Fact To File all class in Irish Gold Cup for Mullins and Walsh

After a Grade One double yesterday at the Dublin Racing Festival, jockey Mark Walsh repeated the feat when Fact To File put it all together over three miles in the Paddy Power Irish Gold.

He travelled strongly into the lead upon touching down after four out, but was headed over the next by Monty's Star who jumped it the better.

They jumped two out together with Galopin Des Champs just in behind in his attempt to make history. Fact To File tanked around the home bend, though, as Monty's Star and Galopin Des Champs both came under pressure in vain pursuit. Gaelic Warrior stayed on into second before the last, but Fact To File held a nice cushion of a lead. He kept finding along the run-in and finished, with his ears pricked, some five lengths clear at 9/2.

Gaelic Warrior (4/1) kept on in second and was eight-and-a-half-lengths clear of 15/8 favourite Galopin Des Champs, who was going for four in-a-row in this Grade One.

Mark Walsh said: "Class! A bit like Majborough yesterday, that's the real Fact To File today.

"He didn't show up in Kempton (sixth in King George), the ground was probably too quick for him. He was never happy and I was never happy on him in Kempton.

"He's after showing us today what we always knew he could do, and he has done it.

"I was just a passenger, all I had to do was steer him. He's so clever (jumping), you just leave it to him. He's one of those horses that is a joy to ride.

"When they get a bit older, they get a bit cleverer and they know what they are doing.

"He was fairly keen here on his two runs last year over three miles behind Galopin Des Champs, but he has learned so much now.

"He's the complete package now.

"When I jumped to the front four out, which was a mile too soon, I didn't want to be there but I let him use his jumping. There's no point in taking him back. I knew jumping the second last when I gave him a little squeeze after it and he pricked his ears, and I said I had plenty left.

"Up the straight, you could see him after the last looking at the crowd and pricking his ears - there was plenty left."

Willie Mullins, who brought up a treble on the card, said: “That was a helluva performance, both from Mark and the horse.

“Terrific, he jumped from fence to fence and it was something to watch.

“He just jumped his way to the front and Mark didn’t want to disappoint him, and he kept galloping.

“I was wondering would he stay the trip going at that pace, because they went a fair lick from the start.

“He stayed every inch of it and galloped right through the line.

“I think it was one of the best chases run in Ireland or England this year. The class of horse that was in it was fantastic. It turned out to be as good as it looked.

“We had him in the Gold Cup but he was withdrawn, but he could always go in as a supplementary entry. I think that’s what last year’s winner was. We haven’t spoken and we’ll see what happens.

“The first thing Mark remarked to me when he got off the horse was that when he hit the front he pricked his ears, which tells us all that he had more in the tank.

“From the first day he came into the stable he just exuded the fact that he was a racehorse and he’s proved it today here.

“We had so many horses in the race that any one of them could have put up a performance. That was far and above what he had done before.”

On runner-up Gaelic Warrior, he added: “He ran too free. He thought he was running a great race. Down to the fifth last I thought he had every chance of winning, but his exertions early on in the race just told.

“That doesn’t take away from him. At the pace he weren’t there he could be a Ryanair horse, but he definitely stays a trip as well.”

On third-placed Galopin Des Champs, he added: “He ran a terrific race. The exertions at Christmas probably just told against him.

“He’ll have a much longer break now for the Gold Cup in Cheltenham. He’ll go there in good order, I hope, too.”

Walsh was also on board Narciso Has for Mullins in the Grade One juvenile hurdle while the champion trainer also scored with Doctor Steinberg (ridden by Paul Townend) in the opening Grade One novice hurdle.

Paddy Power shortened Fact To File from 11/8 favourite to 4/5 favourite for the Ryanair (non runner no bet). He got a first show of 5/1 for the Gold Cup - non runner no bet, but still to be supplemented.

The bookmaker has Galopin Des Champs 6/1 from 9/2 favourite for the Gold Cup and Gaelic Warrior 6/1 from 7s. Jango Baie and The Jukebox Man head their market at 9/2 (non runner no bet).

Additional reporting by Gary Carson