Galopin Des Champs finds rhythm and strolls to Gold Cup glory in Punchestown sunshine

If there were doubts about his ability to bounce back from his Cheltenham defeat, nobody told the punters, and just a couple of fences into the race, the writing was beginning to appear on the wall.

ROARING HOME: Paul Townend celebrates as Galopin Des Champs wins The Punchestown Gold Cup by 22 lengths from Spillane's Tower. Pic: Healy Racing

Galopin Des Champs wowed the crowd of 23,285 as he turned the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup into a sunshine stroll on a glorious Wednesday afternoon at the Co. Kildare venue.

If there were doubts about his ability to bounce back from his Cheltenham defeat, nobody told the punters who plunged into Willie Mullins’ runner in the moments before the off, and just a couple of fences into the race, the writing was beginning to appear on the wall.