Galopin Des Champs proved to be as good as ever with a huge success in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown.

Willie Mullins’ eight-year-old – winner of the past two Cheltenham Gold Cups – also won a Group 1 title last season at Dublin Racecourse remained undefeated on the fence.

He was a 5-6 favorite under Paul Townend but finished third at the John Durkan Memorial at Punchestown Defeated by him, he then has to contend with the stable Fact To File.

Galopin Des Champs ran the full length and started his stall early, and although Fact File did chase late on, he could do little to stop the winner seven and a half lengths ahead place to cross the finish line.

Home By The Lee continues to pursue dreams for Joseph O’Brien

Home By Lee regained the Savills Hurdle title in good style at Leopardstown as Joseph O’Brien’s Christmas fever continued to build rapidly.

O’Brien’s charge is in the running for 2022 but finished fifth in six starts last year, although he returned in good form this season and ran the Lismullen Hurdle in mid-November.

The 15-8 favorite, trained by JJ Slevin, was born to challenge to perfection and ultimately beat Bob Olinger by six lengths.

In the process, he gave O’Brien his third first-grade result of the Christmas period, following on from King George’s Banbridge at Kempton Park on Thursday and Leopardstown on Friday. Paddy rewarded the club for chasing Solness after.

Kaid d’Authie gets Mullins back to winning ways

Willie Mullins’ Christmas luck improved as Kaid d’Authie impressed by winning the Savills Maiden Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The four-year-old has made just one previous start for his strong stable, at Auteuil last April, finishing fifth behind current horse Majborough in that previous start.

He was unlucky in his first sprint for Mullins and for new owner JP McManus as he fell at Navan in early December, but he still had a 7-2 chance at his third hurdle attempt.

He looked comfortable throughout the two miles and four furlongs under Paul Townend and was happy to continue on from Henry de Bromhead’s Koktail Divin Direct win in half of the game.

Mullins said: “He’s a lovely big horse with a long stride and very little respect for the hurdles. He looks more like a chaser.” By his standards, Mullins was in the first two days of the festival. Experienced a brief period of fatigue. Racing period.

“He’s a big pursuit type of guy, very similar to Majbrough. They both cover a lot of ground when they run.

“I would say he’ll be back here at the Dublin Racing Festival and racing against the top two-milers and we’ll see how he does then.”