Galopin Des Champs named Horse of the Year
HOTY: Galopin Des Champs, with Paul Townend up, cross the line to win the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase at Cheltenham. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Galopin Des Champs was named Horse of the Year at the Horse Racing Ireland awards night on Monday. The Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old defended his Gold Cup crown at Cheltenham, with Paul Townend on board, becoming just the ninth horse to win the race on multiple occasions. He also won the Savills Chase and Paddy Power Gold Cup, both Leopardstown Grade 1s, prior to showing his quality in the Cotswolds. City Of Troy, Kyprios, Porta Fortuna, State Man, and Teahupoo were the others nominated for the award.
After a year which saw him become Champion trainer at home for the 18th time, the first Irish-based trainer to win the British title since Vincent O'Brien in 1954, and break the 100-winner mark at Cheltenham, Mullins claimed the National Hunt Award. Along with Galopin Des Champs, Mullins won the Champion Hurdle with State Man, the Aintree Grand National with I Am Maximus, the Scottish Grand National with Macdermott and the Sandown Gold Cup with Minella Crooner.
