By Breandán Ó hUallacháin
Galopin Des Champs won back-to-back Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cups on Friday, giving jockey Paul Townend and trainer Willie Mullins their fourth each in chasing’s blue riband event.
The French-bred favourite joins an illustrious list of only eight horses to have won more than one Cheltenham Gold Cup in its 100-year history. He joins the former Mullins-trained Al Boum Photo, who won in 2019 and 2020, Kauto Star (2007, 2009), Best Mate (2002, 2003, 2004), L’Escargot (1970, 1971), Arkle (1964, 1965, 1966), Cottage Rake (1948, 1949, 1950), Golden Miller (1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936) and Easter Hero (1929, 1930).
The winning owner Audrey Turley told host broadcaster ITV Racing:
“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 [where Mullins trains], it’s just fantastic.”
The victory of Galopin Des Champs was also a historic occasion for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend: the former joins Paul Nicholls as the most successful current trainer with four successes, while Townend matches Pat Taaffe as the joint most successful jockey in the history of the race with four wins.
The now four-time time successful Gold Cup-winning handler Willie Mullins was full of praise for both Galopin Des Champs and his rider Paul Townend, stating:
“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, [close to the main action] – 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.”
Mullins, who won twice with Al Boum Photo and now twice with Galopin Des Champs added:
“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. 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 season. He gallops, he jumps, he stays – what more do you need?”
County Cork-born jockey Paul Townend, now stands beside the legendary Pat Taaffe – the rider of Arkle – as the joint winning-most jockey in Cheltenham Gold Cup history. Describing his most recent success in the race, Townend said:
“Unbelievable. We had to go for reserves that I wasn’t even sure were there. I rode him obviously completely different to last year and he was just so brave for me. We were kind of in between at the last and I was afraid we didn’t have enough to go for it, but it was a Gold Cup and we had to. He has just pulled out all the stops again. 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.”
Eight-year-olds have now 26 of the 100 Gold Cups to date, as Galopin Des Champs becomes the 30th Irish-trained winner in the race’s history, since the Emerald Isle’s first win with Ballinode in 1925. He is also the fourth favourite to claim the three miles two furlongs 70 yards steeplechase in the past five years.
Galopin Des Champs is likely to have one more race this season, in the Punchestown Gold Cup in May, before being prepared for an attempt to join Best Mate, Arkle, Cottage Rake and Golden Miller as three-time winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup next season.
