There is no such thing as a certainty in horse racing, just ask Galopin Des Champs.
This afternoon's Turners Novice Chase was seen very much as a two horse race, with the Willie Mullins trained Galopin Des Champs going toe-to-toe with Henry de Bromhead's Bob Olinger. So proved to be the case, with that pair streaking away from the other two runners in the field.
As we entered the final few fences, Galopin Des Champs looked to be in a dominant position as it opened up a gap on its main rival. The race looked all but won as they reached the final fence. Then, disaster.
Galopin Des Champs falls at the last fence at Cheltenham
The horse had jumped somewhat erratically early in the race, although those issues seemed to have been sorted by the time we rached the closing stages.
However, with the finish line in sight, the back legs of Galopin Des Champs would clip the final fence. The result was the horse tipping over towards its front, unseating rider Paul Townend in the process.
Extraordinary! Such drama! 😲
Galopin Des Champs stumbles and falls at the last to allow @rachaelblackmor and Bob Olinger to claim Turners Novices Chase! #CheltenhamFestival | #VMTVRacing pic.twitter.com/lh84VyTIcP— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) March 17, 2022
Thankfully, both horse and jockey were unharmed in the incident.
Rachael Blackmore would then take Bob Olinger home to victory, but even she seemed shellshocked at what had occurred in the aftermath of the race.
Speaking on Virgin Media's racing coverage, Ruby Walsh said he could help but feel for Townend after the fall at the last.
"I'm heartbroken for Paul and the horse. He'll get vilified. I'm gutted for him."
Ruby Walsh can't hide his disappointment for jockey Paul Townend and Galopin Des Champs. #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/L9ujYZFxsN— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) March 17, 2022
I'm heartbroken for Paul Townend...
I've been that soldier, you can see it in Paul Townend's face. I'm heartbroken for him and the horse, the horse was spectacular.
Fair play to Rachael and Bob Olinger, but I feel terrible for Paul and the horse. He did exactly what we thought he could do, he had justified we had in him and Willie had in him to run in the race.
He was just unlucky, these things happened.
He pinged it and knuckled on landing. People are going to say you should have done this, you should have done that, you should have done the other. He made a decision with the right intention, the horse took off and knuckled on landing.
He will get vilified. I know that, they vilified me for years. I'm gutted for him.
Ruby Walsh went through similar incidents during his own days as a jockey, most notably on board Annie Power at Cheltenham in the 2016 Champion Hurdle.
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