Tag Archive for: Fact To File

Fact To File could drop back to two miles at Punchestown

/in /by

Ryanair Chase winner Fact To File could drop back in trip for a tilt at the William Hill Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival, connections have revealed.

The Willie Mullins-trained gelding was a brilliant winner at Cheltenham, but with no middle-distance option available in County Kildare, he will either contest the Punchestown Gold Cup or be asked to run over two miles in the Champion Chase.

Which race he ultimately lines up for is likely to depend on whether his owner JP McManus elects to run Gold Cup hero Inothewayurthinkin in the Punchestown equivalent.

Should Fact To File run in the Champion Chase, he could meet another McManus-owned Festival winner in his stablemate Dinoblue, who landed the Mares’ Chase in the Cotswolds two weeks ago.

Speaking at Limerick on Sunday, the owner’s racing manager Frank Berry said: “Obviously Inothewayurthinkin isn’t going to Liverpool (Aintree), so it’ll be either Punchestown or pull up. He’ll want safe ground and again, ground depending, Fact To File will also go to Punchestown.

“It’s up in the air but Fact To File has the two-mile and the three-mile options. It depends if the other fella (Inothewayurthinkin) runs but Fact To File could well go back to two miles.

“Dinoblue will probably again tog out in the Champion Chase, so there is every chance, if the ground is OK, that the three will run in Punchestown.”

Before Punchestown, there is the Randox Grand National meeting, and although Inothewayurthinkin is no longer in contention, the McManus colours will again be carried by last year’s winner I Am Maximus in the big one.

The Mullins-trained gelding has yet to fire this season, but Berry was able to issue an upbeat report.

“The reports are good and Willie is happy with him. I’d be surprised if Paul (Townend) doesn’t ride him, but I don’t know,” he said.

Fact To File coasts to impressive Ryanair Chase victory

/in /by

Fact To File made light work of the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham when strolling home an easy winner as the 6-4 favourite.

Willie Mullins’ eight-year-old opted for the intermediate contest instead of the Gold Cup and his charge was ridden by Mark Walsh in a field of nine.

The JP McManus-owned gelding jumped and travelled neatly throughout and looked perfectly poised to put the race to bed at the foot of the hill, something he did with ease when cantering across the line nine lengths ahead of Heart Wood.

Mullins said: “It was a hell of a field and he won very easily, he’s a proper horse.

“They went a good gallop and he just stayed with them and got his jumping right and coming off the bend I don’t think Mark was worried, he just needed to get over the last two fences and he did that well.

“It’s a surprise the manner he has won it and I was hoping coming here he was good enough to win it and he would win it, but when you’ve got Il Est Francais and Protektorat in the field, they are good horses and horses of a lifetime for some people. He was able to beat them like that, which is huge.

“Every day of the week, I think he would be the one to give Galopin Des Champs the biggest problems, I do, and he was in the Gold Cup but we felt it was better to bide our options and let him come to this race.

“He could be a Gold Cup horse next year and he will be a year older, we just felt at this stage of his career, a hard race in the Gold Cup if it turned up soft is not what he wants. That was the way our thinking was all season and JP was very pro that, we just didn’t want him to have a hard race in a Gold Cup, as sometimes that can ruin a horse’s career.

“I’m not going to talk about two-year plans after Lossiemouth, but I imagine that’s where he will be going next year.”

Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh with the Ryanair Chase trophy
Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh with the Ryanair Chase trophy (Mike Egerton/PA)

Fact To File was beaten just under five lengths by Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown last time and Mullins added: “Probably some people felt after the Irish Gold Cup that he didn’t really see it out and that maybe the Gold Cup was a year too soon.

“I heard someone say Mark had a job pulling him up and that is extraordinary.

“He was a lot more mature there.”

The manner of the victory was not unexpected for McManus, who said: “I had a little on today, I couldn’t let him run loose! He’s a nice horse.

“I wasn’t surprised how he did it to be honest, it was very straightforward.”

Fact To File and Il Est Francais clash in Ryanair

/in /by

Fact To File and Il Est Francais lead the way as nine horses were declared for Thursday’s Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Willie Mullins relies solely on Fact To File in the extended two-and-a-half-mile highlight, with Gaelic Warrior not declared while Il Est Francais could be a notable first Festival scorer for his training team of Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm.

