Tag Archive for: Galopin Des Champs

Fastorslow shocks Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame

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Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow caused a huge shock in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup at Punchestown.

Beaten by subsequent Grand National winner Corach Rambler in a handicap at the Cheltenham Festival, he was sent off a 20-1 chance against Gold Cup one-two Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame.

It was Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame who attempted to make all and after seeing off first Envoi Allen and then Galopin Des Champs, Harry Cobden’s mount appeared to hold all the aces.

However, it was the JJ Slevin-rdden Fastorslow – who at one point who seemed outpaced – that came with a storming late run to take top honours, with the Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs rallying to claim second from Bravemansgame right on the line.

Galopin Des Champs was the first of the big two to look beaten on the run to the final fence, and when Bravemansgame got in tight it allowed Fastorslow to close up.

Before Cheltenham connections had expressed doubts about Fastorslow’s ability to see out an extended three miles, but he stayed on stoutly to win by two and a quarter lengths.

Brassil said: “He was going to be carrying top weight in a lot of those handicaps so we just felt we might as well dip our toe in the water and see how much we find.

“There were only five runners and the first two in the betting had hard races in the Gold Cup. If there was a bit of a chink in the armour I thought we could hopefully exploit that. I didn’t think we’d win, but I thought we wouldn’t be far away.

J J Slevin celebrates with the Punchestown Gold Cup
J J Slevin celebrates with the Punchestown Gold Cup (Brian Lawless/PA)

“JJ is a cool customer, he took the shortest way around and the horse jumped well, everything fell into place.

“We were hoping the step up in trip would bring improvement, his pedigree suggests that he stays well. The first time trying it was in Cheltenham and I’d say that race might have brought him on.

“We were delving into new company, top-notch company, but you have to try these things – there is no point dreaming about them.

“There’ll be no point entering him in a handicap again now. He ran his heart out and just got chinned a couple of times so to come here at a local track and win a Grade One is great.

“We won’t have to do much planning now as we’ll be running in the good races.”

Bravemansgame (left) landed steep at the last and lost momentum
Bravemansgame (left) landed steep at the last and lost momentum (Brian Lawless/PA)

Slevin said: “It was a great performance from Martin and everyone getting him here in this shape. It was a bold call to run him here, but it paid off.

“It shows what you need to win a Cheltenham handicap, time and time again that proves to be the case. Corach Rambler is a hardy horse.

“We were riding him to run well, Bravemansgame and Galopin Des Champs were always going to sneak away.

“Martin always had a lot of faith in the horse, he’s some trainer isn’t he?”

Of Bravemansgame, Cobden said: “I had the most fantastic ride and he jumped great but I’m fuming I didn’t wing the last fence, I got in very deep and lost two lengths as well as momentum. After that the best horse has won, but if I’d have winged that fence it would have been a different story, I’m sure of it.

“It’s not the ground you lose jumping, it’s the momentum on landing as he pecked and the other horse came by me.

“I might have a different thought on watching back, but my initial thought is if I’d met it better I would have been a lot closer.”

Of the beaten favourite Mullins, speaking after landing a second-day treble when Junta Marvel won the closing bumper, said: “He’s grand, he was tired when he came in but he’s back to himself there now.

“It was a good race and you have to run your horses, that’s what they are there for. It’s good prize money and good racing.”

Constitution Hill and nine others that lit up the National Hunt season

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Constitution Hill

Constitution Hill ridden by Nico de Boinville (centre) on their way to winning the William Hill Aintree Hurdle
Constitution Hill ridden by Nico de Boinville (centre) on their way to winning the William Hill Aintree Hurdle (Tim Goode/PA)

The undoubted star of the 2022-23 season, National Hunt racing’s flagship performer did not disappoint with a flawless campaign culminating in victories at both Cheltenham and Aintree. His Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdle triumphs ultimately served as a simple appetiser to the main course which came in the Champion Hurdle when he was crowned king in style. Nicky Henderson’s charge then moved on to Liverpool where his all-the-way success in the Aintree Hurdle put the cherry on top of the cake.

Galopin Des Champs

Paul Townend celebrates winning the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase on Galopin Des Champs
Paul Townend celebrates winning the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase on Galopin Des Champs (David Davies/PA)

Heading into the season with unbridled potential but nagging stamina doubts, Willie Mullins was adamant in his assertions the Gold Cup was his for the taking. Not for the first time, the master of Closutton was proved 100 per cent correct as having advertised his newly-found patience in the John Durkan and Irish Gold Cup, the seven-year-old bounded up the Cheltenham hill to register an ultra-impressive success in the blue riband.

