Bookies pasted as 7-5 fav Galopin Des Champs wins action-packed Gold Cup in Cheltenham blockbuster
BOOKIES were pasted as 7-5 fav Galopin Des Champs won an action-packed Gold Cup.
Willie Mullins and jockey Paul Townend were left in dreamland as their stable star pounded away up the famous hill.
But it was a chaotic race as Hewick, Sounds Russian and Ahoy Senor all fell.
Fortunately all the horses got back on their feet and the jockeys were OK as well.
Speaking of Townend’s masterclass in the saddle, AP McCoy said: “Oh my God. Talk about pressure. What a ride.”
Sir Alex Ferguson looked in with a shout of victory as his horse Protektorat battled for the lead late on.
But as he faded Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame took charges as Galopin Des Champs loomed large.
He pinged to the front at the last and left them all trailing behind as he hit overdrive to land the £350,000 first-place prize in style.
Most read in Horse Racing
HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL
Townend said: “I was delighted to see them all going at it in front of me.
“This race is just different. It brings winning to a different level.”
Bravemansgame clung on for second at 6-1 while 22-1 Conflated came third.
The victory was sweet redemption for Galopin Des Champs after he famously knuckled on landing and unseated Townend in the Turners just 12 months ago.
That proved a one-off though, with the superstar chaser untouchable since then, never really being challenged in his next three wins.
There were doubts over his stamina here but he proved all the naysayers wrong with an absolutely thumping charge to the post.
Runner-up Cobden suggested it will be a hell of a challenge to beat the horse next year after he was made 11-8 to win it again next year.
Cobden, who earlier landed a big winner on Stay Away Fay, said: “I”m thinking about how we’re going to come back next year and beat him!
More to follow.
