Did the last few months even happen? Galopin Des Champs back where he started with plenty to prove in epic Gold Cup

Less than seven weeks have passed since Galopin Des Champs' quest for immortality went up in a puff of green and gold smoke, yet it feels like a blur already.

In the intervening couple of months Willie Mullins obliterated the home team in a Grand National that will resonate for evermore, the Welsh ransacked the Irish version and the Closutton maestro finally put Dan Skelton out of his misery at Sandown on Saturday to emulate Vincent O'Brien with a second British trainers' championship.

Had Galopin Des Champs delivered that seismic third Gold Cup at Cheltenham, he would hardly have got a word in edgeways since. Next year might be a better year to do it, when it would be a feat of Red Rum proportions to secure a delayed slice of history.