Marine Nationale

Marine Nationale enjoyed an unbeaten first season over hurdles
Marine Nationale enjoyed an unbeaten first season over hurdles (Brian Lawless/PA)

Having provided Barry Connell and Michael O’Sullivan with the first Grade One success of their respective training and riding careers in the Royal Bond, the six-year-old got the Cheltenham Festival off with a bang when he hunted down Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hotpot Facile Vega to land a deadly blow and remain unbeaten. It remains to be seen whether he goes down the Champion Hurdle route or switches to fences.

Sire Du Berlais

Sire Du Berlais enjoyed the best season of his career at the age of 11
Sire Du Berlais enjoyed the best season of his career at the age of 11 (Nigel French/PA)

Gordon Elliott’s 11-year-old made a mockery of his advancing years to win both the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and defend his Liverpool Hurdle crown during the spring. It was his third victory at the Cheltenham Festival, while his performance at Aintree proved the Cullentra House veteran is as good as he has ever been.

Bravemansgame

Connections of Bravemansgame celebrate his King George VI Chase win
Connections of Bravemansgame celebrate his King George VI Chase win (John Walton/PA)

The King George had been Bravemansgame’s ultimate target since his days as a novice hurdler and that long-term objective was complete on Boxing Day as Paul Nicholls’ chaser provided the Ditcheat handler with victory number 13 in Kempton’s Christmas feature. A brave second in the Gold Cup was to follow as he confirmed himself as the number one staying chaser in Britain.

The Real Whacker

Sam Twiston-Davies celebrates winning the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase aboard The Real Whacker
Sam Twiston-Davies celebrates winning the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase aboard The Real Whacker (Mike Egerton/PA)

Trained by Irishman Patrick Neville in North Yorkshire, this seven-year-old made Prestbury Park his playground in 2022-23 and provided one of the feelgood stories of the season when proving best of the staying novices in the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival.

Corach Rambler

Corach Rambler ridden by Derek Fox on their way to winning the Randox Grand National
Corach Rambler ridden by Derek Fox on their way to winning the Randox Grand National (Mike Egerton/PA)

Having joined the select group of horses to win the Ultima Chase two years on the trot at the Cheltenham Festival, Lucinda Russell’s nine-year-old headed to Merseyside with the hopes of Scotland on his enigmatic shoulders. He duly waltzed around Aintree to provide the Arlary House handler with a second win in the Grand National.

El Fabiolo

Daryl Jacob won the Irish Arkle on El Fabiolo
Daryl Jacob won the Irish Arkle on El Fabiolo (Donall Farmer/PA)

Willie Mullins entered the season with no shortage of top-class novice chasers at his dispersal but El Fabiolo ranked clear number one by the end of the campaign. He backed up an impressive victory in the Irish Arkle by downing Jonbon at the Cheltenham Festival equivalent and is sure to be a Champion Chase contender next term.

A Dream To Share

Jockey John Gleeson celebrates winning the Weatherbys Champion Bumper
Jockey John Gleeson celebrates winning the Weatherbys Champion Bumper (David Davies/PA)

Following a taking success at the Dublin Racing Festival, he went on to provide 85-year-old John Kiely with a first Cheltenham Festival victory when landing the Champion Bumper. Ridden in both races by 18-year-old John Gleeson, there were emotional scenes in the winner’s enclosure at Prestbury Park as Kiely was joined by the jockey’s parents, Brian and Clare, who had bred and previously owned the five-year-old.

Energumene

Energumene was an easy winner of the Champion Chase
Energumene was an easy winner of the Champion Chase (Mike Egerton/PA)

The defending champion headed to the Queen Mother Champion Chase with questions to answer following a below-par performance on trials day, but answered his critics in style with a devastating display to become a two-time winner of the day two feature. He finished off with a second successive victory in Punchestown’s William Hill Champion Chase but was made to work hard by stablemate Chacun Pour Soi, probably showing the signs that his Cheltenham exertions took a fair bit out of him.

Richard Hoiles picks out his favourite memories of the season

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Constitution Hill was undoubtedly the shining star of the 2022-23 National Hunt season but his Cheltenham Festival coronation came close to ending in disaster.

Sent off the shortest-priced favourite in Champion Hurdle history, everything seemed to be going according to the script for Nicky Henderson’s charge and big-race pilot Nico de Boinville as they burst clear on the run to the final flight

But in scenes reminiscent of Annie Power at Festivals past, the duo took off from outside the wings leaving De Boinville simply closing his eyes and praying his mount made it to the other side.

