Tag Archive for: Paul Townend

Willie Mullins and Paul Townend just champion again in Ireland

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Willie Mullins paid tribute to his owners, staff and Paul Townend after being crowned champion trainer for the 17th team on the final day of the Punchestown Festival.

It has been another memorable campaign for the master of Closutton, who in January sent out is 4,000th career winner and set a new record for the number of winners in a National Hunt season in Ireland when surpassing his previous best total of 202 at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival.

Highlights on home soil include winning the Irish Gold Cup with Galopin Des Champs and the BoyleSports Grand National with I Am Maximus, while the likes of State Man, El Fabiolo and Facile Vega were all multiple Grade One winners domestically.

Jody Townend collects the champion lady amateur title award from Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland, Charlie McConalogue
Jody Townend collects the champion lady amateur title award from Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland, Charlie McConalogue (Niall Carson/PA)

He said: “To win the champion trainer title is the icing on another great season for our team

“Galopin Des Champs winning at the Dublin Racing Festival, and I am Maximus winning the Irish Grand National were two personal highlights for me.

“Winning titles like this wouldn’t be possible without our loyal owners who send us these wonderful horses. It’s a huge team effort at Closutton – our staff go above and beyond in all weathers and keep the show on the road so winning the champion trainer title is a tribute to everyone at home.”

Expressing his admiration for Townend, Mullins added: “I’ve always had confidence in Paul. He was riding first jockey for me when Ruby (Walsh) was injured, but people always said he was just deputising for Ruby.

“He’s been excellent all the time. From the time he came to the yard, starting off, you could see there was something a little bit different about him.

“He’s probably coming into his own now with the horses that he’s riding. He’s had some spectacular rides this year – Galopin Des Champs at Cheltenham, I Am Maximus and Gaelic Warrior here the other day. No matter what the situation he’s able to quarry a win out of horses.

“Good jockeys ride good horses and win, but great jockeys are able to get horses to win that shouldn’t win races. That’s what he is doing now.

“He minds himself now and he’s happy just to ride the good horses. I prefer that, to stay right for the right horses.

“We’ve got some fantastic riders between Danny (Mullins), Sean O’Keeffe, Jack Foley and Patrick (Mullins) comes in for some of those rides now and again.”

When asked for his thoughts on the season as a whole, Mullins said: “Obviously the (Cheltenham) Gold Cup would look the one between the ride he got, the horse we had. We had faith in him, Paul did everything right and the horse did most things right. I suppose that has to be the standout.

Paul Townend (right) is handed his award by Charlie McConalogue
Paul Townend (right) is handed his award by Charlie McConalogue (Niall Carson/PA)

“I’m very lucky as I’ve got a great team. David Casey, Patrick, Ben Delmar, they keep the whole thing going and keep the horses coming out. I’m very lucky to have a team like that around me.”

Townend picked up the champion jockey title for the fifth consecutive season and sixth time in all.

He reached the 100-winner mark for the season when steering Gaelic Warrior to success at Punchestown on Wednesday, his fourth career century, while I A Maximus provided him with a first Irish Grand National triumph.

“I’m in a very privileged position, riding so many superstars for Willie Mullins,” said Townend.

“We had an unbelievable season, especially on the big days like Christmas, Dublin Racing Festival, the Fairyhouse Easter Festival and at Punchestown this week.

“It was a great thrill to win such an iconic race like the Irish Grand National and finally get on that special roll of honour with I Am Maximus. Galopin Des Champs winning the Irish Gold Cup and the Cheltenham Gold Cup was exceptional too.”

Mullins’ record-breaking son Patrick was crowned champion amateur for the 15th time, while Townend’s sister Jody picked up the champion lady amateur title for the third successive season.

Rising star Michael O’Sullivan received top honours
Rising star Michael O’Sullivan received top honours (Niall Carson/PA)

Rising star Michael O’Sullivan began the 2022/23 season as a 7lb claiming amateur, but ended it as champion conditional with three Grade One winners to his name, including the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham aboard the hugely exciting Marine Nationale.

