CALUM McCLURKIN: Galopin Des Champs is back... but the reality is that he never left
What a price, too. Odds of 6/4 were widely available all week and he was backed into 10/11 before the off and that was still generous.
It was not long ago that Galopin Des Champs was considered borderline unbeatable in top-class staying steeplechases.
His defeat in the Gold Cup to Inothewayurthinkin was by no way the aberration it appeared to be.
Yes, he ran below par but everyone was blindsided by the winner. Punters included.
Let's not forget that Inothewayurthinkin was given a very soft campaign that appeared to revolve around the Grand National.
His eyecatching effort when behind Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup looked like a prep run for Aintree. He was supplemented very late in the day for the Gold Cup and by then pretty much everybody had climbed aboard the Galopin Des Champs train.
The defending champion was beaten by a ridiculously unexposed rival that came to have one crack at him all season. It was a wonderful piece of target training by Gavin Cromwell to lower his colours. Amid the disappointment over Galopin Des Champs, Inothewayurthinkin wasn't given enough credit for a truly terrific performance.
There wasn't a rival of Inothewayurthinkin in a four-runner Punchestown Gold Cup. Banbridge had won the King George but was well-beaten at Cheltenham and looked a horse that had enough for the season.
Spillane's Tower hadn't been seen since an underwhelming effort at Kempton in Boxing Day and his second in the John Durkan Chase was really the only bit of top level form he had achieved. The 5-2 against Galopin Des Champs' 6-4 was plainly ridiculous.
Punchestown might not be the favourite place for Galopin Des Champs to race but that statistic was overblown, just like his defeat at Cheltenham was.
The combination of those two factors meant 6-4 was a gift from the betting gods that was duly lapped up.
He produced a stunning front-running display and put his rivals to the sword in grand style to prevail by 22 lengths. It was emphatic and sealed a 12th Grade One success for a top-class horse that will stay at the top table for a good while yet.
NO JOY FOR WELL-BEATEN CONSTITUTION HILL
The writing was sadly on the wall very early for backers of Constitution Hill in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle on Friday night.
Inexplicably punted off the boards into 8-13 on the back off two crashing falls at Cheltenham and Aintree, Constitution Hill was reluctant to get into stride at the start.
He instantly gifted the initiative to main rival State Man and he ballooned the first hurdle. His jumping scarcely improved and when he threatened to get into the race, mistakes crept in yet again when the pace lifted.
The big question apart from his jumping was whether the old engine was there when asked for his effort off the bridle. The answer was no. It's back to the drawing board for Nicky Henderson now and his entry for the Ascot Gold Cup looks more fanciful than ever.
At least the team at Seven Barrows have the whole summer to mull things over. It's a long way back after such a tame effort and nobody would blame them if they drew stumps on Constitution Hill's career.
GLASSES UP A TERRIFIC SPECTACLE AT AYR
Glasses Up winning twice at Ayr this week to become the winning-most horse at the track was a delight to watch.
Yes, it's mostly low grade stuff but horses like Glasses Up really keep the show on the road and the ten-year-old is a fond favourite at Ayr, a place where he has won ten times.
It also capped off a week to savour for Galston-based trainer Mike Smith. He had a 50-1 winner at the Punchestown Festival that was ridden by his son Ben, a huge talent and an apprentice jockey to follow.
Smith does incredibly well with the modest resources at his disposal and is a Scottish trainer who is firmly on the up.
Glasses Up has been the stable flagbearer, a constant presence in an operation that trains its jumpers just as well as Flat operators. The ten-year-old has raced 93 times under rules and will surely reach the century mark by the end of the season.
A remarkably durable horse who was rated as high as 90 in 2020. Glasses Up has seen it all and done it all in most grades and trips. And he hasn't stopped winning yet!
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK…
RULING COURT was given a brilliant ride by William Buick to win the 2,000 Guineas from Field Of Gold and stablemate Shadow Of Light, with all three looking like bright future prospects.
Buick had better track position and kicked two furlongs out which caught out favourite Field Of Gold, who couldn't quite quicken as effectively as Ruling Court. It was a race-winning move by Buick and trainer Charlie Appleby bagged a third 2,000 Guineas success in four years.
SELECTION OF THE DAY…
There could be more Guineas glory in the offing for Godolphin with DESERT FLOWER (11/8, Paddy Power) a worthy favourite for the 1,000 Guineas today (Newmarket, 3.35).
As long as she handles quicker conditions, she's the one to beat on her Fillies' Mile romp of last season and can deny Lake Victoria. Simmering, Elwateen and Hey Boo are three big-priced outsiders to keep an eye on.
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