This time the final flight failed to claim another victim as Constitution Hill stormed up the run-in for a nine-length success – and that split-second moment where triumph and disaster came together as one is the ever-lasting image of the campaign for ITV Racing’s lead commentator Richard Hoiles, someone in the perfect spot to witness the fine margins on display.

“Constitution Hill jumping the final flight in the Champion Hurdle has to be the image that defines the season,” said Hoiles.

“He was probably only an inch or two from that being the wrong sort of image, but he’s definitely been the horse of the season and quite possibly of the last few seasons.

“When you saw some of the side-on shots and realised he was outside of the wings, to think he can do that at the end of a Champion Hurdle and then storm up off the hill is something quite special.”

Nico de Boinville celebrates after winning the Champion Hurdle
Nico de Boinville celebrates after winning the Champion Hurdle (Tim Goode/PA)

If Constitution Hill opened the show in style then Galopin Des Champs’ Gold Cup triumph was an equally fitting way to bring the curtain down on the Festival, atoning for his final-fence mishap in the Turners Novices’ Chase 12 months previously to seal blue riband glory in imperious fashion.

Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old will have to now defy the statistics if he is to successfully return to Prestbury Park – something Hoiles believes could prove a tough task.

He continued: “We would all agree we had a good Gold Cup winner and a good Champion Hurdle winner, albeit a Champion Hurdle winner on a different level.

“If Constitution Hill remained over hurdles I would be pretty happy saying he could win three or four Champion Hurdles, but I would be reticent to say Galopin Des Champs could even win one more Gold Cup given the history of the race down the years.

Galopin Des Champs (left) jumps the last upsides Bravemansgame
Galopin Des Champs (left) jumps the last upsides Bravemansgame (Steven Paston/PA)

“I think you have to be a little bit careful about their ability to back up in that very harsh staying division where it takes a lot more out of them than say a Champion Hurdle.

“I know Al Boum Photo retained the Gold Cup, but I would historically point to that race being quite difficult and A Plus Tard would be a classic example of a horse you would never have believed would have the season he has just had.

“Galopin Des Champs was a good Gold Cup winner and it was pleasing he righted the wrong of last year. It was a good ride as well from Paul Townend. He didn’t panic and he was well on top from the home turn from a spot where he probably wasn’t intending to be.”

Fresh from gaining compensation for his Cheltenham Festival reversal by scooping Grade One honours at Aintree, Hoiles identified Gerri Colombe as the one who could capitalise on any chinks in Galopin Des Champs’ armour when stepping out of novice company next season.

When asked which novices had caught his eye, he said: “Gerri Colombe could be one for the Gold Cup.

“If I think that’s one trophy that could be vacated, then he is one who is still relatively young and unexposed. I know he got beaten at Cheltenham but you felt there was still a bit of learning going on then and I think another day on a different track you may have seen a different result.”

The 2022-23 season was also the year Honeysuckle finally said goodbye to her adoring public and little over 40 minutes after Constitution Hill had dazzled the Prestbury Park patrons, Henry de Bromhead’s superstar mare took the roof off the grandstands with an emotional victory in her swansong.

The came after a tough year for De Bromhead, who has stood steadfast in the face of adversity following the heartbreaking loss of his 13-year-old son Jack in a pony racing accident last summer, and there was not a dry eye in the house as the retiring nine-year-old and her ever-loyal ally Rachael Blackmore returned to a rapturous reception.

“I don’t often have time to run out the back and see things but I asked if I could on this occasion,” added Hoiles.

“Off the back of Constitution Hill’s brilliance you then had just the raw emotion.

“That family have had an awful lot to deal with and it was just good to see them be able to celebrate.

“They had always conducted themselves brilliantly but you just got the impression that there was a 10-minute window there, where for everything that goes wrong everywhere, if you could bottle that reception and release it whenever you needed a fillip, that’s what you would do – stick on the video and just watch the reception.

“We were all aware it was something where you don’t want to be there holding your phone, you wanted to be stood there letting it all seep into you and just appreciate what you were watching was something special.”

Galopin Des Champs poised for famous Cheltenham-Punchestown double

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Side by side jumping the last in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Galopin Des Champs will attempt to again conquer Bravemansgame in a mouthwatering renewal of the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup on Wednesday.

Willie Mullins’ star chaser has a chance to emulate Kicking King (2005), War Of Attrition (2006) and Sizing John (2017) as the most recent to record the Cheltenham-Punchestown double.

