Dublin Racing Festival: Galopin Des Champs secures place in pantheon of chasing greats with Irish Gold Cup hat-trick

Galopin Des Champs continued his love affair with Leopardstown and added his name to the history books by winning a third Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival.

He joined Jodami and Beef Or Salmon on three wins in the race and it would take a brave man to say Willie Mullins' champion will not ultimately emulate his trainer’s first top-class horse, Florida Pearl, who holds the record with four.

A third Cheltenham Gold Cup will now be on his agenda and having briefly looked in trouble on the run to the last, challengers next month will be scratching their heads about how to beat him given the way he powered away.

Paul Townend wanted an easy lead like he had at Christmas but this time there were a few who were out to make sure he would not get it.

Embassy Gardens, Monty’s Star and Hewick were all prominent and there were still several more in with a chance on the turn for home.

Mark Walsh had moved Fact To File menacingly into a challenging position, while another stablemate, Grangeclare West, was massively outrunning his odds.

Jumping the last, there were almost four in a line, but on landing Galopin Des Champs stamped his authority on the race.

He stormed home to win by four and three-quarter lengths as the 1-2 favourite and Grangeclare West caught Fact To File on the line for second to give Mullins a clean sweep.

Leopardstown-loving Galopin Des Champs (1-2F) brings up a hat-trick in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. pic.twitter.com/motnmMUyWI

"Paul has huge faith in him and said he was just going to jump out and go with him," said Mullins.

"I thought we might make it with Embassy Gardens. There were four or five upsides him jumping the first but he had burned them off by