Galopin gallops to Irish Gold Cup glory yet again
THERE are roars and then there are Leopardstown roars when a great comes home in front.
Galopin Des Champs etched his name into the history books on Saturday afternoon when joining the likes of Florida Pearl, Beef Or Salmon and Jodami in becoming a three-time winner of the Irish Gold Cup.
The crowd went wild as the nine-year-old powered clear of his rivals after jumping the last, continuing his love affair with Leopardstown, a track where he has won seven of his eight starts.
All roads now lead to Cheltenham where immortality awaits if he can match Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate in winning three Gold Cups.
Jockey Paul Townend was understandably elated: “It’s a very special reception. We don’t experience it a lot in racing. It’s the closest we get to scoring a goal somewhere and running to the crowd and taking it in.
“The way the public are getting behind him adds a little bit of pressure, but you have to enjoy it.
“It’s something that’s never happened to me before, when we were jumping the last ditch, I could feel and hear the roar from the stands.
“You just lie on his neck now and he spots (a stride) from a long way away. What a champion.
“And you could go out on him in a head collar. All the reins are for is to turn him the right way and not fall out the back of him!
“I am very lucky to have come across him in my lifetime and so are the owners.
“The brilliant thing about it is they don’t take it for granted and they really love the horse. For them to see the public are behind him now is brilliant.”
It was an incredible 14th Irish Gold Cup for Willie Mullins who described the performance as “awesome”.
“When he was coming to the last everyone stood up in front of me in the stands, so I didn’t exactly see him jumping the last,” Mullins said.
“I don’t know whether people realise how long it takes to make a horse like this – a three-mile chaser. It’s the pinnacle of our jump racing game.”
The victory capped another fantastic day at the Dublin Racing Festival for Mullins, following the Grade One victories of Final Demand and Majborough.
Final Demand was a hugely impressive 12-length winner of the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle and is now as short as 5/2 for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle and 7/4 for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at next month’s Festival.
Last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner Majborough landed the Irish Arkle by nine lengths despite making a few novicey errors.
A mouthwatering battle between him and Sir Gino now awaits in the Arkle at Cheltenham and the five-year-old was cut to a best-priced 5/2.