The seven-year-old justified favouritism under Paul Townend by giving Bravemansgame a seven-length beating in jump racing’s most prestigious event, answering any stamina doubts some – but not his trainer – may have had.

Officially rated the best National Hunt horse in training, Mullins will bid for a seventh triumph in the three-mile Grade One feature.

“He’s in great shape. We’re aiming for Punchestown since Cheltenham,” said Mullins.

“I didn’t have any worry about his stamina until about four furlongs out (at Cheltenham) when I said, ‘Right, now’ when what I was convinced about was going to happen or not.

“I just took his novice hurdle form to mean he would stay three-and-a-quarter miles easily as an older horse.

“I didn’t have any fear about him staying all year. I was surprised myself how much doubt crept in as they rounded the top of the hill.

“But Paul seemed to be going well at all stages. The only little blip was at the third-last where he brushed the top but the minute he did that, Paul just pulled him together, got him in behind the others, gave him just a little bit of time to recover. You could see Paul’s body language telling you, ‘This fella’s got plenty in the tank.’”

The Audrey Turley-owned Galopin Des Champs has won six of his seven starts over fences and has won both starts at Punchestown, taking the Grade One novice hurdle in 2021 and the John Durkan Memorial over two and a half miles in December.

The Irish Gold Cup winner locks horns with King George VI Chase winner Bravemansgame over three miles, with Paul Nicholls relieved the horse’s ownership issues have finally been sorted, with Bryan Drew now the sole owner of the eight-year-old, having previously been co-owner with John Dance.

The latter founded Vertem Asset Management, a prominent sponsor within racing, but that firm is one of three trading names of WealthTek LLP, which was ordered to cease trading by the Financial Conduct Authority due to “serious regulatory and operational issues coming to light”.

Bravemansgame was subsequently prevented via a court order from running at Aintree but thanks to an early Easter, Nicholls feels the additional time between Cheltenham and Punchestown will help as the trainer bids for a fourth victory in the race.

“It’s brilliant that he has been cleared to run at Punchestown after issues beyond our control led to him missing Aintree,” Nicholls reported on his Betfair blog.

“The extra 12 days since Cheltenham can only be a positive for Bravemansgame, who ran the race of his life against Galopin de Champs in the Gold Cup and I’m really looking forward to taking him on again.

“He’s in great order at home, schooled beautifully ridden by Harry Cobden on Monday morning, and our horses could hardly be in better form. So I’m expecting another big show.”

Allaho took the laurels in last year’s renewal for Cheveley Park and the stud’s managing director Chris Richardson hopes that Envoi Allen can complete another fine season which has produced two Grade One victories from three starts.

Rachael Blackmore and Envoi Allen bid to follow up their Ryanair Chase success
Rachael Blackmore and Envoi Allen bid to follow up their Ryanair Chase success (David Davies/PA)

The Henry de Bromhead-trained nine-year-old plundered the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal on his seasonal debut and after a tame run in the King George, bounced back in fine style under regular partner Rachael Blackmore to beat Shishkin in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

Richardson said: “He goes to Punchestown in good order. It was wonderful to see him perform as he did at Cheltenham.

“I wasn’t really surprised that he bounced back, because he had been working well at home and so much better this year than he had. He was much more settled and relaxed in himself. Henry and Rachael were just thrilled. He was in such a good place.

“We went to Kempton thinking he was in a happy place, but he was just never going and that obviously was a huge surprise, really.

“There was no real explanation afterwards. It was one of those days and we just put it down to an off-day and hopefully he’d put that behind him – which he did so famously.

“He likes Punchestown, but we’ve probably had our luck last year with Allaho.”

Hero’s welcome for Galopin Des Champs, as locals salute Gold Cup winner

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Galopin Des Champs was given the reception he so richly deserved as the Cheltenham Gold Cup hero enjoyed a homecoming parade through the village of Leighlinbridge on Tuesday evening.

For a long time it looked like Willie Mullins – the most successful trainer in Festival history – was destined to never claim the showpiece meeting’s most prestigious prize after saddling the runner-up on no less than six occasions.

Al Boum Photo put that to bed with victory in 2019, though, and for good measure successfully defended his crown 12 months later.

Galopin Des Champs lined up for this year’s renewal as a red-hot favourite, with his only defeat in six previous outings over fences coming at last year’s Festival when he came to grief at the final fence with the Turners’ Novices’ Chase at his mercy.

