Cheltenham Festival Icon Galopin Des Champs Dies Aged 10 Just Days After Retirement

Two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs has died at the age of ten, just five days after his retirement from racing was announced.

The brilliant Willie Mullins-trained chaser suffered a severe injury while in a field on Tuesday, with veterinary examinations revealing extensive damage to his near front leg that could not be repaired.

It is a devastating end to the story of one of the outstanding National Hunt horses of the modern era, whose career included back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cups, three consecutive Irish Gold Cups and 12 Grade 1 victories.

Galopin Des Champs had only recently left Mullins’ Closutton yard following his retirement, with plans for him to be looked after by Ruby Walsh and his daughter Isabelle ahead of a potential second career in eventing.

Galopin Des Champs Suffers Fatal Injury Following Retirement

Ruby Walsh confirmed the news on Tuesday evening after Galopin Des Champs was found with a serious injury high on his near front leg.

Vets attended immediately, but X-rays showed the damage was irreparable.

The news came less than a week after Mullins had confirmed the end of his racing career. His final appearance had come in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February 2026, when he finished third behind Fact To File, before an injury ruled him out of the Cheltenham Gold Cup the following month.

Mullins described the news as devastating for owners Greg and Audrey Turley as well as the Walsh family, adding: “He was a legend of a horse.”

For connections, it brings a sudden and deeply sad conclusion to a career which had already secured Galopin Des Champs a place among the great staying chasers.

A Cheltenham Gold Cup Great

Galopin Des Champs will perhaps be remembered most for his performances at the Cheltenham Festival.

His first Festival success came before he had even established himself as an elite chaser, winning the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle under Sean O’Keeffe in 2021.

The defining moment arrived in the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup when, ridden by Paul Townend, he defeated Bravemansgame to claim Jump racing’s most coveted prize.

Twelve months later he returned to Prestbury Park as defending champion and produced another commanding performance, becoming the first horse since Al Boum Photo in 2020 to win consecutive Gold Cups.

Only nine horses in the history of the race have won it more than once, placing Galopin Des Champs alongside names including Arkle, Golden Miller, Best Mate and Kauto Star.

A bid for a third successive victory followed in 2025. Galopin Des Champs started as the odds-on favourite but had to settle for second as Inothewayurthinkin prevailed by six and a half lengths.

He would not get another opportunity at Cheltenham, but his two Gold Cups ensured his association with the Festival had already been firmly established.

The King of Leopardstown

Cheltenham was not the only racecourse where Galopin Des Champs developed a remarkable following.

Leopardstown became another of his favourite stages, particularly through his extraordinary record in the Irish Gold Cup.

He completed a hat-trick of victories in the race between 2023 and 2025, with his third success greeted by an enormous reception from the crowd at the Dublin Racing Festival.

His Leopardstown record also included dominant performances in the Savills Chase. His 23-length victory over Gerri Colombe in December 2023 was one of the most emphatic displays of his career.

Townend later recalled the extraordinary reception Galopin Des Champs received following his third Irish Gold Cup, an indication of how the horse had developed from a hugely successful racehorse into one of the most popular figures in the sport.

Cheltenham was not the only racecourse where Galopin Des Champs developed a remarkable following.

Leopardstown became another of his favourite stages, particularly through his extraordinary record in the Irish Gold Cup.

He completed a hat-trick of victories in the race between 2023 and 2025, with his third success greeted by an enormous reception from the crowd at the Dublin Racing Festival/

Final Victory Comes at Punchestown

After finishing runner-up at Cheltenham in March 2025, Galopin Des Champs travelled to Punchestown the following month and produced a dominant performance in the Grade 1 Punchestown Gold Cup.

Townend sent him into the lead from the outset and his rivals were unable to get close, with Galopin Des Champs eventually defeating Spillane’s Tower by 22 lengths.

It proved to be the 15th and final victory of his career.

Across 26 starts, Galopin Des Champs won 15 races and more than £1.9 million in prize-money, including 12 victories at Grade 1 level.

His major victories stretched from his Grade 1 Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle success at Punchestown in 2021 through to Gold Cups at Cheltenham, Leopardstown and Punchestown.

Paul Townend Pays Tribute to a “Horse of a Lifetime”

Few people were as closely associated with Galopin Des Champs as Paul Townend.

The multiple Irish Champion Jockey rode him in all but four of his races and partnered the chaser for each of his 12 Grade 1 successes.

Following the news of his death, Townend said: “He was a horse of a lifetime, a superstar nobody will forget and I certainly won’t.”

Their partnership produced some of the defining moments of both horse and jockey’s careers, not least those two afternoons at Cheltenham in 2023 and 2024.

Galopin Des Champs also played a major role in Townend’s own Gold Cup record. Those two victories formed part of five wins in the race for the jockey, who became the most successful rider in Cheltenham Gold Cup history when Gaelic Warrior won the 2026 renewal.

Galopin Des Champs Leaves a Lasting Cheltenham Legacy

Galopin Des Champs’ death comes just days after racing had been celebrating a magnificent career.

His record alone places him among the finest staying chasers of his generation, but the reaction to his retirement and subsequent death also underlines the connection he developed with racing supporters.

Cheltenham Racecourse described him as “one of the great stars of our sport”, while tributes have come from across racing following Tuesday’s news.

Two Cheltenham Gold Cups, three Irish Gold Cups, a Punchestown Gold Cup and 12 Grade 1 victories represent a formidable list of achievements.

For many, however, the lasting memories will be simpler: Galopin Des Champs and Townend approaching the final fence at Cheltenham, the roar from the Leopardstown stands and one of National Hunt racing’s outstanding horses returning to yet another packed winner’s enclosure.

His racing career may have ended only last week, but Galopin Des Champs had already done more than enough to ensure he will be remembered for generations.

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Galopin Des Champs FAQs

How old was Galopin Des Champs when he died?

Galopin Des Champs was ten years old when he died on Tuesday 1st September 2026 after suffering a serious injury in a field.

How many Cheltenham Gold Cups did Galopin Des Champs win?

Galopin Des Champs won the Cheltenham Gold Cup twice, triumphing under Paul Townend in both 2023 and 2024. He finished second to Inothewayurthinkin when attempting to complete a hat-trick in 2025.

How many races did Galopin Des Champs win?

Galopin Des Champs won 15 of his 26 career starts, including 12 races at Grade 1 level, and earned more than £1.9 million in prize-money.

What was Galopin Des Champs’ final victory?

His final win came in the 2025 Punchestown Gold Cup, where he defeated Spillane’s Tower by 22 lengths under Paul Townend.

When is the 2027 Cheltenham Festival?

The 2027 Cheltenham Festival takes place from Tuesday 16th to Friday 19th March, with the Cheltenham Gold Cup bringing the four-day meeting to its traditional climax on Friday.

Can I book Cheltenham Festival hospitality with Eventmasters?

Yes. Eventmasters offers Cheltenham Festival hospitality packages across all four days of the meeting, providing a premium way to experience the racing at Cheltenham Racecourse.