The Dublin Racing Festival has really grown in stature over the last decade becoming a ‘festival’ in its own right and not just a stepping stone to Cheltenham later in the season.
Galopin Des Champs wins the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup for a third time (Pic – Leopardstown Racecourse on FB)
Champion trainer Willie Mullins has enjoyed much success here no more so then last season when he won all eight Group 1’s on offer. This year he was not as dominant, but six out of eight is no mean feat.
The highlight was the mighty chaser Galopin Des Champs winning the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup for a third time.
The nine-year-old confirmed his superiority over his stablemate Fact To File, who was pipped at the post for second by another stablemate in Grangeclare West.
Sent off the 1/2 favourite, Galopin Des Champs quickly asserted his usual prominent role, and Paul Townend had him in a rhythm jumping beautifully out in the lead.
Townend asked for his maximum effort after the last and he quickened away from his field in great style to win by four-and-three-quarter lengths with his jockey saluting the large crowd.
His next start will be the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday March 14, where he will attempt to become just the fifth horse to win the great race three times along with Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle, and Best Mate.
When asked if Galopin Des Champs was the best he’d ever trained, Mullins confirmed: “He has to be, you’d have to say that. This is the best chaser I’ve trained, and Hurricane Fly the best hurdler.”
State Man could now be rated not far behind Hurricane Fly after a victorious third Irish Champion Hurdles on Sunday.
The eight-year-old Donnelly owned champ was winning his thirteenth hurdle feature after his stablemate and only serious rival Lossiemouth fell at the third-last.
Danny Mullins had set out to serve it up to the reigning champion from the get-go on the mare Lossiemouth, who was sent off the 8-11 favourite, and it looked like the duel we had been promised.
Paul Townend sat right on the leader’s quarters, and they had the race to themselves, however she took a heavy fall, nearly bringing down State Man.
From there it was race over with the three remaining rivals not in the class of State Man and he duly negotiated the remaining obstacles with ease.
Two other Willie Mullins Dublin Irish Festival winners were worthy of mention with Cheltenham around the corner. Last season’s champion novice hurdler Ballyburn needed a decisive victory after being trounced by Sir Gino over an inadequate two miles at Kempton over Christmas.
He achieved that and then some when landing the Gr1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase on Saturday. The extended two and a half miles played to his strengths, jumping smoothly, and he forged clear of Gr1 winner Croke Park once given two cracks by Paul Townend.
The other is Kopek Des Bordes who dominated the Gr1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle. The well-backed 4/5 favourite, a course and distance maiden hurdle at Christmas, travelled kindly for Paul Townend and eased into a clear lead before the turn for home.
From some way out the imposing son of No Risk At All was tanking under Paul Townend. It looked too good to be true, but so it proved. Kopek Des Bordes took the last in his stride to score by 13 lengths from Karniquet.
The victory was so impressive that he replaced stablemate Salvatore Mundi as Supreme favourite, looking every inch the sort who can give Willie an eighth win in the race.
Mullins said of his winner: “The horse was very keen and free the whole way, but Paul just let him have his head going to his hurdles and he’s jumped way better than Christmas. We did a lot of schooling with him since the last day.”
