Galopin Des Champs roars home in Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup
Irish jockey Paul Townend rides Al Boum Photo (third left) to win the Gold Cup race, behind jockey Richard Johnson on Native River (second right) and jockey Nico De Boinville on Might Bite (right) during he first lap on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival horse racing meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, south-west England, on March 15, 2019.
Willie Mullins had a superlative afternoon at Leopardstown, especially when Paul Townend on Galopin Des Champs justified odds at 30-100, in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.
Probably the shortest priced in thirty-six years. Galopin Des Champs, owed by Sudrey Turley, topped his neighbour, Stattler (Patrick Mulllns 11-2), by a decisive eight lengths in 6:14:1/10. It constituted a landmark first Irish Gold Cup for Townend, and a 12th for Willie.
The horse exuberantly settled happily behind, jumped efficiently and had enough speed to pick up when Fury Road (Davy Russell 5-1), drifted across them at the final 3 mile fence, with a wayward lunge.
They still managed to place. Kemboy (Rachel Blackmore 8-1), led early until Sattler and the Big Dog (Mike Donoghue 33-1), thought they had it made. The Big Dog jumped carelessly from then on, and fell. Any Second Now (Peter Walsh 22-1), was hampered quite badly, finishing fourth. You may remember him from being second in the 2022 Gand National.
Galopin des Champs has the right profile for Cheltenham's biggy. Bookies were not overly moved by this run, but then there is plenty to build upon for his future.
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Bob Baffert prepared all four horses in the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita. The instantly recognizable white-haired Hall of Famer watched favoured Newgate (Frankie Dettori 4-5). gradually get the best of Hard to Figure by a neck. Newgate covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43:11/10. They were last for a while, but Frankie pumped his steed nicely
Newgate increased his earnings to $241,975 from six starts. The race is a Kentucky Derby qualifier, and pops 20 points extra.
Hard to Figure (Ramon Vezquez 12-1), broke sharply while adding blinders from his outside post, pressuring Worcester (Juan Hernandez 5-2), and Arabian Lion.
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Red Carpet Ready (Luis Saez 4-6), unbeaten so far, stepped up to graded company maintaining a flawless past in the $125,000 Forward Gal at Gulfstream Park.
The seven-furlong Forward Gal for fillies is part of another next step on Gulfstream's road to the $1-million Curlin Florida Derby April 1.
Rusty Arnold's, Red Carpet Ready, broke outside all but two rivals in the field of nine but quickly settled in fourth as Twice as Sweet, and Arella Star, duelled together.
Undervalued Asset pressured Red Carpet to no avail. Atomically. Positano Sunset, Apropos, Flakes, Twice as Sweet, Arella Star and Adeliese's Smile completed the order of finish.
The Forward Gal is a Kentucky Oaks qualifier, so, 20.
