Galopin des Champs bids to join the legends of jump racing Arkle, Best Mate, Cottage Rake and Golden Miller as a three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.His jockey Paul Townend, who like Mullins is bidding for a fifth Gold Cup, says Galopin des Champs makes jumping seem effortless.
Queen Camilla comforted the girlfriend of a jockey who recently died following a fall as the horse forever linked to his career won at the prestigious Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday. Camilla kissed and put a reassuring arm on Charlotte Giles, who had joined trainer Barry Connell on the winning podium after his horse, Marine Nationale, won the feature race of the day — the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Marine Nationale was ridden to victory in 2023 in another big Cheltenham race, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, by Michael O’Sullivan, who died last month from his injuries following a fall at Thurles Racecourse in his native Ireland.
The Queen warmly embraced the grieving girlfriend of late jockey Michael O’Sullivan as his two previous Cheltenham-winning horses triumphed again just weeks after his death.
The Cheltenham Festival rolls on into its third day on Thursday after two spellbinding days of action on Tuesday and Wednesday.
