Galopin Des Champs seals Irish Gold Cup hat-trick
The superstar has added his name to an illustrious list
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Paul Townend lets out a roar after winning his third straight Irish Gold Cup on Galopin Des Champs
When I jumped the last ditch I heard the crowd – I couldn't believe the roar
Paul Townend hailed a Leopardstown roar to savour after steering home crowd favourite Galopin Des Champs to a remarkable third straight Irish Gold Cup triumph.
The nine-year-old built on his Savills Chase win at the same track over Christmas to cement his status as a legend of the sport and stay firmly on track to complete a Cheltenham Gold Cup treble next month.
Chants of 'ole, ole, ole' broke out around the grandstand in the moments after the race and the crowds around the parade ring were stacked as the 'people's horse' returned.
Townend told Racing TV: "With everyone getting behind him, there's a lot of pressure going out, but he's so simple to ride. I've ridden a lot of times around Leopardstown, but when I jumped the last ditch I heard the crowd – I couldn't believe the roar.
"The crowd have really appreciated a proper good horse and he's got huge, huge talent. He puts his head down, gallops and it's a rare privilege on a horse like him to ride at the final fence like it's not there and he'll gallop right to the line."
Galopin led from the outset with an exemplary display of jumping around a track at which he has now won his last seven outings.
He led home a Willie Mullins 1-2-3 in the feature race, with 66/1 shot Grangeclare West running a huge race in second and Fact To File, seen as the champion's main threat, in third.
Mullins, who won every Grade 1 at this meeting last year, won three of the four on the opening day as Majborough and Final Demand joined their illustrious stablemate in the winners' enclosure.
Majborough justified an odds-on starting price to land the Irish Arkle with Mark Walsh on board, and will now take the challenge to Sir Gino at Prestbury Park - where the trainer wants to see improvement.
"We'll have to jump a bit better than we did here," Mullins said.
"We'd want to be winging every fence to match Sir Gino because he's a huge talent."
Final Demand is another targeting Cheltenham glory after a hugely impressive victory in the day's opener, the Nathaniel Lacy & Partner Solicitors Novice Hurdle, just his second outing on the track after an impressive win at Limerick at Christmas.
"Paul (Townend)'s plan was to tuck him away in the box seat on the inner and see what he had late in the day," Mullins said.
"I think Paul was just waking him up turning for home, but when he gave him a little squeeze he just came alive.”
Gavin Cromwell also enjoyed a productive afternoon with a double, including Grade 1 glory for Hello Neighbour in the Gannon's City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle.
Cromwell said: "He's a proper one. We've brought him along along slowly. He's answered every call and hopefully he can improve again. We have always liked him."
Perceval Legallois was the trainer's second winner, in the Race And Stay at Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle, while Paul Nolan and Noel Meade got on the board late in the day courtesy of An Peann Dearg and Colcannon respectively.