Galopin Des Champs flawless as he retains Gold Cup crown

Galopin Des Champs joined the list of Cheltenham Festival greats when brilliantly defending his Boodles Cheltenham Cup crown.

Having answered stamina doubts 12 months ago, the Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs was ridden much handier this time by Paul Townend, as the last two Brown Advisory Novices' Chase winners, The Real Whacker and L'Homme Presse, set the pace.

Townend had edged his way to join the front-runners jumping four out and although the loose Fastorslow threatened to check his momentum as Charlie Deutsch aboard L'Homme Presse set sail for home three out, there were few dramas for the week's leading rider who looked in complete control jumping to the front two out.

L'Homme Presse and the brave Gerri Colombe looked beaten as Galopin Des Champs (10-11 favourite) approached the last with a clear advantage and he produced the leap of a real champion at the final obstacle before storming up the final climb to finish three and a half lengths clear of Gordon Elliott's game runner-up Gerri Colombe.

Lucinda Russell's Grand National hero Corach Rambler stayed on admirably for third, but the day belonged to Galopin Des Champs, who was scoring at the Cheltenham Festival for a third time.

Mullins and Townend were combining for their fourth Gold Cup triumph following Al Boum Photo's back-to-back triumphs in 2019 and 2020 and Galopin Des Champs' victory over Bravemansgame 12 months ago and it was a fitting way to cap a stellar week for the master of Closutton and his stable jockey.

Mullins said: "I think he just put himself in the superstar category - to do what he did and the way he did it.

"The loose horse was there and Paul was just so positive on him. Hopefully we can come back next year to win a third one - he has the ability to do it and we just have to stay sound, I think."

He's doing everything right and is achieving more than I thought he could. It was great to win a Gold Cup last year and we were crossing our fingers this year that if we got him there safe and sound, he'd have every chance of winning and he's just done that. But you can only dream about these kinds of things."

He added: "He is class. Paul just jumped out and rode a race on him, he was never afraid to have him up there and in the van, just be at the races.

"We were just afraid about his first couple of jumps, as the last two years he's come here, he's just ballooned them a little bit, so this year we thought we'd get him out there, get him racing early on and then settle him down.

"Other than the loose horse, there wasn't that much to worry about after that. You didn't know which way he was going to go and I could see Paul thinking 'I'd like to be on his inside in case he runs off the track into the stable yard gate'.

"He took a brave decision going the other side but it worked out in the end, too. Paul was very brave over the last two fences, he sent him down to them and said 'go on son, you'd better jump these two'.

"This year, we've been all forward with him since we got beat in Punchestown in the John Durkan, so Paul was keen on riding him like a racehorse because we could see the other way wasn't working.

"Last year, I didn't want that because he was too free and immature, now he can settle better in races and Paul has full confidence in him. He has more confidence in him than I do, I think.

"But he gallops, he jumps, he stays - what more do you need!"

On future plans, Mullins said: "Normally, we'd go to Punchestown with him now, so I'll have a word with the owners and see. Good horses need to run in big races and I like running them and getting them out - if they get beaten, it's not the end of the world, they are still good horses.

"It's different with each horse, but he's not a horse I'm afraid to race."

Asked if stablemate Fact To File could be the biggest danger next year, he added: "It would be fantastic if they both get there, but keeping these big chasers sound isn't easy."

Willie Mullins said: “He is classy, isn't he? Paul just jumped out and rode a race on him. He was never afraid to have him up there and in the van - be at the races. We were just afraid of the first couple of jumps - the last couple of years he has come here he has ballooned them a little bit - and this year Paul said, ‘No, we’ll get him out there, get him racing earlier on, and then settle him in and ride a race’, and that’s what he’s done.

“Apart from the loose horse, there wasn’t much worry, was there? You didn’t know which way he was going to go, and I could see Paul thinking he’d like to go on his inside in case he ran off the track into the horse cage and into the stable yard gate, and he took a brave decision going the other side, but it worked out in the end. Paul was very brave at the last couple of fences and sent him down to them: ‘Go on, son, you’ve got to jump these two’, you know.

