GALOPIN DES CHAMPS continued his love affair with Leopardstown and added his name to the history books by winning a third Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival.

He joined Jodami and Beef Or Salmon on three wins in the race and it would take a brave man to say Willie Mullins’ champion will not ultimately emulate his trainer’s first top-class horse, Florida Pearl, who holds the record with four.

A third Cheltenham Gold Cup will now be on his agenda and having briefly looked in trouble on the run to the last, challengers next month will be scratching their heads about how to beat him given the way he powered away.

Paul Townend wanted an easy lead like he had at Christmas but this time there were a few who were out to make sure he would not get it.

Embassy Gardens, Monty’s Star and Hewick were all prominent and there were still several more in with a chance on the turn for home.

Mark Walsh had moved Fact To File menacingly into a challenging position, while another stablemate, Grangeclare West, was massively outrunning his odds.

Jumping the last, there were almost four in a line, but on landing Galopin Des Champs stamped his authority on the race.

He stormed home to win by four and three-quarter lengths as the 1-2 favourite and Grangeclare West caught Fact To File on the line for second to give Mullins a clean sweep.

Paddy Power cut Galopin Des Champs to 8-13 from 8-11 favourite for a third Gold Cup next month.

Earlier, Mullins began the Festival in the best possible fashion when Final Demand displayed plenty of stamina in winning the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

But Gavin Cromwell’s Hello Neighbour ensured that Mullins would be unable to repeat his clean sweep of Grade Ones when grimly holding on to win the Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle.

Having won all eight Grade Ones at the two-day event 12 months ago, many were predicting the champion trainer would do the same again – and having won the first available with Final Demand, the bookies were quaking.

Majborough also laid down a marker to Sir Gino when destroying the opposition in the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

While far from foot-perfect, the five-year-old undoubtedly has a huge engine and Mullins will be looking forward to taking on Nicky Henderson’s current favourite for the Arkle at Cheltenham next month.

Majborough won the Triumph Hurdle last season, when Sir Gino was an absentee, and the two now look on course to finally clash on the opening day of this year’s festival, barring accidents.

Mark Walsh was keen to ensure there would be no hiding place on the 8-11 favourite but there was the odd hairy moment on the way round, albeit without him ever looking like he would fall.

With stablemate Ile Atlantique seemingly unable to go the gallop set by his younger companion, only Gordon Elliott’s Touch Me Not was ever within touching distance.

When Walsh asked Majborough to stretch rounding the home turn, the race was over and he went on to win by nine lengths.