Historic Gold Cup Comeback Bid for Galopin Des Champs
Seven-time Irish champion jockey Paul Townend has openly admitted it would be extremely difficult to step away from Galopin Des Champs as the ten-year-old chaser prepares for a monumental challenge at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. The star horse aims to achieve what only one other in history has accomplished: regaining the prestigious Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup after previously losing it.
A Legacy of Victory and One Setback
Galopin Des Champs, trained by the legendary Willie Mullins, first captured the Gold Cup in 2023 with a commanding seven-length victory over Bravemansgame, piloted by Townend. The partnership successfully defended the title the following year, making him the eighth horse to win the race more than once. However, last year's attempt at a historic hat-trick was thwarted when Gavin Cromwell's Inothewayurthinkin defeated him by six lengths, leaving Galopin Des Champs in second place.
Only the great Kauto Star has previously reclaimed the Gold Cup, achieving this remarkable feat with victories in 2007 and 2009. Should Galopin Des Champs succeed in 2026, he would join an elite group of three-time winners including Arkle, L'Escargot, and Best Mate, cementing his place among racing's immortals.
Townend's Dilemma and Gaelic Warrior Challenge
Mullins' first-choice jockey now faces a significant selection headache following Gaelic Warrior's impressive performance in the Irish Gold Cup earlier this month, where he finished eight and a half lengths clear of the third-placed runner. This creates a genuine conflict for Townend, who must choose between two top-class stablemates.
"Nothing is impossible, but it would be hard to get off Galopin Des Champs and I don't think he is finished yet," Townend stated. "I'm not saying I would get off him, but if I did and he came by me up the hill then I would say keep a wide berth on the plane ride home. He's got credit in the bank, which he deserves."
The jockey emphasized the seriousness of such decisions, noting: "It would be ideal for me if they both didn't turn up and they are decisions you do have to give a lot of thought. That is just the competitiveness of it and every decision is taken seriously."
Optimism for a Historic Return
When questioned about the potential significance of Galopin Des Champs returning to the winner's enclosure at Cheltenham, Townend expressed genuine enthusiasm. "It would be right up there if Galopin regained the Gold Cup," he added. "I'd love it for the horse more than anything and I'd never turn away another Gold Cup that's for sure. It would be right up there, and he's with the right man to get him there in the best form."
Reflecting on recent performances, Townend found reasons for optimism: "I thought there was a lot to like during the race, just the feel I was getting from him at Leopardstown on the last day and hopefully he can bring that again and I think he can, he's entitled to."
Additional Stable Dilemmas and Prospects
Meanwhile, trainer Willie Mullins faces another strategic decision with star mare Lossiemouth, weighing whether to target a third consecutive Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle or attempt the Unibet Champion Hurdle. With last year's Champion Hurdle winner State Man sidelined for the season and Nicky Henderson's Constitution Hill showing inconsistency, an opportunity may exist for Lossiemouth to step up.
"I suppose this year is different in the way the Champion Hurdle is setting up," Townend commented. "I didn't think she could beat State Man last year... She does seem to come alive and you do get a better feel off her at Cheltenham than anywhere else, so I don't think it's impossible she could win a Champion Hurdle."
Another exciting prospect from the Mullins stable is Kopek Des Bordes, who has been installed as second favourite for the Arkle despite having just one chase run. "It's a worry going there with just one run," Townend acknowledged, "but he had enough runs as a hurdler and was there at Cheltenham as a hurdler as well which takes a bit of the worry out of it. I loved what he did at Punchestown the other day and had learned plenty from Navan."
The jockey praised the horse's owners, noting: "The owners are a great bunch who enjoy it so much and he's a horse of a lifetime for them. Charlie McCarthy has been in racing a long time looking for one like him and he's going to enjoy it now he has one. He's an exciting horse and you'd rather have him than be taking him on."
