WEST THE BEST VALUE

Mullins' third string can be a Gold player for punters

- Paul Jacobs

GALOPIN DES CHAMPS looks a shoo-in to land Friday's Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup - and in doing so follow in the hat-trick footsteps of Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate.

But with Willie Mullins' hotpot priced at around 2-5, the best investment is surely an each-way play on the Irish maestro's GRANGECLARE WEST (4.00).

This fragile chaser - who in the market is only Mullins' third hopeful after third favourite Fact To File - has been restricted to just the six starts over fences.

However, after being battered to the tune of 23 lengths by his stablemate in the Savills Chase at Christmas, he reduced that deficit to just four and three-quarter lengths in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.