The exciting Galopin Des Champs began his campaign towards the Cheltenham Gold Cup with a faultless round of jumping to win the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown on Monday.
He earned a ‘Wow’ from trainer Willie Mullins after he easily brushed aside the four-time Grade 1 winner Fakir D’oudairies to win by 13 lengths at odds of 2-9, for which he was cut to 2-1 favourite (from 5-2) for next year’s Gold Cup by Coral.
The victory took Galopin Des Champs’s record over fences to four wins from five starts under Paul Townend, their only defeat occurring in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival when he crumpled on landing after the last fence when the race had looked in the bag.
“I was really happy going past the winning post [first time] to see the loop in Paul’s reins,” said Mullins. “That’s a big improvement for him and when Paul wanted to put in a few quick ones in front of the fences he did that and when Paul really went for one, I think the third last, he was so slick.
“I thought, ‘Wow’, this horse has grown up so much and learned so much'. He came away from Fakir D’oudaires beating him 13 lengths, a proven two and half mile winner. To me that’s a big result.
“We are going out to Gold Cup distance, three miles and two, and that’s why I was delighted the way he settled during his race today. Sometimes it’s best to keep it as simple as you can and it worked out better than ever.”
Mullins and jockey Paul Townend unleashed another live Cheltenham Festival contender when Appreciate It, the winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2021, easily won on his chasing debut in the 2m beginners' chase.
