Ryanair Chase

FACT To File delivered a display of utter dominance to become a back-to-back Cheltenham Festival winner in the Ryanair Chase, and, in turn, paid a handsome compliment to the talents of Galopin Des Champs, who has had his measure twice this season.

Il Est Francais, taking up the running heading out on the final circuit, tried to take the sting out of J.P. McManus’ 2024 Brown Advisory hero, but it only set up a scenario in which we got to see the best of the gorgeous eight-year-old, ridden with plenty of confidence by Mark Walsh.

The race essentially looked in safe keeping soon after the turn for home, and he apparently took some pulling up after the line following this nine-length rout of Henry de Bromhead’s admirable duo, Heart Wood and Envoi Allen.

Immediately after, Fact To File was made a top-priced 8/1 to lift next year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup and 3/1 for a Ryanair repeat.

Speaking after his record-extending sixth win in the race with the 6/4 favourite, Willie Mullins said: “The manner of the way in which he won was a bit of a surprise, but I felt coming here he’d win it. But the others were good horses, anyone would love to have them. I do agree that he might have been the horse to give Galopin Des Champs a battle tomorrow in the Gold Cup and he was in it, but we felt it was better to weigh up our options.

“He’ll probably be a Gold Cup horse next year. He’ll be a year older and we felt that, at this stage, a hard race in the Gold Cup, if the ground turned up soft… It’s not like that, but that was the way I was thinking all season. J.P. [McManus] didn’t want him to have a very hard race in the Gold Cup this year - sometimes that can ruin a horse’s career. So next year - I’m not going to say any more about two-year plans after Lossiemouth - but another year might be right. I think that’s what we’re looking at.”

Ideal distance

Walsh added: “That was brilliant. That sort of distance suits him, as you can let him gallop on and let him use his jumping. He never missed a beat today, he winged everything and he’s just happier going on that stride. We were seeing if he could make a Gold Cup horse, we ran into Galopin Des Champs twice, we tried two different things and it didn’t work, so there’s no point trying it a third time.

“I was struggling to pull him up! Even coming up by the junction of the track here, he heard all the crowd on my left shouting, and he started pricking his ears and ducking away from them, so there’s loads left.”

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Heart Wood (second), Envoi Allen (third) and Jungle Boogie (pulled up)

“I’m delighted with both of them. Heart Wood ran a cracker, is only a baby and is coming along really nicely. It was a really good race, and they went a savage pace - the winner is obviously very good. I think this is the right trip for Heart Wood, as I’ve tried him over three miles a couple of times and he just wasn’t getting home, however, he is only seven so we will see. Envoi Allen is just a legend and he was brilliant. Rachael said he was really tough and that he really dug in up the hill to hold onto third. He is 11 now and those younger legs probably just have the edge on him, but he owes us nothing and he gives us so much fun. I thought he ran an absolute belter. Jungle Boogie made a couple of mistakes, but he was running well too for a while. He has got so much pace, I might need to drop him back further.”

Dan Skelton, trainer of Protektorat (fourth)

“We’re happy with him. It was probably a better renewal this year. Fair play to the winner, as he looked very impressive. I didn’t make the ground an excuse, and I certainly won’t, but probably nowadays he hasn’t got as much toe, so slower ground probably suits him better. We will go to Aintree as I said to Ged [Mason, part owner], in two years we won’t be running.”

Noel George, joint-trainer of Il Est Francais (sixth)

“James [Reveley] said he was very happy with him, but he was nearly flat out, as they went very fast early on. He is probably better right-handed, as he was always going a little bit right, even though he was putting in those big leaps. When the winner came past him, he said he had nothing to give. Obviously, the winner is very good, but I would say it is probably not our optimum track. There are no signs of any issues, but I would say it is not our track. We are looking forward to Kempton Park at Christmas.”