Willie Mullins: 'We could have a very special horse on our hands'

Willie Mullins took another left hook right into his gut, this time with the dramatic departure of Galopin Des Champs at the final fence of the Turners Novices' Chase doing the damage.

Ireland's champion trainer had felt this sort of pain before, with Annie Power and Benie Des Dieux in the Mares' Hurdle, as well as Adamant Approach in the Supreme Novices' 20 years ago, but this one seemed the cruellest of them all.

Galopin Des Champs had produced a spectacular round of jumping and managed to do something Henry de Bromhead never thought he would see, with the trainer admitting he never thought any horse would be able to dominate Bob Olinger the way he had.

It was over, and he was over the last, even course commentator Mark Johnson thought so. "And he's over safely . . . no he's not," he screamed.

Agony for Galopin Des Champs as final-fence exit hands Bob Olinger 999-1 victory

Galopin Des Champs stumbled a stride after landing and came down, leaving Mullins numb.

"I've had plenty of those sorts of feelings around here, unfortunately. Firstly, with Adamant Approach, then Annie Power, then Benie Des Dieux," he said.

"It's disappointing, but we have a sound jockey and a sound horse and we live to fight another day. I'm sure we've been on the other side of the scale as well."

They have. The 2020 Triumph Hurdle springs to mind when Burning Victory benefited from the final-flight exit of Goshen, who had the race all wrapped up at the time.

It was put to Mullins that jump racing is a cruel, cruel game.

"It is, but we could have a very special horse on our hands," he replied.

Galopin Des Champs and Paul Townend jump the last before parting company on landingCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

There was much debate in the lead-up to the festival as to whether the Turners or the Brown Advisory was the right option for Galopin Des Champs. Mullins went for the shorter race and that decision was most definitely vindicated.

He said: "I'm delighted I ran him in that race, because I actually think we could go back to two miles with him, or two and a quarter miles. We can do anything we want with him.

"When I saw how slick he jumped at Leopardstown, I thought that I didn't need to go up to three miles. Of course, you might be thinking he wants three miles but it's his method of jumping. I think it's back in trip I could go.

"Certainly this two and a half miles is fine. I was discussing him with Ruby [Walsh] earlier this week and the two of us were thinking the same – that we could give him a crack over two miles."

Paul Townend: fell aboard Galopin Des Champs on day three of the Cheltenham FestivalCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

There was a brief moment, a horrible one, when it looked as though Galopin Des Champs might have picked up an injury but Mullins confirmed all was okay.

"Yes, he's fine. The reins just got caught up around his legs and he panicked a little bit. But he's fine. I'd say Paul is probably sorer than he is. He said he landed well and it was his next stride and I just said 'Right, it's on to the next race. We move on'."

And move on they did. They won the Ryanair 80 minutes later.

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