Plenty to take from Savills effort for Galopin Des Champs

Willie Mullins was satisfied with the effort of Galopin Des Champs as he came home third in the Savills Chase on his seasonal bow at Leopardstown.

The dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner had been off the track since winning at the Punchestown Festival back in April, with a minor setback forcing him to miss his intended return in last month’s John Durkan Memorial Chase – his starting point for the last three campaigns.

Galopin Des Champs was sent off the 6-5 favourite at Leopardstown and was beaten three and a quarter lengths by Affordale Fury, with Mullins admitting his disappointment at defeat but also taking plenty of positives.

He said: “I was very happy with him, he looked like he was going to win after landing over the second.

“He just missed his prep race and that told on him, I think, going to the last.

“He got a breather and still came back after the last. I was happy with him.

“I’m disappointed he didn’t win but I didn’t expect him to win, it was his first run of the season and it was a tough contest for having his first run.

“Paul (Townend, jockey) was happy, he won’t be swapping him anyway.”

Galopin Des Champs was pipped to second place by stablemate and 50-1 shot I Am Maximus.

The 2024 Grand National hero had finished well down the field on his first run of the season in the John Durkan and Mullins felt he could have been closer still had the winner not appeared to slightly hamper him at the last.

He added: “I thought he was unlucky. Given a different path from the second last he might have gone very close.

“He ran a cracker.”

Gavin Cromwell is planning a full examination of Inothewayurthinkin after last season’s Gold Cup hero was beaten over 41 lengths as last of the nine finishers.

The seven-year-old had finished fifth in the John Durkan and better was expected stepping back up to an extended three miles, but Inothewayurthinkin left Cromwell disappointed with his jumping display.

He said: “We’re obviously very disappointed, he never travelled at all and didn’t show any spark at all. He jumped like that as well.

“It’s too bad to be true, we’ll get him home and get him checked out.

“He should have at least travelled well.”

The gelding was examined after the race, with the stewards reporting he was found to be “post race normal”.

Another Mullins-trained runner Champ Kiely fell on the flat in the early stages of the race, with the stewards finding Harry Cobden’s mount had clipped the heels of the horse in front.