THE Leopardstown home straight was paved with gold for Galopin Des Champs as his Irish Gold Cup victory on Saturday confirmed his place as the leading three-mile chaser ahead of chasing’s Blue Riband event at Cheltenham in March.

There were no flaws in the performance as the seven-year-old again displayed his newfound maturity, relaxing perfectly for Paul Townend from the outset before quickening sharply when asked by the champion jockey.