O’Sullivan, who is currently sidelined by a broken collarbone, said: “I’ve had a brilliant season. My partnership with Barry Connell and our Grade Ones together were the pinnacle.

Patrick Mullins, assistant trainer at Closutton, was top conditional jockey
Patrick Mullins, assistant trainer at Closutton, was top conditional jockey (Niall Carson/PA)

“I can’t forget my first big winner as a professional at the Listowel Festival. I had a double on the day and I won a big handicap for Terence O’Brien (Magnor Glory) and a had winner for Mikey Kennedy (Presenting J) – my local festival for local people.

“I had a double the following week for Barry Connell in Roscommon, including my first Graded success on board Enniskerry. The treble at Cork on Easter Sunday was also special.”

For the 20th time and for the third season running, JP McManus was crowned champion owner.

Impaire Et Passe an emphatic winner at Punchestown

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Impaire Et Passe showed a neat turn of foot and powered to victory in the Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle for jockey Paul Townend and trainer Willie Mullins.

The five-year-old ran well within himself and Townend rode the Cheltenham’s Ballymore winner with supreme poise.

Send off a 1-3 favourite against just four rivals, he sat third throughout much of the extended two miles and three furlongs of the Grade One contest.

Though Impaire Et Passe made a novicey mistake six out, which saw him with plenty of ground to make up, Townend appeared to ooze confidence as stablemate Champ Kiely and the Joseph O’Brien-trained High Definition set the pace.

There was still plenty to do approaching two out and for a brief moment, High Definition and JJ Slevin looked set to cause a shock.

But Townend had plenty up his sleeve and the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned gelding soon cruised upsides and went to the front on the bridle after being given a reminder that this was not simply a piece of work.

Jumping clear at the last, he stormed home to record a seven-and-a-half length success, with High Definition hanging on for second, despite stumbling when hitting the running rail after jumping the last.

Mullins was far from happy with the performance, however.

He said: “He didn’t impress me at all, I was delighted he won, but throughout the race he wasn’t impressing me.

“He looked like he wasn’t enjoying it and maybe Cheltenham took much more out of him than we thought.

“At home he was on fire and maybe I did too much with him, because he was going so well.

“It’s hard to say something went wrong when you win by seven and-a half lengths.

“Maybe he loves the hill in Cheltenham, he just got going up the hill, whereas today is a flat track. I’ll have a quick chat with Paul later on and see what he thought.

“Turning for home, I wouldn’t have backed him, so to win after that just means that he has a huge engine, but he wasn’t really in love with what he was doing today, whether it was the ground or what I don’t know.

“I think we’ll freshen him up now. I was thinking maybe of going to France but I won’t, I think I’ll just put him away.”

Townend and Mullins were not too impressed with Impaire Et Passe
Townend and Mullins were not too impressed with Impaire Et Passe (Brian Lawless/PA)

Townend echoed the sentiments, hinting his charge needed waking up.

He said: “It was not as straightforward as I was hoping. Maybe it was just because I was left on my own. I think everyone could see that I was never really happy throughout the race.

“When I got upsides them, he came on the bridle for me and his class shone through then.”

He added: “He’ll have no problem jumping a fence, but I’d say it will depend on what the horse across the water (Constitution Hill) is doing as well!”

Anthony Bromley, racing representative of owners Isaac Souede and Simon Munir and the man who purchases most of their horses, intimated that while the five-year-old has the size to be a chaser, the move to larger obstacles might be put on hold while the education process continues.

“He was quite switched off in the race and Paul had to wind him up a little bit turning but he picked up,” noted Bromley.

“To be fair, some of his races haven’t always been impressive. In the Moscow Flyer (at Punchestown), he wasn’t ‘Wow,’ and that’s why they went up in trip. He just needs to be woken up. I think there’s so much talent under the bonnet and I think he’s still a work in progress.

A chasing career could be delayed for Impaire Et Passe
A chasing career could be delayed for Impaire Et Passe (Brian Lawless/PA)

“He’s a big frame of a horse. He only had one bumper run last year and that’s his fourth hurdle run. I think the plan might be to stay hurdling and learn a bit more. But, the great Willie will tell us. In Willie we trust!

