Willie Mullins is remaining calm about the possibility of winning a third-consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Irish trainer has won back-to-back races with Galopin Des Champs in the last two years.

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Mullins is remaining calm about the prospect of a third consecutive Gold Cup[/caption]

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Galopin Des Champs would be the first horse since Best Mate to achieve the feat[/caption]

Under Paul Townend, the horse has already won the Irish Gold Cup this year as history beckons next week.

The latest edition of the Cheltenham Festival will take place from March 11 to 14.

Next Friday’s racecard includes the event’s showpiece, which comes with a share of £625,000 in prize money for the winner.

Last year, that cut amounted to over £350,000 for Mullins’ two-time champion.

Galopin Des Champs enters the week as the heavy favourite for the Gold Cup once again.

After wins in 2023 and 2024, he could become the first horse since Best Mate to win a third Gold Cup in a row.

Henrietta Knight, who saddled Best Mate to glory in 2002, 2003 and 2004, has labelled another victory ‘a certainty’ this year.

She told the Racing Post: “There’s nothing to touch him. I think he’ll definitely win – he’s a certainty.”

Knight even tipped Galopin Des Champs for a fourth triumph in 2026, adding: “I’ve said all the way along he’s a gorgeous horse, and to keep coming back and doing it is impressive.

“It’s not impossible he could do four, is it? We were going for a fourth with Best Mate when he died.”

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Knight believes Galopin Des Champs winning again this year is ‘a certainty’[/caption]

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Townend and Mullins teamed up for their fourth Gold Cup triumph 12 months ago[/caption]

However, Mullins is refusing to get carried away by the possibility of repeating Best Mate and Arkle’s feats.

Asked if a third straight win would be the pinnacle of his career, the 68-year-old told talkSPORT: “I mean, it’s something that’s hard to think about.

“I think it’s not going to happen and probably that’s the best way to think about it because normally in racing, I call it a game of disappointment.

“We get disappointed more than we have joy out of it. But it would be brilliant if it did happen.

“To be up there in the same league as Best Mate and Arkle, just wonderful. Fingers crossed it’ll happen. It would have to be the pinnacle of a career, yes.”

Mullins previously came close to clinching three-in-a-row with his previous Gold Cup-winning horse.

Al Boum Photo claimed victory in 2019 and 2020 with Townend in the saddle.

The pair would miss out in 2021, though, finishing third as Minella Indo won for Henry De Bromhead under Jack Kennedy.

talkSPORT will, as ever, been in the thick of it at the Cheltenham Festival.

You can hear the main races on Hawksbee and Jacobs – live from the racecourse – from Tuesday to Friday with commentary from Rupert Bell and Lizzie Kelly.

Meanwhile, every single race will be live on Racing Live on talkSPORT2 with a daily preview show at 10am.

As well as that, the Sports Breakfast will also becoming live from Cheltenham as the festival swings into action.