Galopin Des Champs (7-5 favourite) flew up the Cheltenham hill for a thrilling victory in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase on the final day of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.
The seven-year-old proved both his stamina and his strength as he got the better of a battle with Paul Nicholls' King George VI Chase winner Bravemansgame (6-1) over the last fence before going to score by a super seven lengths to give Irish champion trainer Mullins a third victory in the blue riband after Al Boum Photo's double in 2019 and 2020.
Under Paul Townend, he was always travelling well in rear off the pace set by Ahoy Senor. And while he had been unproven over this extra distance, his stamina was never in doubt as he outstayed Bravemansgame up the Cheltenham hill superbly. Gordon Elliott's Conflated (22-1) was a further six-and-a-half-lengths back in third with last year's Randox Grand National hero Noble Yeats (10-1), running a fine trial for his return to Aintree Racecourse on April 15 when coming home another length-and-a-quarter back in fourth, staying on well after being outpaced. Dan Skelton's Protektorat was fourth with Royale Pagaille and Eldorado Allen the only other finishers.
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Mullins was landing a sixth winner of the week, guaranteeing the most successful trainer in Festival history another leading trainer award.
He 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. 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."
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Winning jockey Paul Townend, also landing a third victory in the blue riband, added: "It wasn't plain sailing, that's for sure. Everywhere I went there was a bit of trouble, his jumping just got a bit careful for the first circuit but going out I had full faith in him that he was going to get me out of trouble and he did. He's a proper, proper horse because he's run about three different races and still won a Gold Cup. I could see them all going at it in front of me and it allowed me to fill up and be the last one on the scene. If they'd have sat in front of me and quickened, I'd have had to chase them but it just gave me a chance to fill him up after making up a lot of ground. "This is race is just different."
An emotional owner Audrey Turley added: "It's like a dream come true. It's something I never dreamt of, I never thought we would be here with such a wonderful horse as Galopin Des Champs. Really and truly, myself, my daughter Sarah and my husband, we're just so thrilled. We've huge support here, all our family are here, so the excitement has been high all week. Well actually, for much longer than that.
"I don't know what to say! It's just so unbelievable and wonderful. Really we just have to thank magnificent Willie Mullins and all the team at Closutton, we wouldn't be here having this wonderful day without them.
"We're going to forget all that (last year, when the horse fell at the last fence), these things happen and in racing anything can happen as we know. Here we are, beautiful sunshine and Galopin has won - we're thrilled."
Lucinda Russell's Ahoy Senor had set a searching gallop until he took a crashing fall six fences from home. Protektorat, Bravemansgame and Hewick, who had been left in front, were then the leading pack. But Shark Hanlon's American Grand National hero Hewick – who is entered in the Aintree showpiece in four weeks – also came down two out. It left Irish Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs to take the prize in superb style. Henry De Bromhead's A Plus Tard, who had run out a superb 15-length winner of the blue riband of National Hunt racing 12 months ago – enabling Rachael Blackmore to become the first female jockey to win the Grade One feature at Prestbury Park – disappointed again, just had he did in Betfair Chase at Haydock Park back in November and he was pulled up. Stable-mate Minella Indo, who had won the Gold Cup in 2021 and finished second last year, was also disappointing and pulled up even earlier in the race.