“You worry turning in slightly, you have a little moment, and suddenly by the line it’s clear and he’s winning easing down. He’s got great potential.”

The ‘Double Green’ colours had already enjoyed Grade One success at the meeting, with El Fabiolo on Thursday.

“There’s a lot of nice youngsters at Willie’s and it’s so exciting,” Bromley said.

“Isaac and Simon get a lot of fun from it. They love the Dublin Racing Festival, they love Cheltenham but Punchestown has really worked and they’ve been here all week, and to get two nice big winners – proper big winners – and horses that look like they might be superstars, is brilliant.

“And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? They put a lot into it. They’ve got a lot of horses and we’ve kissed a lot of frogs. But these two are exciting.”

State Man in cruise control without Constitution Hill

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State Man justified odds-on favouritism with consummate ease in the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

The Willie Mullins-trained gelding had won four Grade Ones in succession before having his colours lowered by Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last month.

But without Nicky Henderson’s star to contend with, Paul Townend’s mount was backed as if defeat was out of the question and those who took the restrictive odds of 2-5 never had a moment’s concern.

Townend was happy to lob along in front with stablemate Vauban saving ground to his inside and Pied Piper on his left flank.

Willie Mullins with State Man
Willie Mullins with State Man (Brian Lawless/PA)

However, State Man was asked to stretch three out, and whipping round the final turn, he took two lengths out of his rivals and had the race won approaching the last.

Although he got in a little tight, the six-year-old steadied himself and drew clear to score by three lengths from Vauban. There was plenty of daylight back to the staying-on Colonel Mustard.

Townend said: “He has been beating these horses all year and, thankfully, he was able to do it again today.

“As I said when I made it in Leopardstown, I thought he would be better with a lead and probably a bit the same there.

“He just looks to be the best of that bunch – he just ran into a superstar in Cheltenham.”

Mullins said: “Paul said if nothing was going on he’d make his own running and keep it simple.

“He just missed the last, but Paul said with where he would have had to stand off he just let him fiddle it instead. That’s what you want in a hurdler when they are too far back, to go in and fiddle it.

Paul Townend returns victorious with State Man
Paul Townend returns victorious with State Man (Brian Lawless/PA)

“He’s done enough for the season. We’ll freshen him up now and get him back to do the same things next season, I hope.

“I can’t really see him going over fences, I’d say he’ll be a hurdle horse. I don’t know whether I need to go out in trip with him.

“He’s a horse that still has improvement in him.”

On his run at Cheltenham, the Closutton trainer said: “Constitution Hill was just brilliant so we were happy to be second and he’s going to be hard to beat.”

When it was put to him about the change of tactics today, he added: “I’m not sure we wanted to make the running for Constitution Hill at Cheltenham. If we did that and got beaten we would have said we should have done something different.

“We did what we did and I was happy. Maybe if the opportunity happens next time we might do that. He’s well able to do it from the front and I think he’s relaxing a lot more now which is a big help.”

El Fabiolo strolls to victory to follow up Arkle success

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El Fabiolo maintained his unbeaten record over fences with a bloodless victory in the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase at Punchestown.

The winner of the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown in February before downing Jonbon and justifying favouritism in the Cheltenham Festival equivalent, Willie Mullins’ six-year-old was sent off the 1-4 favourite to complete his novice chasing campaign in style.

Prone to hitting the odd fence, El Fabiolo got his jumping errors out the way early on this occasion before producing a professional round of fencing and he travelled smoothly in second in the hands of Paul Townend as Dysart Dynamo cut his usual bold sight from the front under Danny Mullins.

In a matter of strides El Fabiolo breezed alongside his stablemate approaching the second last and the result was soon a simple formality as having picked off Dysart Dynamo with ease, Townend kicked clear on the run to the last before coasting home for a facile 11-length success.

Mullins has now won this Grade One contest eight years in a row, while this was his 10th victory overall in the two mile event.

Meanwhile the performance from El Fabiolo was enough for the gelding to be made Betfair’s 6-4 favourite for next year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase.

“I was wondering about four out had Danny stole a march but Paul said the minute he pulled his lad out and said go he just lit up underneath him,” said Mullins.

