Galopin Des Champs: everything you need to know about this two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup victor

Ireland’s champion jumps trainer Willie Mullins is hoping star chaser Galopin Des Champs can become just the fifth horse in history, behind Golden Miller, Arkle, Best Mate and Cottage Rate, to win three Gold Cups at the forthcoming Cheltenham Festival (11-14 March).

Willie is the most successful trainer in Cheltenham Festival history with 103 wins to his name and he’ll be hoping to boost that number further over the four days of action at Prestbury Park for jump racing’s Olympics.

Willie Mullins: “It’ll be a tip-top Gold Cup, I think”

Nine-year-old Galopin Des Champs, who runs in the colours of Audrey Turley, justified favouritism to win last year’s race and again heads for Friday’s feature race at the top of the betting market. His key rivals include the Joseph O’Brien-trained Banbridge, and the Willie Mullins-trained Fact To File.

“Galopin Des Champs is a tremendous horse and he has his own piece of history already, but hopefully there will be more to come,” says Willie. “He has tremendous owners, Greg and Audrey Turley, who really appreciate it; they’re living it and enjoying it. It’s unbelievable that we have a horse that’s going for a third Gold Cup win and could be in the Best Mate and Arkle category.

“It’s a huge honour to be just involved with a horse like this and we just hope the dream stays alive. I’m living the dream every morning I get up.

Galopin Des Champs: a red football goes everywhere with him

Closutton barn manager Adam Connolly has the enviable job of riding the highest rated horse every day.

“You can really feel the engine under you,” he says. “I’ve been riding him since before he was a Gold Cup winner, so he feels no different to me, but I realise when everyone comes over to see him that he’s special.

“At the races, he probably calms me down now – he used to jump around like a mad hooligan. He has a football in his stable with him, which I just gave him for the craic. He doesn’t play with it much now, but I’m superstitious so the red ball goes everywhere with him now.”

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