THOSE of us who spend too much time on social media have a growing fear that we might often be manipulated by algorithms and events controlled by Elon Musk and his ilk.

Those of us who enjoy a punt and think we have the game worked out, might this week have come to the conclusion that we are also at the mercy of Willie Mullins!

Just when you think you have it all worked out, an established order attained among his horses, along come results like Fact To File and Irancy to throw a spanner in your well worked out day. The master trainer was able to produce Il Etait Temps to win the Celebration Chase after a 359-day absence and the manner of victory was striking, as he jumped soundly and posted a fast time.

Then came the Punchestown Grade 1 novice and Kopek Des Bordes and Aintree winner Salvator Mundi have their private cut-throat battle and neither lasted home. Willie in the post-race interviews said: “I knew one was going too fast,” and on Kopek Des Bordes, “I gave him a nice break after Cheltenham, I probably gave him too much, I was looking at him going round the parade ring, I thought he was carrying too much condition.”

Then, amid a bit of carnage in the three-mile Grade 1 novice chase, Champ Kiely bounces back after nine days from a moderate enough effort over two miles and four at Fairyhouse, to always travel well and win from his much better fancied stablemate Ballyburn. And then Majborough is produced with “not a spare ounce of flesh on him”!

This is in jest though. Galopin Des Champs was spot-on and some horses are likely to have gone off the boil by April. As Mullins hits the 200-winner mark, it remains such a significant achievement to gather 33 Grade 1 (to Friday) wins with 21 horses, winning them for 16 different owners. And add the Aintree and Scottish Grand Nationals for two more.

Who could not be satisfied? Perhaps a summer letter to Closutton … “Dear Willie, How much are you charging again? Best wishes,

Michael.”

SO now it’s all over, who is the 2025 National Hunt season horse of the year? Surprisingly, for me and I expect many more, it’s neither the Gold Cup winner nor the Champion Hurdle winner.

The best sight and sound of Punchestown was undoubtedly the roar greeting Galopin Des Champs as he came clear into the straight in the Gold Cup.

The only regret was that this year, he was in peak form at Punchestown but was just a bit off in the Gold Cup, the reverse of previous seasons, and it cost him the three in a row. But can he win that Gold Cup back as a 10-year-old?

A look back needs to span a few decades but two top-class horses in Desert Orchid and Silver Buck were still at the heights of their powers and won Gold Cups aged 10.

From the novice class of 2024, only Inothewayurthinkin stepped forth. Galopin dealt with Fact To File over three miles and Spillane’s Tower now has a bit to find. The disappointing element of the season was that Inothewayurthinkin seemed to only be trained to peak for one day.

The novices of 2025 all seem error-prone. Ballyburn, Impaire Et Passe, Champ Kiely or Lecky Watson don’t really strike as solid Gold Cup horses and we lost Dancing City last week.

Galopin Des Champs is 5/1 for next year’s Gold Cup and the only two horses that could improve are Gaelic Warrior from the 2024 group and The Jukebox Man from this year.

He’s been sound all his career and it’s hard not to see Galopin Des Champs in the thick of things again - though a few stranger things have happened this week!

ONE irritant of the RTE TV coverage this week was the continuous changing of angles to view the race from the drone camera. This is all fine and dandy and can add some insight in reviews, often if interference takes place, but you can see more of a developing race when a horse comes off the bridle from a head-on angle. You do not want a change of view when you eye is fixed on your favourite.

If it persists, and ITV do it also, it’s bound to miss a significant moment in a race in the future.

Richie O Keeffe@RichieOKeeffe1

RP O’Keeffe and Willie Mullins the only trainers with a 1-2 In Punchestown today. At least we only had 2 runners [Insert smiley face]

Joe Lyons@JoeTLyons_

When Galopin Des Champs retires it may be a while before Ireland sees another animal of this quality. Can’t take him for granted, appreciate every single run. Didn’t have his conditions today in a race he’s struggled to put his best foot forward in. To romp home like that, WOW

Punchestown@punchestownrace

They say you can tell a lot about someone by their friends. Jody McGarvey is probably the most likeable lad in silks of his generation and the amount of weighroom colleagues that came out to the parade ring to wish him well is testament to the character of the man.

Wishing him every best wish for his next chapter

Joe Chambers@ScobieCjnr

Should there be a cap on overseas runners at Punchestown. Or is it their handicap marks need revising? A lot of dominance it seems. [insert smiley face?]