Paul Townend made history by becoming the most successful jockey in Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup history when partnering the Willie Mullins-trained Gaelic Warrior to a resounding victory in steeplechasing’s biggest prize on Friday.
The 11-4 joint-favourite made light of the final punishing hill to run eight lengths clear of Jango Baie with last year’s winner Inotheurthinkin plugging on for third.
The occasion was marred, however, by the death of the veteran Envoi Allen.
Henry de Bromhead’s star finished last of the nine finishers in what was supposed to be his final race before retirement, but he collapsed and died after finishing. It was his eighth appearance at the festival, where he’d won three times.
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Twice a back-to-back winner on Mullins stars, Al Boum Photo (2019-2020) and Galopin Des Champs (2023-24), Gaelic Warrior’s success means Townend has eclipsed the legendary Pat Taaffe, whose tally of four Gold Cups included Arkle’s famous hat-trick.
He is also the first jockey to complete the Cheltenham Festival Triple Crown of Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup in a single week. The 35-year-old Cork rider won the Champion Hurdle on Lossiemouth on Tuesday. A day later, he won the two-mile crown on Il Etait Temps.
The trio are all trained by Mullins, who emulated trainer Henry de Bromhead’s hat-trick in the same three coveted races five years ago. Gaelic Warrior’s win also meant the most successful trainer in the sport’s history equalled Arkle’s trainer Tom Dreaper’s handful of Gold Cup victories.
It all crowned another hugely successful festival for Mullins, who wound up winning eight of the 28 races up for grabs. His career total for the biggest meeting of the year now stands at 121.
The crowning glory, though, was undoubtedly Gaelic Warrior and how he turned what had been billed the most open Gold Cup in years into a rout.
Doubts that his more freewheeling instincts might make it difficult for him to stay the 3¼ mile trip were put to bed under a masterful Townend spin.
If it took a couple of fences for Haiti Couleurs to take up his anticipated pace-forcing role, Ireland’s reigning champion jockey quickly slotted his mount into fourth place and hugged the inside rail.
Only after Haiti Couleurs blundered at the fourth last did Townend manoeuvre him into a little daylight and, once in the straight, the writing was on the wall for the opposition.
The result on Friday 13th proved Townend’s luck was in. Up to a week ago, his dual-blue riband champion Gaolpin Des Champs appeared to be the Mullins chief hope, only for a setback to rule him out.
Patrick Mullins, the trainer’s son, had been pencilled in to ride Gaelic Warrior, who is owned by colourful American businessman Rich Ricci. But with Galopin out, Townend was in.
“We were dealt a big blow with Galopin Des Champs coming out. I was lucky enough for this lad to be coming along,” he said. “Patrick was convinced he was the horse for the race. It’s a huge team effort. I was just the fortunate one to be on his back today.”
Townend added: “He pulled a little bit early on but was well behaved for Gaelic Warrior, to be honest!
“I got into the position that I’d gone over a hundred times in my head, usually things don’t go like that for you. Once I got a couple [of horses] in front of me, he relaxed pretty well. He jumped really well and, going into the third last, I just thought, ‘don’t fall off him and get home. It’s the Gold Cup. I always say they just get better and better.”
Mullins praised his jockey for yet another remarkably cool performance in the ultimate competitive cauldron, even when only needing to jump the last to win.
“Could you imagine what was going through his head going to the last fence? I can only tell you what was going through mine, but we won’t talk about that now! We’ve had so many last-fence mishaps here.
“The way he did it was spectacular, very dominant. He can be keen, but Paul got everything right and the horse put in a tremendous round of jumping,” said Mullins.
“This guy has to be up there with every one of my other Gold Cup winners, just because of the manner of his victory.”
It was a crowing glory, too, for Ricci, whose Djakadam twice finished runner-up in the race. He said: “I’m a wreck. I’ve been crying since the second last!” A 32nd Irish-trained success in the biggest race of all can do that.
So can the fate endured by Envoi Allen, who was reported to have suffered an “acute cardiovascular collapse” on the walk back off the track.
“He pulled up A1, but when we were trotting back, he collapsed,” said jockey Darragh O’Keeffe. “It just happened so fast.” That his trainer Henry de Bromhead won the last race with Air Of Entitlement felt little consolation.