Last year’s winner Protektorat defends his title for Dan Skelton, with 2023 victor Envoi Allen also in the line up for Henry de Bromhead.

Teahupoo won last year’s Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle for Gordon Elliott and he will face 14 rivals as he goes for back-to-back victories.

Joseph O’Brien’s Home By The Lee finished third on that occasion and tries his luck again while other key names include the Nicky Henderson-trained Lucky Place, winner of the Relkeel Hurdle and Teahupoo’s stablemate The Wallpark.

Springwell Bay tops the weights for the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, but Jagwar does not feature in the 20-strong field.

His trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero have instead opted to pitch their novice into open company for the Trustatrader Plate Handicap Chase, in which 21 runners have been declared.

Maughreen spearheads a strong Mullins-trained challenge in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, with Gavin Cromwell’s Sixandahalf a likely favourite for the Grade Two.

The Pertemps Final features Henderson’s Jeriko Du Reponet in a full field of 24, while the closing Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase also has 24 contenders lead by Johnnywho.

McCoy backing Jonbon to give McManus first taste of Champion Chase glory

/in /by

Sir Anthony McCoy is backing Jonbon to deliver a knockout blow to his BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase rivals and break his Cheltenham Festival duck in the process.

The Nicky Henderson-trained nine-year-old has only been beaten three times in 20 races under rules, but all of those defeats have come at Prestbury Park, including two previous losses at National Hunt racing’s showpiece event.

However, there was no disgrace in being second best behind superstar stablemate Constitution Hill in the 2022 Supreme and El Fabiolo was another formidable opponent at the time of their Arkle clash 12 months later.

Last season’s Clarence House Chase defeat at Cheltenham by Elixir De Nutz was disappointing, but Jonbon does have a couple of course wins on his card and returns there on the back of rock-solid Grade One strikes at Sandown and Ascot.

Highflyer Chase Day – Warwick Racecourse
AP McCoy, Aidan Coleman and Nicky Henderson with Jonbon (David Davies/PA).

William Hill ambassador McCoy – who won an epic renewal of this race when Edredon Bleu short-headed Direct Route in 2000 – said: “I absolutely love Jonbon and I would love to ride him in a Champion Chase.

“I think he’s absolutely tailor-made for the test it presents, because he’s a real strong stayer who jumps well – he’s almost like a better version of Edredon Bleu.

“There’s also a bit of Floyd Mayweather about him – he only just does enough, but he’s a hell of a winner. As far as this year’s race, I just think he wins.”

McCoy enjoyed great success when number one rider for Jonbon’s owner JP McManus and is still associated with the famous green and gold colours.

He added: “Jonbon is obviously one we’re really hoping can get the job done this year. He’s been a special horse for JP, and I think it’d be fitting if he were to be the first horse to win a Champion Chase for JP. That would be a big box ticked, for sure.”

McCoy is confident the McManus team have made the right decision in running Willie Mullins’ Fact To File in the Ryanair Chase, rather than taking on Galopin Des Champ for the fourth time this term in the Gold Cup.

Punchestown Races – Sunday November 24th
Fact To File racing against Galopin Des Champs at Punchestown (Niall Carson/PA).

Fact To File came out on top when they met in the John Durkan at Punchestown in November but has since been put in his place by his stablemate in the Savills Chase and the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

“I’d say that this year, the right race for him is the Ryanair,” said McCoy, speaking at a William Hill preview night.

“I know that a few people have said that they think his form might’ve regressed this season since the John Durkan, but I think he’s been ridden to try to beat Galopin Des Champs and, as we know, that’s an unbelievably tall order, particularly around Leopardstown.

“Looking at the rest of them in the Ryanair, the one that could totally take the race by storm is Il Est Francais. He put up a really bold display at Kempton, but you’d have question marks about how the undulations at Cheltenham would suit him. You’d also worry about him having bled before too.

“Protektorat is fairly solid as the defending champion, but if I had to ride one of them, it’d have to be Fact To File. And that’s not because JP owns him, it’s that he’s got great Festival form, and the drop back in trip should be perfect for him.”