Galopin Des Champs along with trainer Willie Mullins during the homecoming parade through the village of Leighlinbridge in County Carlow
Galopin Des Champs along with trainer Willie Mullins during the homecoming parade through the village of Leighlinbridge in County Carlow (Niall Carson/PA)

Following previous wins this season in the John Durkan at Punchestown and the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown, the seven-year-old stamped his class on his return to Prestbury Park with a comprehensive defeat of King George winner Bravemansgame under an ice-cool ride from Paul Townend.

Just as they did after Al Boum Photo’s first triumph four years ago, the Leighlinbridge locals turned out in force to give Galopin Des Champs a hero’s welcome, with Mullins, Townend and owner Audrey Turley also on hand to receive the acclaim of the crowd.

Mullins said: “We’d had six seconds before (Al Boum Photo), and I was resigned to never winning it.

“Al Boum Photo did that job for us, then he won another one it was fantastic to get Galopin Des Champs for Audrey and Greg Turley.

“We thought when he won the Martin Pipe (at the Festival in 2021) that we had a really good horse and he could be Gold Cup material. It was more hope we had a Gold Cup horse than thought we had one.

Galopin Des Champs and his owner Audrey Turley with Willie Mullins
Galopin Des Champs and his owner Audrey Turley with Willie Mullins (Niall Carson/PA)

“His novice hurdling career went very well and his novice chasing career went very well, albeit the slip-up at the last fence in Cheltenham last year. He came back and won the Grade One Ryanair at Fairyhouse – every time we asked him a bigger question, he answered it.

“He’s a horse who was improving all the time and at his age we knew there was a lot more improvement to come.”

The three and a quarter miles of the Gold Cup was unchartered territory, but Mullins said: “I didn’t (doubt his stamina), he showed me as a novice hurdler over three miles at Punchestown – if a horse of that age can do that over three miles, there’s every chance he will go further as an older horse.

“I had faith in the horse, that he wouldn’t burn himself off too early – he was inclined to over-race a little bit as a younger horse, but we’ve concentrated on settling him and Paul has done a great job.

“We had a lot of things going for us going into the race, we (just) needed a bit of luck – everyone needs that.”

‘I was amazed how much it meant to me’ – Mullins admits he was feeling the pressure

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Willie Mullins might have won just about everything this great sport has to offer – but the most successful trainer in Festival history admitted to feeling a level of pressure he has never previously experienced ahead of Galopin Des Champs’ victory in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The master of Closutton has made Prestbury Park his own in recent years, with his tally of 88 victories at National Hunt racing’s showpiece leaving him head and shoulders above his contemporaries ahead of his latest raid on the Cotswolds.

The Gold Cup, the most coveted prize of all, was the one that eluded Mullins for so long – but Al Boum Photo broke that particular hoodoo in 2019 and successfully defended his crown 12 months later.

Having also collected four Champion Hurdles and back-to-back wins in the Queen Mother Champion Chase with Energumene, Mullins is well used to big-race success at this stage and is rarely flustered – but he revealed he was feeling the nerves both before and during his latest bid for Gold Cup glory.

Galopin Des Champs was a brilliant winner of the Gold Cup
Galopin Des Champs was a brilliant winner of the Gold Cup (David Davies/Jockey Club/PA)

“I think what stands out is the pressure I put myself under. I was surprised actually coming to the third-last how much I started to feel it,” he said.

“When he went through the third-last and I saw Paul (Townend) back on the bridle again I thought ‘wow, this could happen’, and I was amazed how much it meant to me. I didn’t think it would.

“The pressure was coming from the fact that we had so much confidence in the horse. We nominated him for the Gold Cup, we thought we had a Gold Cup horse and lot of people were saying he wasn’t because he has too much speed and no stamina.

“There was pressure because we disagreed with everyone. So many people said he wouldn’t stay, which surprised me.

“It was our word against others and it wasn’t like he was a 10-1 shot. He was a hot favourite and people backed him in the belief that I was right, I suppose.”

Not for the first time, Mullins was proved spot-on in his assertion that Galopin Des Champs possessed more than enough staying power to win the blue riband.

Given the coolest of cool rides by Paul Townend, the 7-5 market leader breezed into contention racing down the hill and pulled seven lengths clear of a valiant King George winner in Bravemansgame from the final fence in brilliant style.

With Galopin Des Champs providing him with his 94th Festival success, Mullins will be short odds to pass the century in the Gold Cup’s centenary year next March.

At this stage he could be forgiven for taking it all for granted, but insists even he struggles to comprehend the position he finds himself in.

