FEATURE BOODLES
two former winners of the Gold Cup to come home in splendid isolation. The weight of expectation turned into relief when he successfully returned to defend his crown. In another remorseless display of jumping and galloping, seen to devastating effect up the Prestbury Park Hill, jockey Paul Townend was once again moved to an animated celebration crossing the line. Riding the horse of a lifetime, he relished every minute. Not only was Paul Townend riding the horse of a lifetime, he was riding the crest of a wave not seen for 94 years. In winning the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Unibet Champion Hurdle, and shortly to come,
horse who is as kind as he is brave. Galopin Des Champs’s achievements are as much a testament to his ability as his unflappable temperament. At Closutton, he is not flashy, not exuberant, and certainly nothing extraordinary, but he transforms on a racecourse; he’s bold, brave, and quite simply brilliant. The first Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup victory was nothing short of elation for his adoring owners, especially after the heartache of the previous year when Galopin Des Champs was set to win the Turners Novices’ Chase only to come down at the last. Able to fulfil an abundance of promise and with stamina in spades, he brushed aside
epitomised this when clinching the Triumph Hurdle following the fall of runaway leader Goshen. Subsequently, the Turley’s taste of top-level success spurred them to engage talent-spotting supremo Harold Kirk to find their next superstar – que Galopin Des Champs. “People go a lifetime without finding one good horse to win at The Festival, and we’ve been blessed to have two. It’s just unbelievable and incredibly special.” In a sport dominated by the animals themselves, The Turley’s connection with Galopin Des Champs goes beyond mere ownership. When they talk about him, their eyes light up with pride, describing him as a
“People go a lifetime without finding one good horse to win at The Festival, and we’ve been blessed to have two”
18 The Festival Preview Magazine
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