Cheltenham festival winner Galvin is set to head straight to the Gold Cup at Prestbury Park and not take up his engagement at the Dublin Racing festival.
The eight year old moved from Gordon Elliott to Ian Ferguson before the Cheltenham festival and with the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham festival being the aim all year long, they stuck with the plan.
The market moved around frequently before the race with Royal Pagaille taken out and horses like Next Destination and Escaria Ten added to the race to take on Galvin.
Having finished second at the 2020 Cheltenham festival behind Imperial Aura in the 2m4f Novices' Handicap, he went into the meeting having only run once since that second and it saw him get back to winning ways at Cheltenham over three miles.
Not being seeing since that run and being waited on at home, he gave a superb performance under a great ride by Jack Kennedy to sneak up the inside rail and take the event in the final stages.
Put away again for the rest of the season, he returned this term over three miles, back under the care of Gordon Elliott and won well in a Grade Three event at Punchestown.
Another thrilling finish in the Savills Chase!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 28, 2021
Galvin finishes with a real flourish under a fine @_Davy_Russel_ ride to deny A Plus Tard in the big race at @LeopardstownRC @SavillsIreland | @gelliott_racing pic.twitter.com/nPODvP7ftp
Supposed to be aimed at the Grand National, he emerged as a big player for the Gold Cup after his run at Down Royal when going down by less than a length to Frodon in the Grade One Champion Chase.
Galvin truly put himself as a contender for the Cheltenham feature last time out when going on to see off Betfair Chase winner A Plus Tard in the final strides of the Savills Chase at Christmas.
With Elliott giving him an entry for the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival, and with Paddy Power offering a €150,000 bonus to any horse who can complete the Gold Cup double, it was unsure whether we would see him again before March, but the handler has now stated he will head straight to Prestbury Park.
He said: “He’s in at Leopardstown but I’d imagine he’ll go straight to the Gold Cup.
“We just stuck him in to give him an option, but he’ll go straight to the Gold Cup.”
Galvin is a best priced 5/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in march, now being the second favourite behind his rival A Plus Tard who is the 7/2 fav.