“He was a bit ring rusty over the first few fences.

“He looks all over a two-miler. He can go up in trip and I’d have no problem going two and a half as he’s nice and relaxed.

El Fabiolo and connections after the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase
El Fabiolo and connections after the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase (PA)

“He’s improving all the time but the way he does things over two miles he may stay at that. Paul is all the time pulling him back to keep the lid on him.”

On Dysart Dynamo, he added: “Dysart Dynamo doesn’t know when to give up and that might even be his downfall. It was great to see him getting up at Cheltenham, he got a horrendous fall but he got up, shook himself and he’s been fine since.”

Mullins trains 16 horses for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and all 15 that have run this season for the Closutton handler have found the scoresheet. The final horse, Readin Tommy Wrong, will attempt to complete the clean sweep when he is due to run at Ballinrobe next Tuesday.

Mullins, who earlier won the Pigsback.com Handicap Chase with 11-4 favourite Dinoblue and the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle for a third time with Klassical Dream (3-1 joint-favourite), made it four for the day when Ballyburn (10-11 favourite) won the JP & M Doyle (C & G) Flat Race impressively.

“It was a real good performance. Once again he pulled very hard but once Patrick (Mullins) got him down to gallop he picked up well,” said Mullins.

“To run away from a nice field of bumper horses, that’s nice for Ronnie (Bartlett, joint owner with football agent David Manasseh) for next season.”

Klassical Dream brings up Punchestown hat-trick

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Willie Mullins’ dominance in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle continued as Klassical Dream became only the third horse to win the Punchestown contest three or more times.

The winner in both 2021 and 2022, Klassical Dream had a point to prove having flopped at Cheltenham when only ninth in the Stayers’ Hurdle last month.

However, he silenced the doubters under a cool ride from Paul Townend to strike at the Punchestown Festival for the fourth time overall and give the master of Closutton his 10th victory in the three-mile Grade One.

There was little change in the order for the most part as Summerville Boy led the field along with Klassical Dream and Townend content to bide their time towards rear.

Things began to hot up when Sire Du Berlais took closer order after four out and sensing an opportunity to seal a unique Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown treble, Mark Walsh sent Gordon Elliott’s evergreen 11-year-old for home after two out, rounding the final bend.

It momentarily looked like Walsh’s enterprise could pay off, but Klassical Dream was moving stealthily onto his tail under a motionless Paul Townend.

Klassical Dream (right) clears the final hurdle on his way to winning the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle during day three of the Punchestown Festival
Klassical Dream (right) clears the final hurdle on his way to winning the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle during day three of the Punchestown Festival (Brian Lawless/PA)

There was three in a line jumping the final flight as Klassical Dream, Asterion Forlonge and Sire Du Berlais all left the ground in unison, but on landing it was the Closutton hat-trick seeker who edged his way to the front and he stuck on gamely to hold off his rallying rivals and come home half a length to the good from Asterion Forlonge with Sire Du Berlais a neck away.

“Paul was so cool on him. He was out the back and the minute he got a bit of daylight he locked on and I thought ‘wow this is it’. It was a masterclass in riding again,” said Mullins.

“I’m a bit worried now as going celebrating with Jo (Coleman, owner) is no simple task! We have good nights.

Klassical Dream after winning the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle for a third time
Klassical Dream after winning the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle for a third time (PA)

“I think we’ll bring him to Auteuil again. We had a good time there last year (finished second) and a weekend in Paris is never a bad thing.

“Asterion Forlonge ran a cracker and stayed on great at the end. I think hurdling is just too fast for Monkfish, he wants slower ground and bigger fences to maximise jumping.”

Townend said: “His record here is very good. We just held on. I was trying to leave it late and I still managed to get there too soon.

“He hasn’t had the most straightforward of season and all credit to Dave (Casey, assistant trainer) and the gang at home for getting him back here in such good form on that bit of nice ground.

“I was always going to give him the chance to use his speed and take the criticism if I didn’t get there. I thought I’d the quickest horse and I was going to give him every chance. I wasn’t going to get involved that far from home.

