Ladbrokes Novice Chase

(Grade 1)

WHEN five became two, and then one. The Ladbrokes Novice Chase had the potential to be the most fascinating Grade 1 of the entire weekend when declarations first arrived on Friday morning, but the race disappointingly cut up to result in Fact To File being the only finisher in a match race.

What promised to be a star-studded clash between the winner, Gaelic Warrior and Grangeclare West lost some of its lustre when the latter was withdrawn after getting cast in his box, while American Mike was a non-runner due to unsuitable ground and Found A Fifty did not take part after finishing second in the Goffs Irish Arkle a day earlier.

Layers made Gaelic Warrior the 4/7 favourite to collect in the Willie Mullins match race, but he bombed out badly, dropping away tamely after being headed on the run to the third last. His race ended wearily at the last when unseating Paul Townend.

To his credit, for all the talk surrounding the disappointing turnout, Fact To File posted a stylish performance over the chase course at Leopardstown for a horse with such little experience.

J.P. McManus’ seven-year-old, ridden by Mark Walsh, was cut to between 9/4 and 7/2 for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, and between 6/4 and 5/2 for the Turners Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

Mullins said: “He’s always shown me he’s good. He was only beaten by A Dream To Share last season. He did everything right today. I know the race fell apart but it was going to be a good race anyhow. At this moment in time, I don’t have any excuse for Gaelic Warrior.

“Fact To File is so laid back and straightforward. He does everything Mark asks him to do. I’d say you could run him over two and a half miles or a Gold Cup trip. I’ll have a word with J.P. and Frank [Berry] and see what they want to do.”

On the race turning into the first Grade 1 match in Ireland since Briar Hill (SP 1/4) beat Azorian in the 2013 Navan Novice Hurdle, Mullins added: “It is unfortunate. Grangeclare West wasn’t right this morning and we withdrew him. I never dreamt American Mike would come out. We run everything we can.

“I don’t know what can be done to change that. We just aim for these festivals and hope ours turn up. Not all do, as you saw with Grangeclare West [who was since ruled out for the rest of the season], and Gaelic Warrior had a blowout. Yesterday we had a couple of favourites beaten. It’s racing, and that’s why you have to come to the races to find out. If I was punting, I’d be losing my tonsils, I’d say!”