Townend hails Galopin as 'complete package' after Savills Chase success
The dual Gold Cup winner turned the tables on stablemate Fact To File
/Galopin-Savills-2024.jpg?ext=.jpg)
Paul Townend roars with delight after Galopin Des Champs' emphatic Savills Chase success
Paul Townend hailed Galopin Des Champs as ‘the complete package’ after steering the dual Gold Cup winner to a successful defence of his Savills Chase crown at Leopardstown.
The eight-year-old was beaten by Fact To File at Punchestown last time out but earned revenge in style, leading from the front and comfortably holding off a late charge from his stablemate, ridden by Mark Walsh, to come home by seven-and-a-half lengths.
Galopin Des Champs has now won six from six over fences at Leopardstown and his latest triumph left Townend purring.
“I was really happy with him coming here and he obliged,” he told the Racing Post.
"I thought something would have to be really special to beat us here. He has a great will and love for racing, he's the real article and the complete package.
"There's a good crop of horses coming but that performance, and the feel I was getting off him, he's going to take a lot of beating anywhere."
The success was part of an across-the-card double for trainer Willie Mullins, with Impaire Et Passe landing the Guinness 0.0 Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick earlier in the afternoon.
Following the success, part-owner Simon Munir announced winning jockey Daryl Jacob will bring the curtain down on his glittering career after his ride on Mr Percy at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Saturday's action brought more festive Grade 1 glory for Joseph O’Brien, who made it three top level wins in as many days on either side of the Irish Sea as Home By The Lee stormed home in the Savills Hurdle.
Hewick held the lead going into the home straight and Bob Olinger seized the initiative under Rachael Blackmore over the last, only for JJ Slevin to step on the afterburners at just the right time and lead home the favourite, who has now won this race twice.
O’Brien said: "He's a superstar and has been a great horse for a number of years. He had a really good reappearance at Navan and this was a big performance.
"He's always less enthusiastic on his second run back, and we were a bit worried he would maybe do a bit much with them on, but JJ got him settled lovely and got him into a lovely rhythm.”
Mark Walsh carded a double, with victories on Kaid d’Authie and Win Some Lose Some, while Tom Harney’s victory for Giant Haystacks in the Mercedes Benz South Dublin Handicap Hurdle sparked jubilant scenes for the Keep It Simple Syndicate, based over the road from trainer Ross O’Sullivan in Kildare.
Gordon Elliott, meanwhile, continued a successful Festival as Dee Capo dug deep to win the Ballymaloe Relish Beginners Chase under Danny Gilligan and Kovanis justified favouritism in the Midland Legal Solicitors INH Flat Race with Harry Swan on board.