Punchestown Festival: Willie Mullins stable tour

Galopin Des Champs will try to right his only 'wrong' of last year when he lines up in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup later this month.

The dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was sent off the 4-11 favourite to complete a spring festival double in the three-mile Grade One 12 months ago, but after mastering British raider Bravemansgame, Galopin Des Champs was swamped by the late flourish of Fastorslow.

Willie Mullins’ charge heads to Punchestown fresh from his second Cheltenham triumph for his fifth start of the season, with stablemate and Champion Hurdle scorer State Man also on course to chalk up his fifth outing this term in the Boodles Champion Hurdle.

The trainer said: "It’s going to be tough for him [Galopin Des Champs]. He got beaten there last year, but I think the two, the Paul Nicholls horse and himself, went at it very early and the other horse came and robbed them. Paul [Townend] might just use different tactics and the horse seems good.

"Galopin Des Champs turns up every day and runs a race and has had many runs this season. I’ve seen horses that are hardy, willing and turn up end up being very good horses because the good ones sometimes get injured and are not able to turn up every day – we’ve seen that this year with one horse in particular.

"State Man turns up every day and wins all those Grade Ones and if you’re the owner, trainer or jockey, they’re the ones you want to be on – good, hardy, sound horses."

With State Man going for the Champion Hurdle, that leaves Lossiemouth to target the Coolmore NH Sires Bolshoi Ballet Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle.

The five-year-old added to her Triumph victory of last season when landing the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham with Mullins happy to wait until next term before