Ruby Walsh 'heartbroken' for Paul Townend after devastating blow on Galopin

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Ruby Walsh defended Paul Townend's ride on Galopin Des Champs after the pair crashed out when clear at the last, and drew from his own experience of gut-wrenching late drama at the Cheltenham Festival to sympathise with the jockey.

Walsh described himself as "vilified" following the famous late fall aboard Annie Power in the 2015 Mares' Hurdle and admitted Townend, who replaced him as number one jockey for Willie Mullins, could experience a similar feeling.

Galopin Des Champs, a 5-6 favourite, was well clear of Bob Olinger in the Turners Novices' Chase, the opening race on the third day of the meeting, before coming down after jumping the final fence.

'I'm gutted for him'

Walsh, speaking on ITV, said: "I'm heartbroken for Paul Townend. Coming down to the last he spots a long stride and pings it. Next stride he was up and over.

"I've been that soldier and you can see it in Paul Townend's face. I'm heartbroken for him and the horse too, he was spectacular. Fair play to Bob Olinger and Rachael Blackmore.

"He was doing what we hoped he could do and justified the decision that Willie had made and the faith that we had in him to run in the race He just was unlucky, those things happen. He pinged it but knuckled on landing.

"The world's going to say you should've done this or that, but he made a decision and his intentions were right. He'll get vilified, I know it, I got vilified for years. I'm gutted for him."

Walsh's agony on Annie Power – said to save the bookmakers around £50 million – was repeated just three years later when Benie Des Dieux came down at the final flight in the Mares' Hurdle.

Agony for Galopin Des Champs as final-fence exit hands Bob Olinger 999-1 victory

Sir Anthony McCoy, winner of 31 races at the festival, shared his experience of late drama and said the best jockeys find a way to not let the disappointment impact performances for the rest of the day.

"Your head is absolutely melted, you've just ridden a horse who was about to win but you have to go with the positives. Paul won a Champion Chase [with Energumene] and a Ballymore [with Sir Gerhard] yesterday.

"It's gone, there's nothing you can change. I'd be thinking I just can't wait to get back out there. The thing with top-level elite sport is levelness – it's not always going to be good, there's ups and downs. It's about how you control that, go out and perform now and forget about it."

Townend has four more rides on Thursday, notably the day's big favourite Allaho in the Ryanair Chase. He is a general 4-6 chance to repeat last season's wide-margin win.

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