Galopin Des Champs, the celebrated chaser trained by Willie Mullins, has been officially retired at the age of ten. The horse, renowned for winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in both 2023 and 2024, achieved 15 victories out of 26 races during his career, including three Irish Gold Cups and a Punchestown Gold Cup. Despite a distinguished record and earnings approaching £2 million for owner Audrey Turley, recent performances indicated the horse was no longer competing at his peak.

Galopin Des Champs finished second to Inwonthewayurthinkin in the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He continued to demonstrate quality by securing the Punchestown Gold Cup the following month, but his form declined afterward. The horse was beaten twice at Leopardstown over the winter, and a subsequent setback led to his absence from the latest Cheltenham Festival.

Trainer Willie Mullins explained that the decision to retire the horse was made collectively, with the view that Galopin Des Champs could no longer perform at the standard he had set in previous years. Mullins noted that the horse was retiring sound and expressed hope that he would enjoy a successful second career as a sport horse.

Prior to his Gold Cup triumphs, Galopin Des Champs had initially made a mark at Cheltenham by winning the 2021 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, signaling the start of a highly accomplished campaign.

In a separate incident, Dylan Browne McMonagle, the 23-year-old Irish champion jockey, was hospitalized following a fall at Bellewstown. McMonagle was riding Mosel in a Flat race over a mile when the fall occurred. Although the full extent of his injuries has not been disclosed, he is anticipated to be sidelined for several weeks, impacting his participation in upcoming meetings where he has recently made a significant impact in Britain.