'The journey into the unknown is what makes this sport so stimulating'

The old Galopin Des Champs might not win a Gold Cup, but the new one certainly could.

There was a very important experiment carried out in the lab at Punchestown on Monday. Paul Townend mixed restraint with measured jumping and created a substance which could turn out to be lethal on St Patrick's Day at Cheltenham.

Flair and flamboyance combined to make something spectacular last season, but the success of this latest experiment could have major significance with regard to jump racing's ultimate prize in March. One thing is for sure, there is now real chemistry between the public and Galopin Des Champs.