He was unsuccessful in three more races at minor French tracks before recording his first success at Auteuil Hippodrome on 14 March when he won the Prix de l'Yonne over 3300 metres.

[3] On his final race before the 2012 Cheltenham Festival, Sir Des Champs won the Grade 2 Killiney Novice Chase at Leopardstown Racecourse, despite making a mistake at the last fence.

[4] On 15 March 2012, Sir Des Champs was one of ten runners to contest the Golden Miller Novices' Chase over two and a half miles at Cheltenham.

Ridden by Davy Russell, he took the lead on the run-in and won easily by four and a half lengths from Champion Court[5] to record his second consecutive Festival win.

After the race his owner revealed that he had considered running the gelding in the three mile RSA Chase and Willie Mullins indicated that Sir Des Champs would be aimed at the following year's Cheltenham Gold Cup.

[6] In April Sir Des Champs was moved up in distance for the Growise Champion Novice Chase over three miles and a furlong at the Punchestown Festival.

Davy Russell on Sir Des Champs tracked Flemenstar for most of the race, but was unable to make any progress in the straight and was beaten into second place by five lengths.

Davy Russell sent the French gelding into a narrow lead three fences from the finish and Sir Des Champs stayed on strongly in the straight to beat Flemenstar by one and three quarter lengths.