“Since we got beaten in Punchestown in the John Durkan, we’ve been all forward with him. Paul was keen he just rode him like a racehorse and I could see the other way wasn’t working last year. He was just too free and less mature; now he’s way more mature and settled in his races, and much easier to ride, I think. Paul has full confidence in him - he has more confidence in him than I have, I think, and I can see why - he’s obviously getting that sort of feel from the saddle all along. Looking at it visually, I can think, is he doing too much and getting into a battle too early? But I think he’s just settled a bit this seaso“He gallops, he jumps, he stays - what more do you need?”

Asked whether he will now attempt a third Gold Cup win, Mullins said: “I imagine we have to do that, yes. I’d normally come back to Punchestown with him; I’ll have a word with connections. Good racehorses deserve to run in good races, and we need to see them out at the races, and that’s why I like running them. And if they’re beaten, it’s not the end of the world; they’re still good horses. He’s a horse I’m not afraid to race.

“It would be nice if he and Fact To File both were able to come here next year, but as we know, horses are fragile, especially going over fences - it’s much harder to keep those chasers sounder, they just pick up little injuries, so it would be fantastic if both horses were able to come here next year.

“I just think he put himself in the superstar category, to do what he did in the way that he did it, and that loose horse there - Paul was so positive on him - I think we have to say, we’re coming back next year to try to win a third one if we can. He has the ability to do it, he just has to stay sound, I think.

“The loose horse was the only concern that I saw - did he hit one fence early? After that it was very easy. Paul was in the position he wanted to be in, and he just seemed to be travelling easily all the time.

“He’s doing everything right; it was great to win a Gold Cup last year and we were crossing our fingers this year, if we got him there safe and sound we had every chance of winning, and he’s just done that. But you don’t believe those things, you dream of those things.

“Paul has really settled into the top job [after Ruby Walsh], hasn’t he? He’s a very different jockey and has a very different style of riding, but he’s really grown into it.”

Asked what makes Galopin Des Champs a champion, Townend said: “His heart probably. The two times he got beaten we were never really going to win and I was so disappointed. When I look back at it, I was still there in the finish, and that just shows how tough a horse he is. As I said, we had to go through reserves there [today] that only the really special ones have.

“We obviously changed it up a bit this year, but he enjoys doing that now. I got in a good rhythm. To be honest it feels different to all the other ones (Gold Cup wins) to be honest. I can’t really believe it. I’m a bit lost for words. He pulled out every stop, and we went for reserves in the last furlong that only the very best have.

“He was brave the whole way around. The loose one was interfering with us a bit and it was messy, but what he found from the back of the last… He got up the hill last year, but that was a different kind of ride and we’d conserved everything. We did it the hard way this year.

“I don’t even remember my thought process in dealing with the loose horse to be honest. All you are doing is reacting in a split second, so it’s kind of instinct and luck.

“He’s equalled Al Boum Photo now, yes. He’s the most recent one, but Al Boum Photo was very good too. With the way the programme has fallen at home now Willie supported it and it fell right for him. He usually doesn’t change things, but he did it with this lad, and we changed up the way we ride him as well.

“It’s easy when you are riding for Willie. You can go out and do things, change things. It actually went to Plan A probably, but if it didn’t you have free rein to change it up, and that’s the privilege of riding for the great man.”

Winning owner Audrey Turley told ITV Racing:  “We are here with all the family and a lot of friends too. We can’t believe it, it is still a fantastic shock! I know he was favourite, but you never know with racing what is going to happen. To win here on the 100 year anniversary, well that is very special. It’s just been fantastic, we are so privileged to be here and just so thrilled to be part of this magnificent team – Willie, Paul, Galopin obviously, and everyone else involved from Closutton, it’s just fantastic.”

On what it was like to watch as the horse’s owner, she said: “Terrifying, it really is. I don’t think it gets any easier. I will enjoy the race later on, when I can enjoy it knowing the outcome. Anything can happen and I’m just so thrilled that everyone got round and Galopin won – I still can’t believe it! He is so special to us, we absolutely love him and when we go to the stables and meet him, he is just so kind and so loving. He nibbles our hair and has a red ball in his stable. He is just a beautiful, beautiful horse, I just want to snuggle him and cuddle him all day.”

