Cheltenham review: Paul Townend the Cork hero with another Gold Cup and top jockey award
Absurde and Paul Townend won the BetMGM County Handicap Hurdle before the jockey landed the Gold Cup as well on Friday afternoon. Picture: Healy Racing
Galopin Des Champs defended his Cheltenham Gold Cup to cap an amazing week for trainer Willie Mullins and Cork jockey Paul Townend.
Mullins reached 100 Cheltenham Festival wins on Wednesday and created further history today. He became the first trainer to win the race twice with two different horses.
He'd also combined to achieve Gold Cup Glory with Townend and Cork-owned Al Boum Photo in 2019. As anticipated Mullins was the leading trainer at the meeting and Townend was crowned leading jockey.
The curtain came down here on the 2024 National Hunt Festival at a sold-out Prestbury Park. The weather was much more benign after a torrid week of rain which caused chaos in the car parks.
The traditional highlight of the meeting, the Grade One £625K Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup had huge Cork interest this afternoon despite the absence of Joe and Marie Donnelly's Shiskin.
The Matchesi Antinori Tiganello Cabarnet Sauvignon was proving popular at £225 a bottle for those who'd protected their winnings from the opening two days and those who backed Galopin Des Champs were also indulging in Moet and Chandon.
A century on from Red Splash’s inaugural Cheltenham Gold Cup victory in 1924, this race was run in testing conditions after heavy overnight rain.
Last year's hero Galopin Des Champs had produced the marquee piece of form in the lead up to the race with a demolition job of Gerri Colombe in the Savills Chase at Christmas.
Gentlemansgame the mount of Doneraile jockey Darragh O'Keeffe got outpaced four out and was well beaten when pulled up two out.
Galopin Des Champs had to contend with the attentions of loose horse Fastorslow, who had earlier unseated JJ Slevin, but Townend kept his cool to become only the second jockey after Pat Taaffe to win the Gold Cup four times.
Unlike last year Galopin Des Champs was always prominent and won a shade readily by three and a half lengths from Gerri Colombe who produced a career-best.
The Grand National winner Corach Rambler was a distant third.The only anxious moment for supporters of the 10/11 favourite was contending with the loose horse Fastorslow. He'd unseated JJ Slevin. But Townend riding with remarkable composure was unphased. In the process, he become the second jockey after Pat Taaffe to win the Gold Cup on four occasions.
Willie Mullins was mob-handed in the Triumph Hurdle with seven runners.
Majborough lead home a 1-2 for the Closutton maestro. Joe and Marie Donnelly whose Sir Gino was a non runner will be pleased with the performance of Salvator Mundi.
He finished sixth for Rosscarbery jockey Brian Hayes. The French acquisition is one for your horse tracker.
Ebor winner Absurde looked a possible blot off 138 in the County Hurdle. Townend was patience personified, rattling home up the hill to collar the heavily supported favourite L'eau Du Sud.
Townend won the race for a fourth time, joining Ruby Walsh, both on four wins since 1946.
Carrigtwohill trainer Terence O'Brien's Answer To Kayf ran a blinder in the final race of the meeting under Glanworth jockey John Shinnick in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle.
He got momentarily outpaced but stayed up strongly up the hill and was beaten by less than three lengths. Mikey O'Connor looked a winner at the last on Waterford Whispers until collared by Better Days Ahead in the final hundred yards.
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