A year ago, in the three-mile Grade One, the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs was sent off as the 4-11 favourite to complete a spring festival double. However, after overcoming British raider Bravemansgame, Galopin Des Champs was overwhelmed by the late surge of 20-1 shot Fastorslow.
Fresh off his second victory at Cheltenham, Willie Mullins' charge is headed to Punchestown for his fifth start of the year. State Man, his stablemate and champion hurdle winner, is also expected to make it to five starts this term in the Boodles Champion Hurdle.
The trainer said: “It’s going to be tough for him (Galopin Des Champs). He got beaten there last year, but I think the two, the Paul Nicholls horse and himself, went at it very early and the other horse came and robbed them. Paul (Townend) might just use different tactics and the horse seems good. Galopin Des Champs turns up every day and runs a race and has had many runs this season. I’ve seen horses that are hardy, willing and turn up end up being very good horses because the good ones sometimes get injured and are not able to turn up every day – we’ve seen that this year with one horse in particular. State Man turns up every day and wins all those Grade Ones and if you’re the owner, trainer or jockey, they’re the ones you want to be on – good, hardy, sound horses.”
Lossiemouth will now aim for the Coolmore N.H. Sires Bolshoi Ballet Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle, as State Man will be pursuing the Champion Hurdle.
The five-year-old enhanced her triumph from the previous season at Triumph by winning the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham. Mullins is content to postpone competing in the open events until the following term.
He said: “Lossiemouth will go for the mares’ race, at this point anyhow. We’ll let State Man go for the Champion Hurdle. I was absolutely delighted with Lossiemouth in Cheltenham and it looks like she’s coming on-song in her bid for the Champion Hurdle next year. All those horses have to stay sound, it’s lovely thinking you have two or three for the Champion Hurdle and maybe Constitution Hill will be coming back, but they’ve all got to get there and as we’ve seen they don’t. It’s not a given that you get there. When you look at Lossiemouth on the track you think she’s a little grey mare, but when you stand into her you get a fright. It’s always a good sign when you look at a horse and think they’re a normal size but then when you stand in they’re much bigger, it just shows how well proportioned they are.”
Ballyburn has two options at Punchestown: the two-mile KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle and the longer Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle. Ballyburn defeated his rivals from Cheltenham in the two-mile, five-furlong Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle.
Mullins added: “Ballyburn looks a really good horse – what he did, I would be comparing him to Faugheen or Vautour, that was the sort of performance he put in for me at Cheltenham. A top-end performance.”