“It’s mind blowing. I can’t comprehend the numbers we have in training at home and I can’t comprehend the quality we have – it’s something no one ever dreamt of,” said Mullins.

“At one stage the top-rated horse I had was a 126-rated hurdler, which we nearly wouldn’t have in the yard now. We had 20 or 30 horses at the time and he was our Saturday horse.

“On the day I got my licence, if someone said to me I’d have 60 horses for the rest of my training career, I’d have grabbed that because none of the top trainers had more than 60 – Fulke Walwyn, Fred Winter, The Duke (David Nicholson), all those.

“You were lucky if you got a Grade One horse every year or you might get one every two years. What is in Closutton every day now – every night I go through the barns and pinch myself.

“We don’t take it for granted. Myself and my wife Jackie know what we have and we’re in awe of it as much as all you guys are.”

The ride produced by Townend, also winning his third Gold Cup following his successive wins aboard Al Boum Photo, was widely hailed on course as one of the best in the race’s recent history.

Paul Townend after winning his third Gold Cup
Paul Townend after winning his third Gold Cup (Steven Paston/PA)

While many of his rivals jostled for an early position, Galopin Des Champs was kept out of the heat of battle until the last possible moment, although the jockey admitted it was not entirely by design.

He said: “I suppose he got me out of trouble to be honest – the first circuit didn’t go smoothly. He got into a nice rhythm on the second circuit and showed a lot of class to come from where he did.

“I was further back than I wanted to be after a messy start and a messy couple of jumps early, but luckily when I came down the hill and put the bit up in his mouth, he came alive underneath me.

“I had full belief in the horse. This year he has matured a lot and his work had been very good. He showed his true ability today.

“From where I was, I was always going to be the last one on the scene, luckily we met the last on a good stride and he galloped on through the line.

“I’m lucky to be throwing my leg over horses like this. The hardest thing in this game is to get on the horses. There’s a lot of lads capable of doing it and I’m in a fortunate position.”

Bravemansgame will be back next year, says proud Nicholls

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Paul Nicholls vowed to bring Bravemansgame back for another crack at the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup after the King George winner only gave best to Galopin Des Champs in the final 100 yards.

Buoyed with confidence having saddled his second winner of the week with Stay Away Fay earlier in the day, the champion trainer never shies from a challenge and wants another crack at the Willie Mullins-trained favourite, who eventually won by seven lengths.

The pair were locked in combat over the last of the 22 fences, but it was the 7-5 favourite, a year younger at seven, who prevailed.

“He’s run an absolute blinder, but he’s just been beaten by a very good horse. He couldn’t have done more and got a great ride by Harry (Cobden),” said Nicholls.

“He’ll be back next year when he’ll be another year stronger and we’ll have another go.

“Turning in I thought we had a right chance but the winner was fantastic, we always knew he was the horse to beat. The winner won on merit.

“What we have to consider is that our target was the King George and while this wasn’t an afterthought we weren’t always going to come here.

“We gave it a go, we weren’t sure about the track, but he travelled beautifully and we’ve just been outstayed from the last by a very smart horse and I’m very proud of him.

“We hate finishing second, but he was always going to be the horse to beat.”

Galopin Des Champs begins to pull clear
Galopin Des Champs begins to pull clear (Tim Goode/PA)

He went on: “The track was never going to be a problem, I could never understand those who thought it was, he’s only run here once before today.

“A bit better ground would suit him, the whole way I was thinking he maybe just wasn’t travelling quite as well as he does on good ground but he’s a wonderful horse.

“Next year we’ll go Charlie Hall, King George and back here again. All the horses this week have run well bar Hermes Allen but he’ll be back. We’ve had a great Festival really, Stay Away Fay might be a Gold Cup horse of the future and we’ve been second in the Gold Cup.”

Cobden had no excuses, adding: “Seconds are never remembered are they, but he’s run a brilliant race and I couldn’t have been in a better position turning in.

“He’s galloped right to the line but we’ve been beaten by the better horse.

“I don’t think a lot of people felt he was man enough for a Gold Cup but he was relaxed, jumped well, stayed and was second best.”

Conflated finished a further six and a half lengths back in third for Gordon Elliott, who had a mini drama just before the race when his jockey Davy Russell was stood down by the doctor.

He was replaced by Sam Ewing and Elliott was full of praise for the youngster: “He didn’t miss a beat, he ran a great race. He got a little hampered turning in but it didn’t make much difference. We’re absolutely thrilled with him.