Gordon Elliott, trainer of runner-up Gerri Colombe, said: “He ran a great race and we got a lot closer to the winner this time. The loose horse didn't help us but it didn't make the difference between winning and losing. The winner was very, very good.

Jack Kennedy, rider of runner-up Gerri Colombe, said: “It was a great run. I’m delighted with him. We thought he’d get a lot closer to the winner this time and he did. The loose horse didn’t help us, but we wouldn’t have beaten the winner anyway.

Lucinda Russell, trainer of the third Corach Rambler said: I’m absolutely over the moon. If you’d said to me I’d be third in the Gold Cup I wouldn’t have believed you. On Tuesday we weren’t going to run, but I don’t want to run him ever, ever, ever. I just want to pat him and look after him, but he’s a racehorse and he loves his job. Yesterday evening I said to Scu what are we going to do and he said ‘it’s going to be safe, and so long as it’s safe he’ll be fine’, and he’s run his socks off. 

“At the top of the hill I thought he was a little further back than usual, but as he came down the hill and round that corner I just thought ‘could he do it again’. Maybe if the ground had been a bit better I don't know. All I know is that I’m delighted with him. To be third in the Gold Cup is fantastic and I can’t get over how much people here appreciate him.

“He’s just lovely. He’s the horse of a lifetime. It’s the perfect Grand National trial and I’m so proud of him.

Derek Fox, rider of the third Corach Rambler, said: “He’s a super horse. He’s been a marvellous horse all his career and that was another great run. The ground is bad, but it’s the same for all of them I suppose. It was really hard work but he ran his heart out.”

Andrew Edwards, owner of fourth-placed L’Homme Presse: “So proud of him. Charlie said it was a bit tacky for him, which blunted his speed a bit and he got a bit tired going into the last, but then picked up again. I’m just hugely proud. It’s his mental strength that makes him do that - he just wants to do it. He’s just an incredible being, as a soul.

“He served it up to them. He jumped fantastically, he’s enjoyed it. He’s had an interrupted season - it’s his third run of the season, and for him to do that, to be fourth in the Gold Cup, is amazing.”

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Bravemanshame (5th), said: “To my mind he never went a yard in that ground from the start. I could see he was in trouble and so he's done really well to finish where he has, considering the conditions. You can't choose the ground though can you. It's just a bit unfortunate.

“We'll look at Aintree or Punchestown and pray that the ground is better. If they ever run the Gold Cup on good to firm it will suit him.”

Charlie Deutsch (L’Homme Presse, fourth): “Really enjoyed that. Jumped brilliantly, I felt I had a good position, was in a good rhythm and I saw Paul was on my outside, so I was pretty happy with where I was. He just got tired jumping the last and coming up the hill, but he’s run well. It’s the first time I’ve ridden him on ground that tacky. Watching the race at Lingfield, he actually has quite a bit of speed – he beat Protektorat that day.”

Harry Cobden (Bravemansgame, fifth): “Delighted with his run really, I thought the ground probably just took the edge off him. Everything was an effort from a long way out. I tried to get him a bit positive with a circuit to go, as I was going nowhere at the time. Maybe a set of cheekpieces at some point.”

Rachael Blackmore (Jungle Boogie, sixth): “He was doing a bit too much under me, but considering he tanked so hard all the way around, he ran very well.”

Patrick Mullins (Monkfish, pulled-up): “He just made a mistake at the second ditch, first time round, and we were on the back foot from there."

Sam Twiston-Davies (The Real Whacker, pulled-up): “Good spin for a long way, better ground will definitely suit him. He didn’t [stay] today, but I thought with how strongly he finished in the Cotswold Chase, there’s definitely proof that he would stay that kind of trip.”

Darragh O’Keeffe (Gentlemansgame, pulled-up): “He missed at the second last going out on the final circuit and I was on the back foot then.”

Niall Houlihan (Nassalam, pulled-up): “Strong tempo, strong gallop, he’s better off a four-mile pace where he can get in more of a rhythm.”