Galopin Des Champs storms to victory at the Punchestown Festival - as the 'horse of a lifetime' bounces back from shock Cheltenham defeat
Galopin Des Champs lit up the Punchestown Festival with a performance that left Willie Mullins believing he can conquer Cheltenham once again.
The €300,000 Punchestown Gold Cup is always a highlight of the final festival of the season and Galopin Des Champs exuded power, as he thrashed his rivals by 22 lengths. It was the perfect way to bounce back from his defeat at Cheltenham in March.
Inothewayurthinkin thwarted Galopin Des Champs's attempt to join Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate as three-time winner of racing's blue riband steeplechase but Mullins sees no reason why he can't turn the tables next spring.
In front of a bumper 23,285 crowd – an improvement on last year's figure of 21,652 for the same fixture – Galopin Des Champs was given a hero's reception and Mullins made no attempt to hide the esteem in which he holds the gelding.
'We all have the horse of a lifetime,' said Mullins, who had four winners on the card. 'He is phenomenal. Paul (Townend) showed him off. He had a little look at the road going past the stands and Paul made his mind up for him there. He felt he was dossing, just going around at his ease.
'He put him under pressure from the top of the hill and he jumped every jump. To win a race like that, beating opponents of that quality by 22 lengths, I thought was spectacular. I don't know about Cheltenham. We were beaten. But horses come back and at least he's proved he's a good horse.
'There is always next year. He is only nine, coming ten isn't he? He is still young enough to have another go. We will talk about today, rather than last month. A lot of people don't bring their horses back after Cheltenham but we were prepared to have a go.
'It's good for the sport. Win, lose or draw, you have got to turn up, I think. You have got to run the good horses in the good races and I am never afraid to be beaten. They have a short enough racing life. You take what you can when you can get it.'
Audrey Turley, Galopin Des Champs's owner, was too nervous to watch the race as it happened but she was overcome in the winner's enclosure as she reflected on the journey that the gelding has taken them on. This season alone, he's won the Irish Gold Cup and Savills Chase at Leopardstown.
'He is an absolute legend and he has run his heart out,' said Turley. 'Willie has done so well, Paul has done so well, the horse has done so well. They are just the 'A' team. He is a mega star in horse racing. We're delighted that he is ours. He's our beautiful boy. He deserves every accolade he gets.'
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