Willie Mullins backed Galopin Des Champs to stay strong at Cheltenham in March after the seven-year-old’s runaway triumph in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
Punters made Paul Townend’s mount, whose only defeat over fences came via a last-fence depature with Cheltenham’s Turners Novices’ Chase at last year’s National Hunt Festival, the 30-100 hotpot to give Mullins a record-extending 12th win in the three-mile Grade 1.
Galopin Des Champs duly justified the market confidence with an eight-length supremacy from stablemate Stattler, with Fury Road three-quarters of a length back in third.