Horse Racing – 2011 Christmas Festival – Lexus Chase Day – Leopardstown Racecourse
AP McCoy with JP McManus during his riding days (Niall Carson/PA).

McManus again has a whole host of fancied runners at Cheltenham and shows no signs of easing off in his pursuit of Festival success, having made mid-season purchases of The New Lion and The Wallpark.

“As regards JP, it really was such a pleasure to ride for him because he just loves horses,” said McCoy. “That’s what it comes down to with him – the love and respect for the animal.

“At every level, you know. He loves coming down and seeing the young three- and four-year-olds, thinking that they might be the next Synchronised, Jonbon or Istabraq.

“You see a lot of owners come into the sport – they have a few nice days in the sun, enjoy the attention that comes with it and love the big days. With JP, it’s so much deeper than that.

“He has a genuine, open-hearted love for the horse, and you just know his horses mean the absolute world to him. He loves the Cheltenham Festival, too – so riding for him there was just the biggest privilege and the best job in the world.”

Fact To File and Il Est Francais remain in Ryanair reckoning

/in /by

A blockbuster clash between Fact To File and French raider Il Est Francais is still a possibility for day three of the Cheltenham Festival after both featured among the 12 confirmations for the Ryanair Chase.

The Il Est Francais team of Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm are favouring a shot at the intermediate distance event over the Champion Chase following their agonising defeat at Kempton in the King George, while Willie Mullins has also hinted at a drop back in distance for Fact To File after twice suffering defeat at the hands of Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown.

Gaelic Warrior was missing from the confirmations for the Champion Chase but retains this option, while the Closutton handler has also confirmed Energumene, although a crack at a record-equalling third Champion Chase looks more likely for Tony Bloom’s long-time star performer.

Envoi Allen won this in 2023 and is one of three for Henry de Bromhead alongside Heart Wood and Jungle Boogie, while the home team is led by Dan Skelton’s defending champion Protektorat and Venetia Williams’ Denman Chase hero Djelo.

Envoi Allen was a Ryanair hero in 2023
Envoi Allen was a Ryanair hero in 2023 (Brian Lawless/PA)

Missing from the confirmations is Banbridge which seemingly makes a shot at the Gold Cup increasingly likely for Joseph O’Brien’s King George scorer, with the Owning Hill handler describing the blue riband as “a very special race” and “more likely at this stage” earlier in the week, should ground conditions continue to dry.

Jimmy Mangan’s Spillane’s Tower is another notable absentee.

Day three begins with the Grade Two Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle where leading players Sixandahalf (Gavin Cromwell) and Galileo Dame (O’Brien) have both stood their ground.

Mullins could saddle up to eight in a race he won five years on the bounce between 2016 and 2020, with Maughreen, Karoline Banbou and Aurora Vega all featuring highly in the betting for the Closutton team.

On Maughreen, whose dam is an unraced half-sister to Faugheen, Mullins said: “She put up a huge performance first time out, jumped like a handicapper for his first run over hurdles, taking on a very experienced horse.

Patrick Mullins returns on Maughreen
Maughreen after her bumper success (PA)

“What she did was really good novice hurdle material, but Cheltenham will be a big ask second time out.

“Since we started schooling, everyone said was a great jumper. I said to connections we maybe should be going for a bumper six weeks out from Cheltenham, but everybody said she’s made to jump and I’d say she’s our top one for the mares’ novice.”

Paul Nicholls also has a strong hand in the race with his pair of Jubilee Alpha and Just A Rose.

He said: “Just A Rose took a while to come to herself, then went to Taunton six weeks ago and bolted in, she won by 25 lengths, Freddie (Gingell) couldn’t pull her up.

“I haven’t been able to run her since, I wanted to go to Sandown but I didn’t want to run her on desperate ground. She’s just coming to herself, she’s coming in her coat but she’s just lacking a little bit of experience.

It could be a big afternoon for the 14-time champion trainer
It could be a big afternoon for the 14-time champion trainer (Steven Paston/PA)

“I actually don’t think there’s much between the two mares, her and Jubilee Alpha. Freddie will ride her with Harry Cobden on the other filly and we like her also.”

