Galopin Des Champs oozes class at Leopardstown

Mullins-trained six-year-old cruises to victory in Ladbrokes Novice Chase.

Galopin Des Champs dominated his rivals to land a spectacular success in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

Willie Mullins’ charge was sent off the 4-9 favourite after an impressive chasing bow at the Dublin track over Christmas – and victory barely looked in doubt from a distance out in the two-mile-five-furlong Grade One feature.

Galopin Des Champs was settled in second by Paul Townend with French Dynamite setting the pace and his task was slightly eased when Capodanno unseated his rider at the fifth before Beacon Edge fell at the next fence.

Galopin Des Champs after his victory
Galopin Des Champs after his victory (Gary Carson/PA)

Fury Road then made a terrible error at the fourth-last, but Galopin Des Champs was already firmly in control and while Master McShee and fellow Mullins inmate Gaillard Du Mesnil tried to make a race of it, the winner was in another league.

A clever leap at the last sealed victory, with Master McShee keeping on admirably to finish a nine-length second, with Gaillard Du Mesnil a further five lengths back in third.

Galopin Des Champs was already prominent in the ante-post lists for Cheltenham before the race, but he was chopped to 13-8 favourite from 2-1 for the three-mile Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Festival by Paddy Power. The same firm go 15-8 from 9-4 for the shorter Turners Novices’ Chase, while Coral make him the 10-11 market leader for the longer contest.

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