Cheltenham Festival: History beckons for hat-trick seeking Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup

Galopin Des Champs may be standing on the edge of greatness, but Willie Mullins is doing his best to keep his feet on the ground ahead of his star chaser’s bid for a Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup hat-trick.

It is hard to believe it now, but for a long time the blue riband event eluded the master of Closutton. Indeed, after saddling the runner-up on six occasions, one of National Hunt racing‘s greatest ever trainers must have thought he was destined never to win the sport‘s most prestigious race.

But the curse was broken in 2019 by Al Boum Photo, who successfully defended his title before finishing third in his treble attempt, and just a few years later he has now unearthed another horse who will get the chance to become only the fifth horse to win three Gold Cups.

“To be associated with a horse like this, who is so well known now, is a huge honour,” said Mullins.

“We’re all delighted to be involved and we just hope the dream stays alive.”

Different Beasts

Without disparaging Al Boum Photo, Galopin Des Champs appears to be a different beast entirely, with Mullins’ son Patrick describing him as “the masterpiece of Willie’s career”.

The nine-year-old will return to Prestbury Park seemingly at the peak of his powers, having won a second Savills Chase at Leopardstown in imperious style over Christmas before bringing the house down at the Foxrock track last month when clinching a third Irish Gold Cup.

“To me, his performance in the Irish Gold Cup was very good. I thought his performance at Christmas was way better, but the other day they jumped off very fast and then Paul (Townend) got to the front and steadily slowed it down,” Mullins continued.

“I don’t think he even got serious with him until he put it to bed after the last – that’s the sort of reserves the horse has.

“I love it when I see horses do what he does in a race sometimes – he just takes a huge, tremendous jump and then lands at the far side of a fence and keeps galloping. It doesn’t seem to take anything out of him.

“Paul has complete faith in the horse and always said to me this horse gallops and jumps. In his first Gold Cup, I wouldn’t let him do that because at that time he was very free, but he learnt a lot from that and now he’s very manageable and Paul is able to ride him wherever he wants him.”

Rarefied Company

Galopin Des Champs is, of course, looking to join rarefied company.

Golden Miller won five Gold Cups in the 1930s, Cottage Rake completed his hat-trick between 1948 and 1950, the mighty Arkle did the same between 1964 and 1966 and Best Mate won his three between 2002 and 2004.

Now, 21 years later, Mullins is hoping his brilliant gelding can write his name into the Prestbury Park history books.

“To us here, it’s unbelievable we’ve got a horse that’s going for a third Gold Cup and could be in the Best Mate/Arkle category,” he said.

“I’m not dreaming it will happen. If you think it’s going to happen, it probably won’t, so I’m going in the opposite direction.

“If this horse can do what Arkle and Best Mate did, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime job, isn’t it? I think there was 40 years between them, so we’re maybe 20 years too soon!”

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