He added: “She won her first bumper at Aintree last year then we gave her plenty of time.

“She was a bit unlucky on her debut at Newbury in a Listed race, making a couple of green mistakes. Then she went to Taunton at Christmas for a Listed race and won that very well and then won at the Winter Million meeting at Windsor.

“That form has turned out quite good and I don’t think she was at her best that day. Experience counts for a lot I suppose but the other is very unexposed, I think they’ve both got good chances.”

Nicholls could saddle last year’s winner Monmiral – who also has the option of the feature Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle – in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle, while the Ditcheat handler could also unleash big-money purchase Caldwell Potter in the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase

Jagwar is favourite for two races on day three at the Cheltenham Festival
Jagwar is favourite for two races on day three at the Cheltenham Festival (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s Trials day winner Jagwar currently heads the betting for the contest, although he is also the market leader for the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase over the same course and distance later on the card.

Similar comment applies to Jonjo and AJ O’Neill’s Springwell Bay and Gordon Elliott’s Firefox, are leading names for both contests.

The O’Neill team have a strong hand in the concluding Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase where leading amateur Derek O’Connor revealed earlier in the week he had been booked to ride the JP McManus-owned Johnnywho.

Fact To File to spearhead McManus Gold run at Leopardstown

/in /by

Both Fact To File and I Am Maximus will take on stablemate Galopin Des Champs in Saturday’s Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup on day one of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown.

All three of those runners are trained by Willie Mullins, who also has Embassy Gardens, Grangeclare West and Minella Cocooner in the mix.

JP McManus owns both Fact To File and I Am Maximus and enjoyed a successful day at Punchestown courtesy of the former when he took the scalp of Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan Memorial Chase.

The two met again the Savills Chase after Christmas and the form was reversed, with Galopin Des Champs cantering home seven and a half lengths ahead of runner-up Fact To File.

Cheltenham Festival 2024 – Style Wednesday – Cheltenham Racecourse
Fact To File and Mark Walsh at Cheltenham (Mike Egerton/PA)

He ran keenly that day under Mark Walsh and could improve for settling, but connections are under no illusions as to the difficulty of defeating Galopin Des Champs in his bid for the Irish Gold Cup hat-trick.

“Fact To File is in great form, Willie is very happy with him and the plan is to run on Saturday,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus. “He could do with settling a little bit more and we’ll be hoping he does whatever happens.

“Galopin Des Champs will be very hard to beat, we’re very aware of that, but we’re happy with our horse.”

I Am Maximus is the reigning Grand National champion and is entered again for the big race in April, for which he is generally the favourite at this early stage in the process.

Randox Grand National 2024 – Grand National Day – Aintree Racecourse
I Am Maximus en route to winning the Grand National at Aintree (Nigel French/PA)

He made his seasonal debut in the Savills Chase but did not complete under Jody McGarvey, who pulled him up five fences from home after a jumping error.

The bay now looks to regain his form at Leopardstown, where a pleasing run will bring Aintree clearly into the picture once again.

“I Am Maximus is going to run as well, he’s in good form too,” said Berry.

“Things just didn’t happen for him the other day and Jody pulled him up, but he’s back looking very well.

“We’re looking forward to getting him out and we hope he runs a nice race.

“It will all come down to how he runs on Saturday, if he doesn’t run well on Saturday then I’m not sure, but if he goes well then we’ll head for the National again, absolutely.”

Cheltenham Festival 2024 – Gold Cup Day – Cheltenham Racecourse
Majborough winning the Triumph Hurdle (Adam Davy/PA)

On the same Saturday card at Leopardstown the McManus silks will be carried by Majborough in the Goffs Irish Arkle, another horse to face a familiar presence as he takes on his stablemate Ile Atlantique.

Majborough took the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last season and made a strong start to his chasing career this term, winning a Fairyhouse beginners’ chase by six and a half lengths from another Mullins-trained horse in Tullyhill.

That run leaves him well placed to step up to Grade One level as he has taken those exertions well.

“We’re really looking forward to getting him out again, he looks well,” said Berry.

“He looked very impressive the last day and he seems very happy with himself since. We’re excited to see him run again, that’s for sure.”

