New and improved Galopin drifts in Gold Cup market? I may book an eye test

A colossal crowd of 18,121, up a staggering 40 per cent from last year, got to witness Galopin Des Champs see out every yard of the three-mile and 44-yard trip in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup. Indeed, the further he went, the better he looked. Or to these eyes anyway.

The odds compilers at Paddy Power saw something different. They nudged him out to 7-4 (from 11-8) for the Gold Cup. Stablemate Stattler, who was eight lengths behind him at the line and wouldn't have caught him had they continued all the way down the M50 motorway to County Wicklow, was cut across the board to as short as 6-1 in some places. I may book an eye test.

Boy, did Paul Townend need Galopin Des Champs. In his hour of need, steeplechasing's sexiest performer came to his rescue.