However Townend regrouped to land the large one on day one of many pageant as final yr’s Cheltenham hero Galopin Des Champs made it back-to-back Irish Gold Cup triumphs.

Townend set a sedate tempo as Fastorslow took shut order as he aimed for a 3rd successive victory over Mullins’ star following triumphs on the Punchestown Gold Cup final April and John Durkan Chase in November.

Nevertheless, Galopin Des Champs adopted that latter reverse by producing a sensational 23-length win within the Savills Chase on the Leopardstown Christmas Pageant which meant he went into Saturday’s race because the the 1-3 favorite

JJ Slevin, on Fastorslow, tried to make his transfer after the second-last however was unable to get previous Galopin Des Champs because it quickly grew to become a two-way battle after 2022 race winner Conflated unseated Jack Kennedy on the ultimate fence.

Probably the most spectacular a part of Galopin Des Champs’ victory was nonetheless to return as he moved greater than 4 lengths away from Fastorslow on the run-in to counsel final yr’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner is effectively positioned to clinch one other success at Prestbury Park.

Within the Irish Arkle Novice Chase, Marine Nationale, the beforehand unbeaten 4-7 favorite who earned a vastly spectacular win in final yr’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, produced a ragged leaping efficiency with a foul mistake on the final sealing his destiny because it grew to become a two-horse race between the 2 high Irish trainers.

On an exciting run-in, Gordon Elliott’s 10-1 shot Discovered A Fifty, with Kennedy on board, regarded like he was going to carry on however the champion coach’s 6-1 hopeful Il Etait Temps produced a last-ditch rally to finish Danny Mullins’ exceptional Grade One treble.