“It’s easy riding for Willie in Punchestown. We’ve had a brilliant season and it’s nice to be a part of this massive team – a small part of it – to round of the season here in Punchestown.”

Energumene holds off Chacun Pour Soi in Punchestown thriller

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Chacun Pour Soi made his younger stablemate Energumene pull out all the stops in a thrilling renewal of the William Hill Champion Chase at Punchestown.

Having successfully defended his crown in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last month, Energumene was the 2-7 favourite to also make it back-to-back wins in this two-mile Grade One.

Chacun Pour Soi, who won the race in 2021, is now very much in the twilight of his career at the age of 11 and recent efforts over a variety of trips had suggested his best days were behind him.

But the veteran proved there is life in him yet with a spirited display before eventually giving best on the run-in.

Trainer Willie Mullins fielded four of the five runners in all and the race was his for the taking after Henry de Bromhead’s front-running mare Magic Daze gave way long before the home turn.

Energumene, who had not entirely convinced in the jumping department, travelled smoothly into the straight under Paul Townend, but so did Chacun Pour Soi in the hands of Danny Mullins and the older horse had poked his nose by the time both horses landed after jumping the final fence.

Energumene, though, dug deep when he needed to, getting up in the closing stages to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

Mullins said: “He normally wins his races with class, but today he had to get down and fight it out. He answered every call from Paul and showed his grit.

Paul Townend celebrates winning the William Hill Champion Chase with Energumene
Paul Townend celebrates winning the William Hill Champion Chase with Energumene (Niall Carson/PA)

“Paul really pulled that race out of the fire and that’s the difference between a good jockey and a great jockey.

“You can see probably the end of the season getting to him. Paul said he wasn’t as sharp as his last run at Cheltenham and he missed two fences, which isn’t like him.

“I was delighted with Chacun Pour Soi. We had been trying different distances and it wasn’t working so we said today we’d come back to two miles. We’ll see what we do with him now and have a word with Rich (Ricci, owner).”

Townend added: “I know how good Chacun can be around here, so when he appeared I was worried. I thought it was going to come to the jump at the last and Danny seemed to get away from it a bit better than me.

“Chacun’s last furlong has always kind of been his slowest, though, so I had confidence in this lad getting him once Danny hadn’t gone on me.”

Facile Vega back in front – and chasing beckons next season

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Willie Mullins is excited to see what Facile Vega can achieve over fences next season after surviving a scare to get back on the winning trail in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

The six-year-old had plenty live up to from day one as a son of the great racemare Quevega, who won six times at Punchestown to go with her six victories in the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Facile Vega has largely upheld family honour, winning four bumpers and his first two starts over hurdles, but lost his unbeaten record when well held at Leopardstown in February and was ultimately no match for Marine Nationale when favourite to bounce back in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last month.

Despite those successive defeats, the Walk In The Park gelding was unsurprisingly short odds to end his season on a high back on home soil at 4-6 – and while a mistake three flights from home would have have had his supporters sweating, Paul Townend’s mount soon came back on the bridle and coasted clear in the straight.

Facile Vega’s stablemate Il Etait Temps was seven and a half lengths adrift in second at the line, while another Mullins runner, Diverge – third in the Supreme – weakened tamely after making much of the running and finished a tailed off last of five.

Mullins said: “I’ve always thought the world of him, he has huge ability and I’m looking forward to him going over fences next year.

“Paul thinks he doesn’t have much respect for hurdles and he could always do that type of thing even schooling at home. He thinks he’ll have far more respect for fences.

“I said to Paul to be very positive on him because he has a huge, long stride. He gallops and is able to quicken off that.

Facile Vega returns to the Punchestown winner's enclosure
Facile Vega returns to the Punchestown winner’s enclosure (Niall Carson/PA)

“His pedigree would suggest he can go out to three miles any day of the week and I know he has enough pace to go two miles so we will let the horse tell us as he learns the game in the autumn.”

Townend said: “We got a bit of a fright at the third-last, but he lengthened well down the straight for me again.

“We got it right today and he showed the true horse.”

