3 minutes The Favorite Overcomes Rival Fastorslow in a Thrilling Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Showdown
So, Galopin Des Champs finally showed Fastorslow who's boss at the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup in Leopardstown. This time around, the crowd favorite wasn't about to let history repeat itself after taking a couple of L's to Fastorslow in their last meet-ups. The whole race was like watching a suspenseful chase scene, with Galopin Des Champs setting the pace and Fastorslow sticking close but never quite catching up. When they hit the final fence, it was clear Galopin Des Champs had that extra gear, leaving Fastorslow and everyone else eating his dust, finishing a comfy four-and-a-half lengths ahead. Poor Conflated was in the mix too until he took an unexpected exit at the last fence.
Mullins couldn't hide his excitement, saying, “It was a terrific performance. He did it the hard way, out in front and jumped from fence to fence... Paul was very happy with him." He really laid it out how Galopin Des Champs and Paul Townend took the race by storm, not giving anyone else a chance to set the pace. Mullins added, "Gold Cups are always important and it’s nice to win another one for Greg and Audrey (Turley, owners)... Some people think it’s a trial for Cheltenham, but for me it’s a race in its own right."
Townend was feeling pretty good about the whole thing too, sharing, "That was brilliant. He jumped off again like the last day... I knew going down to the start he was in good form and it was straightforward." It sounds like he knew they had it in the bag if they could just keep to their game plan, which obviously worked out just fine.
And the bookies? They're already adjusting the odds, making Galopin Des Champs the favorite for defending his title at the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Paddy Power now has him at 8/13, a big jump from 10/11. Betfair and Sky Bet are also showing him some love with their odds.
On the flip side, Martin Brassill, Fastorslow's trainer, was still pretty upbeat despite not taking home the win. He thought the race had its moments but admitted, "The winner just had a little look at the last and it’s maybe cost us a flyer, but overall I’m very happy." He's already looking ahead to the Gold Cup, hoping for a race that plays more to Fastorslow's strengths.
So, yeah, it was quite the showdown at Leopardstown, with Galopin Des Champs proving he's not just a one-hit wonder. Everyone's now looking forward to what's next at the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Will Galopin Des Champs keep his crown, or will Fastorslow find his revenge on better ground? Time will tell, but for now, the spotlight's firmly on Galopin Des Champs and his team.
Galopin Des Champs - 11/10
Fastorslow - 3/1
LHomme Presse - 7/1
Shishkin - 9/1
Want more Ante Post Cheltenham odds?