Mullins ‘delighted’ with Galopin Des Champs ahead of Dublin Racing Festival

/in /by

Willie Mullins is not expecting to replicate last year’s monumental achievement of winning all the Grade One races at the Dublin Racing Festival – but is confident he has staying star Galopin Des Champs fully primed to hunt a third Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.

The two-day Leopardstown spectacular has been a happy hunting ground for the perennial Irish champion trainer since its formation. But he proved more dominant than ever 12 months ago when winning nine of the meeting’s 17 races – eight at Grade One level.

He would go on to saddle the same amount of victors at the Cheltenham Festival en route to becoming not only the first man to go past 100 winners at the Prestbury Park showpiece but also claiming the British trainers’ title.

Willie Mullins with a memento at the Cheltenham Festival
Willie Mullins with a memento at the Cheltenham Festival (Mike Egerton/PA)

However, Mullins stresses big-race success is never taken for granted at Closutton.

“I would say the eight winners wouldn’t happen again and it was just a phenomenal year – not just the Dublin Racing Festival, the whole year,” he said.

“We were written off at Christmas I think, or just before Christmas, by the keyboard warriors – and then the whole thing just came together. If someone came to you with a Hollywood script and said you are going to do this, this and this and finish off here, I wouldn’t have expected it.

“It’s like Cheltenham, some years you go with almost 10 favourites, but they might not even win and you might only win with three or four of them.

“I’m always amazed at the confidence people have in us going into the Dublin Racing Festival or Cheltenham and they think it’s automatic, but we load them up here hoping, rather than expecting.”

Galopin Des Champs is unbeaten over fences at Leopardstown
Galopin Des Champs is unbeaten over fences at Leopardstown (Damien Eagers/PA)

Mullins may be playing down his chances, but there would surely be disappointment in County Carlow if he is unable to extend his dominance in the feature Irish Gold Cup, where the hat-trick-seeking Galopin Des Champs is set to again put his impeccable Leopardstown record on the line against stablemate Fact To File.

The young pretender to Galopin Des Champs’ crown may have claimed the scalp of the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in the John Durkan, but was firmly put in his place by his elder over course and distance in the Savills Chase, with Mullins feeling he has his ace card ready for another big display.

“I’m delighted with how Galopin Des Champs has come out of the race at Christmas, I think we’re all set for Leopardstown and maybe another showdown with Fact To File,” said Mullins.

“To me, Galopin was awesome, he put in a huge performance at Leopardstown winning the Savills. He just loves Leopardstown and hopefully he can do it one more time.”

Fact To File proved far too keen in that second clash of the Closutton stayers, with connections considering an alternative gameplan as they try to conjure up a way of toppling the Leopardstown specialist.

“Fact To File is good, I think both Mark (Walsh, jockey) and JP (McManus, owner) are keen to take on Galopin Des Champs again and so, all being well, he will,” Mullins added.

“I think we might have to do something different, I’ll leave that to Mark and see what he wants to do. He might have a different tactic up his sleeve, but we won’t discuss that until we’re in the parade ring before the race.”

Such is the wealth of talent at Mullins’ disposal, it is inevitable many of his stars will lock horns, with Tramore winner Embassy Gardens and Grand National hero I Am Maximus just two others from a host of names who could take on the Irish Gold Cup challenge.

Trainer Willie Mullins always thrives at the Dublin Racing Festival
Trainer Willie Mullins always thrives at the Dublin Racing Festival (Damien Eagers/PA)

Star novice chasers Majborough and Ballyburn are other key figures who could be in action at the Foxrock track, with Mullins more than prepared to let his string take each other on during two of the most important days in the Irish jumping calendar.

“I think you have to let them take each other on and the races are there for those horses, they can’t run in other races,” said Mullins.

“We go racing now and if there are seven races, we might have horses that are only qualified to run in three of them.

“So the good horses are sort of barred out from all the races and there’s only a certain amount of races to run in. I think when people invest money in good horses, you have to run them in the good races.”

No rush to map out Fact To File plans

/in /by

Connections of Fact To File are keen to “let the dust settle” before planning the next stop for the Savills Chase runner-up.

The Cheltenham Festival winner had returned in style this season when winning the John Durkan at Punchestown, where he had his Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Galopin Des Champs back in third place.