Diamond sparkles with Grade One verdict at Fairyhouse

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Ashroe Diamond gained compensation for missing out on an appearance at the Cheltenham Festival with a dominant victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Placed behind the top-class pair of Marine Nationale and Facile Vega in successive Grade Ones earlier in the season, the six-year-old went on to claim a Grade Three prize at Fairyhouse in January, ensuring she headed to the Cotswolds as a major contender for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – only to be ruled out on the morning of declarations.

Taking on several of those who did line up at Cheltenham, Ashroe Diamond was the 2-1 favourite to provide Willie Mullins with a sixth victory in the last 10 runnings of this Grade One contest and ultimately got the job done emphatically under an ice-cool ride from Paul Townend.

In a race run at a strong gallop from flag-fall, the market leader was buried in midfield for much of the two-and-a-half-mile journey.

As the pacesetting Harmonya Maker faltered, 66-1 shot Whatcouldhavebeen made an eyecatching move to grab the lead and quickly took several lengths out of the field in a bid to cause a shock.

Townend, though, did not panic and Ashroe Diamond made up the ground comfortably between the final two flights, reeling in the leader and pulling five lengths clear on the run-in.

Willie Mullins claimed another Grade One prize with Ashroe Diamond
Willie Mullins claimed another Grade One prize with Ashroe Diamond (Tim Goode/PA)

Mullins’ assistant, David Casey, said: “She was very good, Paul said she did everything right.

“She got a bit keen, but she travelled like a dream and jumped brilliant. She did it very easy.

“Who knows what would have happened at Cheltenham, but it’s great to win today – it’s very important for the mares.

“Hopefully she’ll go forward next year. She got a nasty cut behind there and I’d say she’ll need a couple of stitches.”

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.”

Townend both delighted and relieved after a fruitful Festival

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Paul Townend reflected on another successful Cheltenham Festival that saw him cap his leading rider title with a third Gold Cup victory aboard Galopin Des Champs.

Townend and trainer Willie Mullins had previously landed the blue riband with Al Boum Photo in 2019 and 2020 and Galopin Des Champs’ seven-length triumph over Bravemansgame leaves Townend needing just one more win to equal Pat Taaffe as the most successful rider in the race’s history.

Galopin Des Champs had dominated the Gold Cup market from an early stage and that confidence proved justified as he put a last-fence fall in the 2022 Turners Novices’ Chase well behind him with an impressive triumph.

Townend ranks the seven-year-old as one of his best mounts – although he holds Al Boum Photo in high esteem after his Festival strikes – but admitted he felt the pressure ahead of the main event.

Paul Townend at Thurles on Saturday
Paul Townend at Thurles on Saturday (PA)

He said: “Every winner in Cheltenham is special but the Gold Cup is the Gold Cup and it has an extra spice about it, with plenty of pressure riding a horse being so well fancied. It was brilliant the way it worked out.

“I thought the start was a bit of a joke to be honest, for a Gold Cup, as we were on the back foot as there were horses jumping left and right and into me, which made him (Galopin Des Champs) become a bit careful. All credit to him for coming back down from the air and into a rhythm and bar the third-last he was pretty good on the final circuit.

“At Leopardstown, I gave him a few flicks and he took off for me and yesterday he galloped out through the line and I actually had to stop him – it was a huge, huge performance.

“He is right up there with the best of the horses I’ve ridden, but Al Boum won two though.”

Paul Townend and Willie Mullins celebrate with the Gold Cup
Paul Townend and Willie Mullins celebrate with the Gold Cup (David Davies/PA)

Townend was crowned top jockey for a third time, with Mullins picking up a 10th trainer’s accolade with the pair securing five victories together, while the handler enjoyed a sixth success with his son Patrick.

The team struck Grade One gold with the likes of Arkle runner El Fabiolo, Champion Chase victor Energumene, Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle scorer Impaire Et Passe and Triumph Hurdle victor Lossiemouth, who led home a one-two-three-four for Mullins.

Townend added: “It was brilliant, a good meeting. It’s nice to be leading rider there – I suppose you’re kind of expected to be when you’re riding for Willie with the ammunition he brings over, but it doesn’t always work out like that.”