Sam Ewing was a late replacement for Davy Russell on Conflated
Sam Ewing was a late replacement for Davy Russell on Conflated (Niall Carson/PA)

“Sam gave him a beautiful ride and got him in a lovely rhythm and he ran his heart out.

“Davy was sore, I didn’t get much chance to talk to him but he just told me he was too sore to ride our horse so it looks like he was kicked.

“We’ll see how he is before deciding if he runs again.”

Grand National winner Noble Yeats flew up the hill to pip Protektorat for fourth in what some will see as a perfect Grant National trial.

Owner Robert Waley-Cohen said: “I thought he ran really well, apart from the fact he got outpaced at some point.

Noble Yeats will head back to Aintree
Noble Yeats will head back to Aintree (David Davies/PA)

“He wasn’t tailed off and he absolutely flew up the hill.

“I think he would have been happier with a bit more room, he was caught on the inside but then when Ahoy Senor fell it helped him a bit as it opened things out.

“Onwards to Aintree, if the horse is fine. What do they say about the Guineas, fourth in the Guineas, win the Derby. Let’s hope.”

Henry de Bromhead’s two previous Gold Cup winners Minella Indo and A Plus Tard were both pulled up.

“A Plus Tard was very unlucky. He was going well, tracking Paul (Townend on the winner) but then had to jump two horses (Ahoy Senor fell and brought down Sounds Russian).

“That’s the luck of the draw, but the main thing is he’s back. He needs to go left-handed so I imagine he will go to Aintree.

“Minella Indo completely missed the start. Nico (de Boinville) was annoyed but his chance had gone.”

Hewick still held place claims when falling at the second-last.

Galopin Des Champs dazzles for Mullins and Townend

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Galopin Des Champs and Paul Townend powered clear of Bravemansgame to justify favouritism and land the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, giving Willie Mullins chasing’s blue riband for a third time in five years.

In an eventful renewal, Ahoy Senor set a searching gallop until getting too close to the sixth fence from home and crumpling on landing.

Townend had bided his time, tracking the early pace before getting into contention coming down the hill, tailing Protektorat, Bravemansgame and Hewick, who had been left in front.

He crashed through the third-last, which almost cost him the race, but quickly recovered and by the time American Grand National hero Hewick had come to grief two out, Irish Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs had gone upsides Harry Cobden and the Paul Nicholls-trained Bravemansgame.

Both jumped the last on a good stride, but the King George winner could not find the same turn of foot as Townend drew clear.

Galopin Des Champs (7-5 favourite) had seven lengths to spare at the line, with Conflated a further sixth and a half lengths down in third.

Mullins said: “I didn’t realise the pressure I was under. I’m absolutely delighted for Audrey Turley (owner), Paul was under huge pressure too and gave him a peach of a ride.

“The plan was to drop him in and come through, I said to him ‘I think you’re on the best horse, the fastest horse, so as long as he doesn’t get running with you just tuck him in somewhere and put him asleep’ – and he did.

Paul Townend celebrates winning the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup
Paul Townend celebrates winning the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Mike Egerton/PA)

“It just worked out, he gave him a brilliant, cool ride. Everyone was questioning the distance and his stamina, they were going to make it plenty fast so I didn’t want him up there in the early exchanges.

“If he has the class, he’ll come through, if he hasn’t then there’s no point.

“All the thoughts go through your head, have we gone too far back? They had gone such a gallop, something had to give.

“One or two fell and we missed all that, we’d a lot of luck. I think that man on board, when the pressure comes on, he’s very good.”

He added: “I was surprised myself how I was over the last two fences. With this horse, we’d elected him as our Gold Cup horse whereas Al Boum Photo sort of just happened. This fellow, we thought he was good enough and that puts you under pressure.

“Every time we’ve upped him in trip, it’s been no problem. He has that bit of class, you could run him over two miles, two and a half miles. He has that bit of speed when you want it.”

Townend – like Mullins winning this third Gold Cup – said: “It was messy for me – I couldn’t get a clean passage early, and he started jumping in the air a little bit, but when I got a bit of room, in fairness to him he came back into a rhythm with me and was very, very brave.

Galopin Des Champs comes back victorious
Galopin Des Champs comes back victorious (Mike Egerton/PA)

“I think he got me out of a fair hole, to be honest – I was a lot further back than I wanted to be, but it was just the ride I had to give him.

“There was so little fresh ground that everyone wanted to be in it, and the start was very messy.

“He was good and brave. There were horses going left of me and right of me (when the two horses fell at the top of the hill) and he always just found a leg, and you need that luck in racing.