But the tables were comprehensively turned at Leopardstown on Saturday, with Galopin Des Champs coming out on top by seven and a half lengths.

The seven-year-old is owned by JP McManus, whose racing manager Frank Berry said: “He ran very well, but he had no real excuses. He might have been a little free and pulled a little bit hard early on, but you can’t take anything away from the winner, he was very good and beat him very well.

“All credit to Galopin Des Champs, it was a super performance, but our fella still ran a good race and when he learns to settle, he will be miles better. However, I do think he has a mountain to climb to get past the winner, I would say.

“We will let the dust settle and see how he comes out of the race (before drawing up future plans). He can go back to Leopardstown for the Irish Gold Cup, but we’ll wait and see what happens.”

Galopin Des Champs ready to defend formidable Leopardstown record

/in /by

Paul Townend is welcoming a return to Leopardstown for dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs, as the duo prepare to lock horns with stablemate and John Durkan Memorial conqueror Fact To File in a mouthwatering Savills Chase.

The Willie Mullins-trained pair were split by Jimmy Mangan’s Spillane’s Tower when fighting out a pulsating finish to the Punchestown feature last month, with Fact To File’s victory seeing him join Galopin Des Champs at the head of the betting with most firms for next year’s Gold Cup.

However, they first face a rematch over an extended three miles at a track where Galopin Des Champs is unbeaten in five starts over fences, winning this particular contest in emphatic fashion 12 months ago.

His big-race pilot is relishing taking on Fact To File again in “our playground” and is confident the eight-year-old can step forward from his seasonal reappearance.

“I can’t wait to get back on him,” said Townend.

“I hope he has what it takes to turn the tables on Fact To File. I thought he would step up big time from the John Durkan.

“Who knows, and Fact To File is entitled to step up as well, but Leopardstown is our playground and I think it’s down to him to come and beat us again.”

A return to three miles should hold no fears for Fact To File, who showcased his talent over that distance at the Cheltenham Festival in March and also brings winning course form to the table.

However, despite downing a two-time Gold Cup champion on his return, his owner JP McManus is refusing to anoint him a blue riband winner in waiting just yet, with connections respectful of the challenge that awaits at the Dublin venue.

Fact To File en route to winning the John Durkan
Fact To File en route to winning the John Durkan (Niall Carson/PA)

“I’m nervous, fingers crossed,” said McManus. “He did it well that day (in the John Durkan).”

McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry added: “He has come out of the John Durkan very well and Willie is very happy with him, we’re looking forward to seeing him run.

“I thought Galopin Des Champs ran a blinder at Punchestown and it looks like he is better round Leopardstown. He was very impressive there last season and he is going to be a very hard horse to beat.”

Fact To File is one of three in the race sporting the famous green and gold silks, alongside Grand National-winning stablemate I Am Maximus and Gavin Cromwell’s Inothewayurthinkin, a winner at both the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree in the spring.

Berry added: “We’re looking forward to seeing I Am Maximus back out, he’s in good form and it will be interesting to see how he runs.

I Am Maximus triumphed at Aintree in the spring
I Am Maximus triumphed at Aintree in the spring (Mike Egerton/PA)

“The other horse is a bit ground dependent and we will have to see how the conditions are for him. He likes a good dig in it, but he’s in good form and if it’s OK for him, we hope he could run a nice race.”

Mullins is responsible for five of the nine, with Grangeclare West and Minella Cocooner the others on the Closutton teamsheet.

There is also Grade One action in the Savills Hurdle, where King George-winning trainer Joseph O’Brien attempts to extend his joyous festive period with Home By The Lee.

A winner of this race two years ago, he readily accounted for the reopposing Bob Olinger in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan and is primed to go toe-to-toe with Henry de Bromhead’s evergreen star once more.

O’Brien said: “He comes here in good form and has had a good preparation – he’s trained well since Navan. We’re looking forward to getting him out again.

“He’s going off the back of the most enthusiasm he has shown in a race for some while the last day, so we’re excited to go back to Leopardstown where he has performed well in the past – and hopefully he can run a good race.”

