GALOPIN UP THERE WITH THE GREATS

A MAGNIFICENT Galopin Des Champs sparkled in the sunshine on a red hot afternoon of action at Punchestown yesterday.

- BY BRIAN FLANAGAN

The Willie Mullins' trained gelding produced one of his best performances to demolish his three rivals by 22 lengths in yesterday's featured €300,000 Ladbrokes Gold Cup.

Just seven weeks after his bid for Gold Cup immortality at Cheltenham came up short, the Paul Townend partnered nine-year-old was back to his brilliant best with the second day crowd of 23,285 loving every moment of it.

Scenes not witnessed in many years at this 200 year old venue greeted Galopin on his return to the winners' enclosure as ecstatic punters rushed to welcome a horse who can now be called a modern day great.

His Gold Cup win came on a sensational sun-kissed afternoon for the all-conquering 69-year-old Mullins, who won all three Grade 1 races, and finished the afternoon with five winners in total.