Owner Audrey Turley offered a moving homage to Galopin Des Champs after the celebrated chaser’s retirement was officially confirmed on Thursday. The ten‑year‑old gelding, trained by Willie Mullins, will be remembered as one of the most beloved National Hunt athletes of the modern era, boasting an impressive tally of twelve Grade One victories. Among those triumphs are consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cup wins in 2023 and 2024, as well as a remarkable three‑peat in the Irish Gold Cup from 2023 through 2025.

Galopin Des Champs’ final attempt at a fourth Irish Gold Cup in February ended in a third‑place finish, and that race turned out to be his swan song. A subsequent setback forced him out of what would have been his sixth appearance at the Cheltenham Festival in March, sealing his retirement.

Over the course of his career, the black gelding recorded fifteen wins from twenty‑six starts. Turley, who co‑owns the horse with her husband Greg, says the memories they created together will endure for a lifetime.

"We've had the best time of our lives, we really have," she told the Press Association. "We never thought this would happen to us. We've had the most wonderful time." When pressed about a single standout day, Turley found it difficult to choose.

"Three Irish Gold Cups and the two at Cheltenham, it's hard to pick out one. Every time it was just a wonderful surprise, it was just magnificent," she explained.

She later added, "I don’t know if I could say one day, maybe the first Cheltenham Gold Cup as that was just extraordinary – like something out of a dream, the joy it brought. The other day was in Leopardstown when he won the third Irish Gold Cup. Everybody was singing, ‘ole, ole, ole’ and that just made the hair stand up on the back of our necks." The public’s affection for Galopin Des Champs has been palpable across social media platforms.

Fans continue to post tributes on Instagram and TikTok, writing, "We miss him, we miss him." Turley reflected on the horse’s popularity: "People love him and we still have people coming up on Instagram and TikTok saying, 'we miss him, we miss him'. He was so well loved and deserved to be loved, he was just wonderful.

Everybody did take to him and he was an unassuming character really when you think of it, but he just loved it – I think he enjoyed every bit of it himself." Looking ahead, Turley revealed that Galopin Des Champs may embark on a second career in the equestrian world. "He's actually gone over to Ruby Walsh's family and his daughter Isabelle is going to see what he does in that arena, so we'll see if something happens out of that.

They'll retrain him and see what happens. If he likes it he can do it, if he doesn't we'll have another plan and that's the way it is – it's all about him, whatever he wants to do. He'll only be 11 next year and he's still looking fantastic," she said. Although the Turleys will no longer see the black gelding don their distinctive yellow and brown silks, they remain optimistic about the future of their stable.

One promising prospect is King Rasko Grey, who delivered another Cheltenham Festival victory in last season’s Turners Novices' Hurdle. "King Rasko Grey has just come back in from the summer and is looking fantastic, so we have high hopes for him," Turley noted. "He did so well in Cheltenham obviously and he's looking like a good horse.

He has very big boots to fill, but we won't have another Galopin – he's one of a kind, a diamond. We'll enjoy it whatever happens." Galopin Des Champs’ legacy extends beyond his race record. His charisma, consistency, and the genuine bond he forged with his connections have set a benchmark for future champions.

As the racing community bids farewell to a true star, the anticipation builds around his next chapter in the equestrian sphere and the emerging talent that will aim to follow in his illustrious footsteps.