Galopin Des Champs after his third Irish Gold Cup win

Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup report, analysis, reaction and free video replay

By Ben Linfoot

Horse Racing

Sun February 02, 2025 · 1M ago

Galopin Des Champs took his perfect steeplechasing record at Leopardstown to seven from seven with another magnificent victory in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown on Saturday.

It was a third Irish Gold Cup win for Galopin Des Champs, Willie Mullins' nine-year-old reaffirming his dominance over his stablemate Fact To File, who was pipped at the post for second by another stablemate in Grangeclare West, after his win at the same track in the Savills Chase at Christmas.

Sent off the 1/2 favourite, with Grangeclare West a 66/1 chance and Fact To File 100/30, Galopin Des Champs quickly asserted his usual prominent role and Paul Townend had him in a rhythm jumping beautifully out in the lead.

In contrast Fact To File was given a patient ride by Mark Walsh, a mistake six from home not hindering his momentum too much, and as the field approached the final fence Galopin Des Champs' advantage was minimal with plenty of challengers breathing down his neck.

As well as his two stablemates they included Monty's Star, Embassy Gardens and Hewick, but if he looked in trouble for the briefest of moments fears of defeat were soon bypassed when Townend asked for his maximum effort after the last.

The son of Timos quickened away from his field in the style of the top-class steeplechaser he is, putting four-and-three-quarter lengths between himself and Grangeclare West, who beat Fact To File a short head. Inothewayurthinkin stayed on out of the chasing pack for fourth.

All roads now lead to his attempt to land a third Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday March 14, where he will bid to become just the fifth horse to win the great race three times along with Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate.

Paddy Power cut the winner from 8/11 to 8/13 to achieve the feat.

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Analysis - Galopin monstrous again

What a brilliant and consistent staying chaser Galopin Des Champs has become.

He’s vulnerable at Punchestown – either at the start of his schedule or in the dying embers of the campaign – but in the heart of the season, over a staying trip, he just looks unbeatable.

Indeed, taking Punchestown out of the equation, he is unbeaten since falling at the Cheltenham Festival as a novice, when he had the now extinct Turners Novices’ Chase at his mercy.

Since then he has become the poster boy of the National Hunt game, this third Irish Gold Cup added to his two Cheltenham Gold Cups and two Savills Chase wins.

Around Leopardstown he looks monstrous. Paul Townend in complete control throughout as Galopin purred along up front, jumping with the alacrity of a precocious youngster, not a horse having his 16th steeplechase.

And that’s one of the standout qualities of Galopin Des Champs. His level of form is top-class, this will no doubt be another 170+ Timeform rating to go with seven others in his career, but it’s the fact that he keeps on doing it with no signs of regression that is so impressive.

These top-class staying chases bottom most horses. It’s tough to keep on doing it race after race. Not for Galopin Des Champs. This natural born steeplechaser has amassed a record now worthy of being mentioned amongst the greats.

Galopin Des Champs on his way to victory

It now seems more than likely he will join the three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winners’ club in six weeks’ time at the Festival. He would join a small but select band of horses that are currently Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate.

A difficult club to be accepted in, you need speed, stamina, class, a bit of luck and longevity to get yourself amongst that number. It looks like Galopin has the lot.

Best Mate was wrapped up in cotton wool to cross the Gold Cup winning line in front three times.

And Willie Mullins used the Henrietta Knight playbook when he last had a go at training a triple Gold Cup winner, Al Boum Photo becoming lesser spotted, unless you were at Tramore on New Year’s Day, as he forged his way to two Gold Cups.

The third eluded him, twice. But things feel different with Galopin Des Champs. He has certainly been campaigned more aggressively and the rewards have been plentiful. A glittering C.V with the promise of more to come.

Perhaps now the fanfare will begin. Three Gold Cups is exciting, because it is so difficult to pull off. Yet the hype train hasn’t really followed this horse around like it did with the likes of Best Mate in the past.

Why? Well, lots of reasons, probably. He hasn’t got an ebullient owner like Jim Lewis shouting about him from the rooftops. He’s not a big fish in a small pond, he’s a big fish in the biggest pond around and we’re all a bit used to Willie Mullins superstars.

But Galopin Des Champs deserves the plaudits, the hype train, the fanfare, the love.

Nothing is certain in horse racing, particularly in the most famous steeplechase this side of Aintree. But barring freakish weather or that rarest of things with Galopin – a mistake – a third Gold Cup looks his destiny.

No wonder the bookmakers are running for cover. (Ben Linfoot)

Reaction - 'The best chaser I've trained'

“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.”

Paul Townend lifts the Irish Gold Cup

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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