Imperious Galopin Des Champs rules supreme once more at Leopardstown

They allowed the chasers to pack up behind them from three out, and that got the crowd excited.

From that point it was all but impossible to discern what commentator Jerry Hannon was relaying as Galopin Des Champs’ legion of fans roared from the stands. 

A good jump at the second-last helped him maintain his lead as stablemate Fact To File, who was too keen for his own good, went in chase, but it was quite evident there was plenty left in the locker when he left feet to spare as he cleared the final fence.

Stunningly, the most impressive part of the race was yet to come as, in the final 50 yards, he put his head down, engaged top gear, and put more than seven lengths between himself and Fact To File, with Gentlemansgame a game and honest third.

“That was a performance, some performance, one of the best I’ve ever seen around here” said winning trainer Willie Mullins. “I thought he jumped super. He gave the other horse a lead the whole way and beat him out over the last and just galloped away.

“It’s frightening to think he is improving at nine, but hopefully he hasn’t left his whole season behind him.

“But what a great day. There’s a great crowd here at Leopardstown, the atmosphere is fantastic, and there are people all around the parade ring, and you very seldom see that for a winner.

“He’s done it the hard way. He led good horses and still left them behind, and that takes some performance over a trip like that. I’m very happy with him, and where we are with him.” Of the runner-up, he said: “He ran a little bit keen so we might change riding instructions for him. We have a few things we can do. He stayed well today but he just came up against an exceptional horse.” 

For Townend, it was his first winner of the meeting, having spent a profitable couple of days in Kempton picking up a King George.

“We can’t say any more about him than we’ve already said,” said the Cork rider. “He does the talking himself. Missed a couple at the end of the back straight, and as much as I wanted to keep lying up his neck, I couldn’t do that.

“He lengthened down over the second-last, and lengthened into the straight, and when he heard them coming, he powered to the line. It’s a special feeling. Not too many give you that extra little bit that really, really good horses like this fella has.” 

In the era of Willie Mullins and Aidan O’Brien, the term ‘genius’ ought to be used sparingly when looking beyond those two masters of their craft, but Joseph O’Brien fits more comfortably into the category with every passing day.

That he can pick up three Grade Ones across the Christmas period when his relationship with the National Hunt sphere is, relative to his Flat interest, little more than a dalliance, is nothing shy of remarkable.

Banbridge set the treble in motion when taking the King George Chase, Solness followed up with a shock victory here on Friday, and Home By The Lee completed the hat-trick with a typical Home By The Lee performance in Saturday’s Savills Hurdle.

The latter, a nine-year-old former winner of this race ran in snatches, as is his wont, but when stamina was called into play, he had all the answers. 

Ridden by JJ Slevin, the Sean O’Driscoll-owned gelding, who proudly sports the Cork colours, looked beaten on more than one occasion but picked up strongly on the outside to collar old rival Bob Olinger on the run-in, before stretching clear.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Slevin. “He has improved again this year. We changed a few things around with him at home and it has worked wonders. Believe it or not, he’s probably got three bad rides in Stayers’ Hurdles, and I know what to do now. I knew what to do last year, too, but I hope I can execute it this year.” 

Previously available at odds between 14 and 20-1, bookmakers reacted by halving his odds for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.