Willie Mullins hails 'very rare' Galopin Des Champs and reveals plan for star chaser's new career with Ruby Walsh's daughter

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The curtain has officially come down on the career of one of the most spectacular chasers of the modern era after Willie Mullins confirmed the two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs has been retired.

The Mullins-trained ten-year-old won 12 Grade 1s in a stellar career, including back-to-back victories in the Cheltenham Festival showpiece in 2023 and 2024.

Galopin Des Champs raced for owner Audrey Turley and finished second to Inothewayurthinkin in his bid for an illustrious Gold Cup hat-trick in 2025.

He missed the race due to a setback last season, with his third in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February proving to be his last race.

Mullins said: "We were lucky to have him. He was enjoyed by his fans as he had a great following. He was really appreciated by his owners Greg and Audrey Turley and his groom Adam Connolly, who looked after him and rode him out. 

Galopin Des Champs: retired after 12 Grade 1 winsCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

"He gave everyone who had anything to do with him a great time and he'll be hard to replace."

One of the hallmarks of his career was his consistency and soundness, which allowed Mullins to campaign him aggressively in the staying chase division. He contested the John Durkan, the Savills Chase, the Irish Gold Cup and the Cheltenham and Punchestown Gold Cups two seasons in a row and missed just the Savills from that set of races in his first campaign in open company.

Leopardstown was the scene of arguably his best performances as he roared to success in two Savills and completed a remarkable three-in-a-row in the Irish Gold Cup in 2025. He also landed the John Durkan in 2022 and the Punchestown Gold Cup in 2025.

"He was a tough horse who took his racing well and it's very rare to get a horse like that," said Mullins. "He had a fantastic career. Ruby's [Walsh] daughter Isabelle is taking him and he should be ideal for eventing as he loved jumping, being busy, and has a wonderful temperament for that, so we wish him well in his second career."

• 'This is the best chaser I've trained' - Galopin Des Champs' glittering career in quotes 
• 'They all lined up to have a go at him and he left them for dead' - Galopin Des Champs owners Greg and Audrey Turley reflect on 'dream of a lifetime' 

Mullins also reflected on the two homecomings in Leighlinbridge village for Galopin Des Champs after he landed his two Cheltenham Gold Cups. Young and old took the chance to see and take pictures with one of the greatest chasers in recent memory outside the Lord Bagenal in 2023 and 2024.

"He really loved the parades and meeting people. He was so kind and gentle with everyone, from young children to pensioners and everyone in between."

Galopin Des Champs and Paul Townend win the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup in 2025Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Galopin Des Champs gained the first of his three Cheltenham Festival wins in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle under Sean O'Keeffe in 2021, beating subsequent dual Coral Cup scorer Langer Dan, and landed his first Grade 1 in a novice hurdle at Punchestown that season.

He won the first of his three Irish Gold Cups in 2023 and justified favouritism in the Gold Cup when beating Bravemansgame by seven lengths that season.

The following season yielded a Grade 1 hat-trick in the Savills Chase, Irish Gold Cup and Cheltenham Gold Cup, with a three-and-a-half-length success over Gerri Colombe in the festival highlight.

Galopin Des Champs and Paul Townend after their 2025 Irish Gold Cup winCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

A second Savills Chase success and third Irish Gold Cup win were added to his CV in his penultimate campaign, as well as a first win in the Punchestown Gold Cup, having finished second in the race in the previous two seasons.

Paul Townend had a fantastic record on Galopin Des Champs, winning 13 of their 22 races and finishing out of the first three just once when exiting at the final flight in the Turners.

Paying tribute to Galopin Des Champs, Sir AP McCoy said: "He was a good horse. To win two Gold Cups, he was brilliantly trained. He would’ve won a fourth time at the festival had he not fallen at the last in the Turners, but he was a very good, staying Gold Cup horse. 

"He also put some brilliant performances in around Leopardstown, and he was brilliantly ridden. You’d normally say these horses would be very hard to replace, but when you look at where he’s coming from, there might be a few more like him."

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