Galopin Des Champs must be getting quite used to victory parades in Leighlinbridge, as for the second successive year, the Co Carlow Village turned out to welcome home the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.
Last week, trainer Willie Mullins had his fourth Gold Cup victory in six years, but there was another historic benchmark too, as he became the first ever handler to reach, and bypass, a 100 winners at the festival.
He is also the first trainer to win the Gold Cup twice with two different horses after wins in 2019 and 2020 with Al Boum Photo.
A crowd of several hundred watched the champ Galopin take it all in his stride alongside fellow festival success stories Stateman and Jasmin De Vaux, Mullins' 100th festival winner.
The trio were accompanied by Mullins, jockey Paul Townend and Galopin's proud owners, the Turley family.
Audrey Turley was still coming to terms with what happened on Friday.
She said: "I think it's going to take a long time, if ever, I think we'll take this to the end of our days, the excitement, the thrill, and the privilege of being involved in this fantastic team."
Last week saw Mullins saddle another nine Cheltenham winners to be crowned leading trainer for a record 11th time.
He said: "I mean that time we brought over probably one horse and would have been delighted to have a winner, I thought it would have been a lifetime achievement.
"Irish trainers didn't comprehend having more than one winner in their lifetime in Cheltenham. How the tide has changed.
"We never thought we would get to 100, or no-one ever dreamt, so it was never a goal until the last couple of years.
"Then people started saying it could become possible. We're lucky that we did it. A huge achievement, very happy with it.
"We take nothing for granted. But I must say I thought the horses were in spectacular form at home this year and the run-up to the Festival went so well.
"That [son Patrick riding his 100th winner] was the icing on the cake."
There was a joyful homecoming for back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs in Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow today: https://t.co/2VnvOKaXJi pic.twitter.com/UAeTQUy3Rh
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 19, 2024
Last Friday's success was also Gold Cup number four for Townend, who also won it back-to-back on Al Boum Photo.
His sense of disbelief matched that of Mullins.
He said: "If I started out and someone promised to me four festival winners, I'd have taken their hand, to have four Gold Cups... it's not imaginable.
"I'm just very fortunate to be riding for that great man.
"I feel the Gold Cup stands alone, in relief that you have won but also the atmosphere and everything with it. It is the pinnacle. It's the best horses, the best jockeys. The tempo of the race is stronger than any other race. It's a very special feeling.
"When I was lucky enough to win the first one [with Galopin Des Champs] it was a bit of a surprise. To back it up the second time, with a bit more pressure, I wasn't sure if it would be as exciting but it actually seems to be better. It's one I wouldn't mind doing again if I could."
Today's reception was perhaps the perfect curtain call for another week of remarkable success for Team Mullins.
One of the many well wishers probably put it best when shaking the trainer's hand when they said: "Well done again Willie, Same time next year I suppose?"
Ahead of the homecoming, the owner of the Lord Bagenal Inn in the village had said Mullins is very highly regarded in the area, adding that he is "a true gentleman".
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, James Kehoe said "it was a great week" in Cheltenham and everyone in the village has been asking "when is Willie coming?"
He said around 100 people are expected to come out this evening to welcome the winners back home.
"It's an amazing week really," he said.
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Kehoe said that Mullins is a great supporter of his pub and has been going there since 1979.
"We've been through thick and thin, tremendous recessions and through Covid-19 and he has become what is now the greatest National Hunt trainer in the world, no doubt. And you know something?
"He hasn't changed since the first time I met him in 1979-1980. And he’s still a gentleman out and out, and I think if you pick up the phone and ask anyone in the village, they would all say the same".
He explained that Willie Mullins has his yard very close to Leighlinbridge and he employs 80 or 90 people, most living in the village.
"The whole Mullins family is here to support this whole village," he said.
"We became a focal point because of Willie. That's our claim to fame."
