Galopin Des Champs continued his love affair with Leopardstown and added his name to the history books by winning a third Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival.
He joined Jodami and Beef Or Salmon on three wins in the race and it would take a brave man to say Willie Mullins’ champion will not ultimately emulate his trainer’s first top-class horse, Florida Pearl, who holds the record with four.
A third Cheltenham Gold Cup will now be on his agenda and having briefly looked in trouble on the run to the last, challengers next month will be scratching their heads about how to beat him given the way he powered away.
Paul Townend wanted an easy lead like he had at Christmas but this time there were a few who were out to make sure he would not get it.
Embassy Gardens, Monty’s Star and Hewick were all prominent and there were still several more in with a chance on the turn for home.
Mark Walsh had moved Fact To File menacingly into a challenging position, while another stablemate, Grangeclare West, was massively outrunning his odds.
Jumping the last, there were almost four in a line, but on landing Galopin Des Champs stamped his authority on the race.
He stormed home to win by four and three-quarter lengths as the 1-2 favourite and Grangeclare West caught Fact To File on the line for second to give Mullins a clean sweep.
Paddy Power cut Galopin Des Champs to 8-13 from 8-11 favourite for a third Gold Cup next month.
“Paul has huge faith in him and said he was just going to jump out and go with him,” said Mullins.
“I thought we might make it with Embassy Gardens. There were four or five upsides him jumping the first but he had burned them off by the time he got to the third.
“He just jumped and galloped for three miles and it didn’t look like he was stopping coming up to the winning post.
“He’s just a real champion.
“They were all taking him on, there were plenty of horses up there and there was no diminishing the pace at all during the whole race. It was an out-and-out stayers race.
“I was focused on the race and getting over the last and everyone in front of me in the stands stood up so I couldn’t see, so I was trying to watch the television.
“I was trying to watch and see if there was something coming out of the clouds, but sure enough, when I got to see him again, he was clear.”
He went on: “I thought Fact To File would be a bit closer but Mark was happy that he had settled well and was going to leave him settled and have one go at him, and that’s what he did.
“He only finished third in the end.”
When asked if Galopin Des Champs was the best he’d ever trained, Mullins added: “He has to be, you’d have to say that.
“Hurricane Fly is there and it’s going to be hard to beat his record. This is the best chaser I’ve trained and Hurricane Fly the best hurdler.
“Everyone loves Audrey (Turley), who owns him. She wears her heart on her sleeve and she’s wonderful. People see how much she enjoys the horse and I think that reflects the way they feel for her as well.
“He goes out and takes it from the front and grabs races by the scruff of the neck – and he battles off everyone.”
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