Alex

Paul Townend on the passing of Galopin Des Champs 🗣️ "He was a horse of a lifetime, a superstar nobody will forget and I certainly won't. As sad as today is, we can't lose sight of the fact of just how lucky we were to be on the amazing journey with him over the last few years. It was magic. "Only last week when it was announced that he was retired, you could see all the tributes pouring in for him and how much he meant to the public. He was loved by everyone. "I'll never forget for as long as I live the roar from the stands when he jumped the last ditch at Leopardstown the last time he won the Irish Gold Cup a few years ago. It's a long way from there to the stands but it was so loud when he landed. I have never heard anything like that before. "Then, when he came back into the parade ring afterwards, the reception he got was unreal. You don't see that too often. The place went nuts. "The best thing about Galopin was that he was such a gentleman. Honest to God, you wouldn't even have to put a bridle on him to ride him in the latter years he was so well behaved, especially around Leopardstown. He loved it there. "He was a proper gentleman of a horse in every way. He really matured as he got older. He was obviously quite exuberant in the early days but he became so accurate and assured as he went on and he was an absolutely pleasure to ride. I feel so privileged to be the one who got to ride him and I owe him so much."