Galopin Des Champs completed a Cheltenham Festival redemption story on St Patrick's Day by winning the Gold Cup.
Trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, the 7/5 favourite bolted up the famous Cheltenham hill to win by seven lengths one year after falling at the last fence in the Turners Novices' Chase.
Townend, winning the race for a third time after Al Boum Photo's successes in 2019 and 2020, said: “I had full belief in the horse. This year he has matured a lot and his work had been very good. He showed his true ability today.
"From where I was, I was always going to be the last one on the scene, luckily we met the last on a good stride and he galloped on through the line.
“I’m lucky to be throwing my leg over horses like this. The hardest thing in this game is to get on the horses. There’s a lot of lads capable of doing it and I’m in a fortunate position.”
But Mullins admitted he felt pressure having the favourite in the biggest race of the week for Dublin owners Greg and Audrey Turley.
The trainer added: “I think what stands out is the pressure I put myself under. I was surprised actually coming to the third-last how much I started to feel it.
“When he went through the third-last and I saw Paul back on the bridle again I thought ‘wow, this could happen’, and I was amazed how much it meant to me. I didn’t think it would.
“The pressure was coming from the fact that we had so much confidence in the horse. We nominated him for the Gold Cup, we thought we had a Gold Cup horse and lot of people were saying he wasn’t because he has too much speed and no stamina.
“There was pressure because we disagreed with everyone. So many people said he wouldn’t stay, which surprised me.
“It was our word against others and it wasn’t like he was a 10-1 shot. He was a hot favourite and people backed him in the belief that I was right, I suppose.”
Mullins also said he is in awe as much as racing fans and others in the industry are with the incredible team of horses that he has assembled.
“It’s mind blowing. I can’t comprehend the numbers we have in training at home and I can’t comprehend the quality we have – it’s something no one ever dreamt of,” said Mullins.
“At one stage the top-rated horse I had was a 126-rated hurdler, which we nearly wouldn’t have in the yard now. We had 20 or 30 horses at the time and he was our Saturday horse.
“On the day I got my licence, if someone said to me I’d have 60 horses for the rest of my training career, I’d have grabbed that because none of the top trainers had more than 60 – Fulke Walwyn, Fred Winter, The Duke (David Nicholson), all those.
“You were lucky if you got a Grade One horse every year or you might get one every two years. What is in Closutton every day now – every night I go through the barns and pinch myself.
“We don’t take it for granted. Myself and my wife Jackie know what we have and we’re in awe of it as much as all you guys are.”
The dream team of Mullins and Townend got favourite backers off to a winning start yesterday in the opener when Lossiemouth won the Triumph Hurdle at odds of 11/8.
Owner Rich Ricci admitted he was delighted to taste success at the Festival once again, with Lossiemouth's win giving the former Barclays Bank CEO his 20th triumph at the meeting.
He said: "It's just great to be a part of it. Tuesday was such a special day and it has been such an emotional week. Even Thursday with Henry winning and the Jack de Bromhead race, it was just very emotional. It's great to be a part of it and to have a winner on a week like this is special.
"It's our 20th winner here, which is also quite special so you don't take it for granted. When you win one, you got to appreciate it. We've had enough losers."
There was more disappointment for Davy Russell yesterday following defeats for well fancied favourites Mighty Potter and Teahupoo on Thursday when his mount Pied Piper (12/1) was just beaten by 33/1 shot Faivoir, who is trained by English handler Dan Skelton.
The jockey stood himself down for the day after the ride due to injury and didn't partner Conflated in the Gold Cup, with youngster Sam Ewing taking the ride instead.
The Michael O'Leary-owned horse finished third, with the Ryanair boss saying afterwards: “I think he ran a great race. It was a terrific ride. It was an excellent race and I think the best horse won and that’s how it was always going to be. It’s the Gold Cup and the best horse wins."
Meanwhile, Brian Hayes, the boyfriend of Rachael Blackmore, recorded his first Festival winner on board Impervious in the penultimate race for Colm Murphy, who only took his training licence out again in 2019 after almost three years out of the sport. The Wexford handler previously trained the likes of Brave Inca and Big Zeb.
Hayes said after the success: "She’s a class act. I think I’ve won five on her now and had a winner at Cheltenham on her, so she means a lot to me now!"
He added: "This is different gravy [to the winner at Cheltenham in November]. It’s the Festival and everyone wants to get a winner here. A lot of lads inside are disappointed with their week, I got one so it’s amazing."
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