Galopin Des Champs returned to his brilliant best with a stunning display in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown.
Beaten by Fastorslow in his two races since winning the Gold Cup in March, his task was eased when that rival was declared a non-runner on account of the ground, but Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old still impressed with a wide-margin win.
Having raced a little lethargically on his comeback in the John Durkan Chase, he looked full of enthusiasm on this occasion.
With Conflated setting a generous gallop in front, Paul Townend was content to take a lead in second with Gerri Colombe Gordon Elliott’s big hope, just in behind.
The order stayed pretty much the same throughout but Galopin Des Champs was making several lengths with his brilliant jumping on the way round.
Henry de Bromhead’s A Plus Tard himself a previous Gold Cup winner, could not get on terms at any stage and Gerri Colombe was under pressure a long way from home.
Townend took a wide course coming off the final bend and with just the last fence standing between him and victory, Galopin Des Champs flew it before pulling further and further clear, with the 6-4 favourite winning by 23 lengths from Gerri Colombe.
Coral make Galopin Des Champs even money for a second Gold Cup in March, with Betfair and Paddy Power slightly bigger at 5-4.
Mullins said: “Paul was keen to change tactics today, he wanted to bounce out and let him enjoy himself over the first few fences. I said ‘let’s do that’ because the last twice he was beaten and things didn’t work out.
“I think the horse gave it back to Paul. When I saw him jumping the first the way he did I thought ‘right, game on here today’.
“He fiddled a few fences after that but Paul was very happy at all stages and he showed his absolute stamina in the the way he galloped away from the third-last, down over the second-last and then up over the last.
“He put everything to bed coming around the last bend. I was hugely impressed by him.
“I didn’t know what to expect as his work had been a little bit indifferent at home. We tried a few different things with him and obviously they must have worked.
“We had no winner the first day and people were wondering were things not going to happen for us over Christmas. Things came right on the second day and it’s been really good today as well.
“We had Appreciate It in the race, Capodanno and I Am Maximus, all Gold Cup standard horses and you never know what’s going to fire on the day.
“It’s like a player going out to play a rugby or hurling match, the ball has to bounce for them. This fella just made the ball bounce for himself today.
“Take him out and you still had a fantastic race, but he looked a class ahead of them.
“He put everything together, he really enjoyed himself, and Paul made the right decision to get him out early, get him up there and let him enjoy himself.”
On the possibility of running against Fastorslow in the Irish Gold Cup back at Leopardstown in February, Mullins added: “We’ll see, he obviously likes this place. The Irish Gold Cup is a great prize and I love having horses good enough to compete in it. We’re lucky enough we have him.
“We won’t make any decision about that until later on.”
Elliott could offer no excuses for the runner-up and said: “I thought he was a bit disappointing. The winner was awesome and I don’t think any horse would have beaten him on the day.”