The contest also features Hewick switching to hurdles on his first start for temporary trainer Tara Lee Cogan, the mercurial Asterion Forlonge and Emmet Mullins’ 2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats.

2024 Savills Chase Trends

/in /by

Staged at Leopardstown racecourse, Ireland, the Grade One Savills Chase (formerly the Lexus Chase) is run over a distance of 3m and is often seen as a decent guide ahead of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, run later that season.

Some great names in recent years to land both races are Denman (2007/08) and Best Mate (2003/04), while considering the contest is staged in Ireland, we’ve actually seen eight UK-based horses come over and win the prize in the last 23 years.

While in 2023 we saw the Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs romp away with the prize - he's back for more and this year taking on his stablemate Fact To File.

Here at GeeGeez, we take a look back at recent winners and gives you the key trends ahead of the 2024 renewal - Saturday 28th December 2024.

Recent Savills Chase Winners

2023 - GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
2022 – CONFLATED
2021 - GALVIN
2020 - A PLUS TARD
2019 – DELTA WORK
2018 - KEMBOY
2017 - ROAD TO RESPECT
2016 – OUTLANDER
2015 – DON POLI
2014 – ROAD TO RICHES
2013 – BOBS WORTH
2012 – TIDAL BAY
2011 – SYNCHRONISED
2010 – PANDORAMA
2009 – WHAT A FRIEND
2008 – EXOTIC DANCER
2007 – DENMAN
2006 – THE LISTENER
2005 – BEEF OR SALMON
2004 – BEEF OR SALMON
2003 – BEST MATE
2002 – BEEF OR SALMON

Savills Chase Betting Trends

22/23 – Returned 8/1 or shorter in the betting
22/23 – Had won at least 3 times over fences before
21/23 – Placed in the top 3 last time out
21/23 – Aged 8 or younger
19/23 – Had raced within the last 8 weeks
17/23 – Won by an Irish bred horse
18/23 – Had won over at least 3m (fences) before
15/23 – Placed favourites
13/23 – Aged either 7 or 8 years-old
11/23 – Winning distance – 4 lengths or more
8/23 – Won by a UK-based stable
8/23 – Winning favourites
6/23 – Won last time out
4/23 – Ran at Haydock last time out
3/23 – Trained by Paul Nicholls
3/23 – Ridden by Jack Kennedy (3 of the last 8)
3/22 – Went onto win that season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup
Trainers Gordon Elliott (4) and Willie Mullins (3) have won 7 of the last 9 runnings

================================================

TRAINERS-QUOTES.COM

GET THE BEST DAILY TRAINER INFO FROM 13 TOP STABLES - Sent direct to your in-box!

**SPECIAL OFFER** TRY US FOR JUST £1.99!!

FIND OUT MORE HERE

==================================================

 

Late call to be made on Spillane’s Tower supplementary decision

/in /by

Connections will wait until Friday morning before deciding whether to supplement Spillane’s Tower for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase.

Jimmy Mangan’s stable star is the 4-1 second-favourite with the race sponsors after filling the runner-up spot behind fellow JP McManus-owned chaser Fact To File in the John Durkan at Punchestown.

Also a dual Grade One winner as a novice over fences last season, Spillane’s Tower would clearly be a major contender for the Boxing Day showpiece at Kempton Park, but the McManus team are keen to see some ease in the ground before making a final call on whether to add him to the field at a cost of £4,600.

Corbetts Cross on his way to winning the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham
Corbetts Cross on his way to winning the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham (David Davies/The Jockey Club)

Either way McManus is set to be represented in a race he won for the first and only time to date with French star First Gold 24 years ago, with the Emmet Mullins-trained Corbetts Cross confirmed as an intended runner.

“At the minute Corbetts Cross is on course to go there and we’ll just check the ground in the morning for Spillane’s Tower and see what they’re saying,” the owner’s racing manager Frank Berry said on Thursday.

“If it’s soft he’ll probably be supplemented. You’d want to see the word soft in it, definitely.

“It’s decision time in the morning, so we’ll take it from there.”

The going at Kempton was described as good to soft, good in places on Thursday afternoon following three millimetres of rain overnight. There is a risk of showers every day until Monday, with Christmas Day and Boxing Day looking mild and dry with sunny periods.

