopin des Champs - 4/6
• Fastorslow - 10/3
• Corach Rambler - 10/1
• Hewick - 12/1
• Conflated - 16/1
• Journey With Me - 20/1
• Capodanno - 33/1
• Appreciate It - 40/1
• Gentlemansgame - 50/1

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.