'He's a Gold Cup horse' - Galopin Des Champs now 7-4 for Cheltenham glory

Punchestown: John Durkan Memorial Chase, Monday

Galopin Des Champs was cut to 7-4 favourite (from 5-2) by Paddy Power for the 2023 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup after producing a performance of real quality for trainer Willie Mullins in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.

The eight-day delay in the running of this race due to the previous week's cold snap was almost worth it, as the sporting world was able to witness a potential superstar retirning to action without the distraction of a World Cup or any other major sporting event. It was a pretty flawless performance from last season's top novice on his first attempt in the senior ranks.

Paul Townend managed to get Galopin Des Champs, who raced keenly in his first season as a chaser, settled behind the front-running Lifetime Ambition and jumping economically over the 2m4f trip.

The six-year-old cantered to the front before the second-last, and when Townend just flicked the stick at him between the final two fences he put 13 lengths between himself and four-time Grade 1 winner Fakir D'Oudairies without coming off the bridle, with Lifetime Ambition a gallant third.

It was an outstanding performance and sets him up ideally for his new year targets, with the Gold Cup in March the main goal.

Mullins said: "He passed the winning post first time with a nice loop in Paul's reins. When Paul wanted a big jump he gave it to him, and when he wanted a few quick ones he did that too. There were a lot of positives to take out of that performance, and to go away from a four-time Grade 1 winner over that trip shows that he can play in the senior ranks."

He added: "The plan was to get him to settle, and we were happy to drop him in behind the front-runner. He was a bit free last year, but he has relaxed great this year – it worked out nicely.

"He's a Gold Cup horse – that's where he is going. I am most pleased about the way he settled, the way he jumped, and the way he skipped away from a proven Grade 1 winner."

Galopin Des Champs and Paul Townend on their way to victory in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown ChaseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Keeping things uncomplicated seemed to be the order of the day. Townend said: "I said to Willie going out that I was going to keep it as simple as I could. I thought it would be great if Lifetime Ambition went on. My fella is a good horse, very professional. It's brilliant that they were able to reschedule the race. The ground was beautiful and it was brilliant to get him back on the track."

Runner-up Fakir D'Oudairies went a couple of places closer than when fourth to Allaho in last year's race, and a spring campaign that earned him Grade 1 successes in the Ascot Chase and the Melling Chase at Aintree looks likely to be the plan again.

He never travelled as well as the winner for Mark Walsh and was well beaten, but trainer Joseph O'Brien was far from downbeat. He said: "It was a lovely start to the season. Obviously the winner is very good and I was very pleased with the way our horse ran. Hopefully we won't cross paths with the winner too often!

"That should set us up nicely. I don't know exactly where we go now, but the same campaign as last season would appear to make sense."

Lifetime Ambition, who was overhauled close home in the Troytown Chase at Navan last month, ran a similar race here.

Trainer Jessica Harrington said: "I'm delighted with him. He was a little bit lairy in front but he jumped great and Sean [O'Keeffe] said that when horses came to him he didn't half start to jump. The Kinloch Brae at Thurles is the sort of race I'm looking at."

Coral bet: 2 Galopin Des Champs, 5 L'Homme Presse, 7 A Plus Tard, 8 Protektorat, 10 Noble Yeats, 16 Allaho, Stattler, 20 Bravemansgame, Capodanno, 25 bar.

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