Galvin gets campaign off to winning start

The 11/10 favourite Galvin recorded his thirteenth win from 22 starts when repeating last year's success in the Irish Daily Star Best For Racing Chase.

A Grade 1 winner of the Savills Chase at Leopardstown last Christmas and fourth in the Gold Cup for which he started second favourite, the eight-year-old tracked the leaders before moving to the head of affairs after the third-last fence. From there, he stayed on well under Davy Russell to account for stablemate Run Wild Fred by five and a half lengths.

Paddy Power cut Galvin to 16/1, from 20s, for the Gold Cup.

Winning trainer Gordon Elliott said: “Davy said he jumped like a buck from fence to fence. Fitness wise he is probably a little bit behind where he was last year and he’ll come on for it but it’s a nice start. He’ll head now to Down Royal probably along with Conflated.

“He doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He keeps pulling it out every year and we are lucky to have him.

“Jack (Kennedy) said Run Wild Fred would be better off in a big handicap. He was nearly on his own and was too idle but that will leave him spot on.

“He fell last time in the National and was a bit careful over the first four or five. He’ll go for a good handicap chase.”

Quotes from Alan Magee