“He missed one of the fences coming down the hill, and I thought that was going to put me on the back foot a bit again, but no, straight back on the bridle for me. I don’t think the horse understands how good he is, to be honest.”

He went on: “The Gold Cup brings winning to a different level. Cheltenham is very important, but the Gold Cup just has that little bit more spice to it.”

Galopin Des Champs carrying plenty of confidence in date with destiny

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Willie Mullins is confident Galopin Des Champs is becoming “the complete package” ahead of his bid for glory in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.

The most successful trainer in Festival history finally ended his long wait for a first victory in the blue riband with Al Boum Photo in 2019 – a success he repeated 12 months later.

Bar his final fence exit in the Turners’ Novices’ Chase at last year’s Festival, Galopin Des Champs has been foot-perfect over fences so far – winning each of his five starts, including a dominant first chasing success over three miles in last month’s Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

The seven-year-old will take a step into the unknown over an extended three and a quarter miles in the Cotswolds, but Mullins does not expect him to be beaten for a lack of stamina.

“He did everything right at Leopardstown. I was very happy with what he did and Paul (Townend) was very happy that he jumped and came through when he wanted him to,” said Mullins.

“He felt he had plenty of horse under him passing through the line and that’s important because there’s another two furlongs in Cheltenham.

“When he won over three miles as a novice over hurdles, I was never worried about his stamina after that. It’s just all about temperament that the horse learns to settle during a race and he’s done that in his last two runs.

“Paul is much happier with him and has got confidence now that he can use him in a race when he wants to use him.

“The horse is becoming the complete package.”

Stattler winning the National Hunt Chase
Stattler winning the National Hunt Chase (David Davies/PA)

Mullins has a second contender in the form of Stattler, a horse who has no stamina questions having won the three-mile-six-furlong National Hunt Chase 12 months ago but who was eight lengths behind Galopin Des Champs when filling the runner-up spot in the Irish Gold Cup.

The trainer’s son Patrick is once again on board Stattler, with stable jockey Paul Townend keen to attend to what he says is “unfinished business” aboard the hot favourite.

“Galopin Des Champs been excellent this year and has really grown up,” he told Ladbrokes.

“I just can’t wait to ride him. Bar the hiccup we had at Cheltenham last year at the last fence, he has been foot-perfect and seems to have learned from that. We have unfinished business here and he is a deserved favourite.

“I think he will stay the trip, but we won’t know until we try. The way he went through the line in the Irish Gold Cup suggests it won’t be a problem.”

Galopin Des Champs tops Gold Cup field

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Ante-post favourite Galopin Des Champs heads 13 declarations for Friday’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Willie Mullins’ charge famously came down at the final fence with the race at his mercy in last year’s Turners Novices’ Chase, but he has not looked back since, winning each of his three subsequent starts at Grade One level.

He has been skinny odds for the blue riband for much of the season and he will be joined by stablemate Stattler, who was eight lengths behind him in the Irish Gold Cup last time.

Bravemansgame landed the King George at Christmas
Bravemansgame landed the King George at Christmas (John Walton/PA)

Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame arrives unbeaten in two runs this term, following up an impressive Charlie Hall return with a 14-length verdict in the King George VI Chase and he is the next best in the market.

Last year’s victor A Plus Tard has had just one start since his history-making win under Rachael Blackmore, being pulled up in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November.

He is one of two runners for Henry De Bromhead along with Minella Indo, winner of the race in 2021 but a distant second to his stablemate 12 months ago.

A Plus Tard won last year's Gold Cup
A Plus Tard won last year’s Gold Cup (David Davies/PA)

Ahoy Senor represents Lucinda Russell having bounced back from some early-season disappointments by winning the Cotswold Chase at Prestbury Park in January.

The Ruth Jefferson-trained Sounds Russian was second that day and he tries his luck again along with third-placed Noble Yeats, winner of the 2022 Grand National for Emmet Mullins, and Dan Skelton’s Betfair Chase hero Protektorat, who was fourth in the Cotswold.

Conflated represents Gordon Elliott having won the Savills Chase at Leopardstown in December while Hewick bids to complete a remarkable rise through the ranks for Shark Hanlon, having landed the bet365 Gold Cup, Galway Plate and American Grand National in the last year.

King George second Royal Pagaille lines up for Venetia Williams with Joe Tizzard’s Eldorado Allen completing the field.

The Real Whacker was the only horse not declared as he contests Wednesday’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase instead.