THESE were not the days to be late to the party. Save the best to last? Ease your way gently into the action? No one told Final Demand he was the warm-up act.

The stands are already well full at 1pm. There’s no hide and seek, late to the game here, the horses are on parade for the first Grade 1 in fine time to see all of them.

The first cry of ‘Come on, Paul’ rises from the stands at 1.23pm, as Final Demand motors upside the leaders, heading for the home bend. It’ll be heard many times before close of business on Sunday afternoon.

The decision to go all-ticket and manage crowd numbers seems to have been a success. Despite the big rugby match, there’s over 18,000 in attendance, and racegoers are of all ages.

There are still queues, by the time Final Demand leaves the scene and you get served in the queue for a coffee, the juveniles are on the way to the start.

The Hurricane Fly bar is packed, the Racing Hall and the downstairs main stand sports bar have room but that fills up by 3pm. There are some queues for the gents toilets around the place.

There’s no call for niceties when the money is down, “Go on Lady, get into him!” is a cry as Lady Vega Allen attempts to overhaul Hello Neighbour.

By Majborough’s Arkle, the stands are packed – “it’s jammers” the guy beside me declares. Never a truer word spoke since someone said Donald Trump was a ****!

Backing track

The sound track of the reaction in the stands from Majborough’s jumps at the last five fences would make an interesting backing track.

It went, ooh… ooh…yeah…OOOH…YEAAAH, as he erred at quite a few fences before jumping the last well and then being roared home.

There’s a call for a racecourse plumber to go to the weigh-room before the big race. Who got stuck round the U-bend?

It was jammers on top of jammers in the stand by the time the Gold Cup runners headed on their way.

There is barely standing room at the top when the Gold Cup begins. A terrific leap at the second last, first time round, brings the first cheer for Galopin Des Champs. It’s heartening in a world that seems to be going half-mad, that this can still happen.

He gets another roar when he does the same thing second time, at the now second last.

There’s a tiny pause as the field are head-on coming to the last, but once he lands, the decibels rise all the way to the line. A pause for breath and the Ole, Ole, breaks out. A wonderful rare occasion.

The winner takes his time coming back in by which time the crowds are 10 deep around the parade ring (thank God this is not the Curragh), to get a glimpse of the triple Gold Cup winner and supreme chaser of the decade. The Ole Ole breaks out again,

Betting blog

Bookmaker Brian Keenan’s weekend blog summed up the conundrum of the few who might not have wanted him to win.

“I have learned my lesson with Galopin Des Champs. He’s the sort of fella you would love to hate but you can’t! I stand him for 1,200 just in case the impossible happens. Jumping the last I think we’ve a chance but alas he sprints away again. He’s too good.

In the cold-hearted betting ring where there’s no room or place for sentiment we agree among ourselves this is special. The crowd reaction was simply awesome.

He really is the people’s horse. This was a good result for racing. Anyone who was in Leopardstown on Saturday will remember ole ole reverberating around the grandstand for a very long time. Punters 5 – 0 Brian.”

There was talk of having this race as the Sunday feature but it’s no harm to go home that first day in such satisfaction, and wanting more.

Sunday’s card had a bit more debate on what might have been in two of the feature races. On the RTÉ coverage, lead presenter Hugh Cahill takes a stand that the riders in the Dublin Chase let Danny Mullins and Solness get an easy lead, after a similarly-run race at Christmas. Was it a case of should they, or could they, have gone with the leader? The debate got plenty of comments online.

As a long-time observer, there are three types of media presenters nowadays, presenters, form pundits and those more used to podcast presentation – that being more the pub-talk/I say what I see, modern variety. They don’t always blend perfectly into the mainstream coverage, but nor do former jockeys always appear to tell it as they read it.

Eight different sets of owners enjoy success on day two which makes for some good interviews.

Nick Luck is the top go-to regular on any racing broadcast worldwide. But it might have been a mis-step sticking a microphone in front of Willie Mullins so soon after the Champion Hurdle. A rather stony-face Rich Ricci was approaching after Lossiemouth had crashed out.

Mullins was in demand, all the hours, and must have had three sets of interviews to do each time as well as his main job of guiding owners and checking his horses. How hectic these days must be for trainers and staff. Willie ran 53 horses over the two days.

One TV viewer, who appears not too far away in this paper, noted how much was expected of the trainer and how in general, how willingly all the debriefs were given, even in the aftermath of the Champion Hurdle – “If you went up to a footballer like that coming off the field, he’d f****n’ clock you one!” was the observation!

Now, let’s just stick to letting everyone have their say!

Adam83@adam_englishby

That was pure class. The best Irish horse since Arkle. He’s up there with the great Kauto Star. #DRF #Leopardstown

Rob Dixon@RobDix12

Imperious Galopin Des Champs, jumped them silly & fair play to Townend who got the fractions spot on!

Definitely up there with Kauto/Denman/Best Mate imo, a third Gold Cup is inevitable after that! Fact To File must go Ryanair now, travelled into it but didn`t stay #DRF

JJ Adams@JJracing45

And that’s it for another year #DRF Ah lads, what a time to be alive. I won’t miss this meet for as long as time alive.

Joe Chambers@ScobieCjnr

7 runners. 1 x 3rd place. Mare fine.

House Private until further notice.

Nick Palfrey@8Palfrey8

This year’s Gold Cup is shaping up to be......the fourth most interesting race on the Friday. GDC, Monty’s Star and some handicappers/confirmed non-stayers. [You cant please all of the people…]