Fact To File and jockey Mark Walsh after winning the John Durkan at Punchestown
Fact To File and jockey Mark Walsh after winning the John Durkan at Punchestown (Niall Carson/PA)

McManus has a wealth of talent in the staying chase division this season, with Fact To File the current ante-post favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

With Corbetts Cross and possibly Spillane’s Tower pencilled in for Kempton, the Willie Mullins-trained Fact To File looks set for a mouthwatering rematch with stablemate Galopin Des Champs in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on Saturday week, having beaten him into third place in the John Durkan.

Berry, who also confirmed the Savills Chase as the likely comeback target of Grand National hero I Am Maximus, admits deciding how to split their horses is a high-class problem.

“Fact To File and I Am Maximus look to be going to Leopardstown,” he added.

“It’s a good problem to have, but with the dry winter it has left things a bit congested for us.”

Still so much to take for Mullins from return of Galopin Des Champs

/in /by

Willie Mullins knows he is in a privileged position having both the current dual Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs in his yard and the young pretender to his throne, Fact To File.

Fact To File got one over on his older stablemate when they met for the first time in Sunday’s John Durkan Memorial at Punchestown, but Mullins was delighted with the performance of Galopin Des Champs, particularly as he had suffered a minor setback in the build up to the race.

“We know (we’re privileged to have two Gold Cup contenders), but look at JP (McManus, Fact To File’s owner), he has Spillane’s Tower (Punchestown runner-up) and he’s in everyone’s mind, too – that was a fantastic run,” said Mullins.

“It’s amazing to have two horses like that in the stable, but every morning you wake up wondering if the two of them are feeling OK – after every run, after every work, will they pull a muscle that will put them out of Cheltenham because with these staying horses, if they miss two or three weeks, our rule of thumb is that for every week they miss, they have to go back. So if they miss three weeks, they won’t run for three or four weeks after that. Fingers crossed they all stay sound.

“Fact To File still has to get up there and do it, Galopin Des Champs has done it.”

He went on: “Galopin Des Champs didn’t race until he was four, so a lot of people might say the French horses tail off but he had an easy early life, like an Irish bumper horse. Even though he’s French, he had like an Irish preparation so I think he’s still on top of his game and I’m looking forward to seeing how he handles this year.

Galopin Des Champs won a second Gold Cup in March for Paul Townend
Galopin Des Champs won a second Gold Cup in March for Paul Townend (Damien Eagers/PA)

“I probably said it all the other day about his run in the Durkan. I thought he ran a cracker, he did all the donkey work while the rest cruised in behind and had a go at him at the second-last, but he was still there going to the last.

“I thought for his first run it was a hell of a run and I took a lot out of it. We were beaten by two good novices, but it’s easier to challenge when you’ve cruised behind than been up in the van.

“He’d had a corn in a joint so had a little hold up as well. Missing those few weeks were crucial, but I wanted a run before Christmas and took a chance.

“Myself and Paul (Townend) are very happy where we are. Grangeclare West was fitter than Galopin Des Champs and he took it out with him, but he couldn’t finish the race which tells you the pace they were going.

“Over that trip (two and a half miles) it is lovely to get a run into them rather than over a gruelling three miles, it was a lovely place to start all the horses and tell us where they fit in the scheme of things. I think we’ll stick to the plan with him and do what we did last year.”

Fact To File could yet enter the King George picture, says Mullins

/in /by

Willie Mullins could still be represented in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase having raised the possibility of supplementing Sunday’s John Durkan Memorial winner Fact To File.

The JP McManus-owned second-season chaser confirmed the big impression he made as a novice when holding off another McManus runner in Spillane’s Tower, with dual Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow further behind.

No decision needs to be made until December 20 and with Mullins keen to stick to what he knows with Galopin Des Champs, meaning the Savills Chase at Leopardstown, Fact To File could yet head to Kempton Park after his Punchestown triumph.

McManus does, however, already have the ante-post favourite for the King George in Corbetts Cross, trained by Mullins’ nephew, Emmet.

“Fact To File wasn’t in the King George. It was discussed, but we left him out. Now it will have to be discussed if he’ll be a supplementary entry, everything is open at this stage,” said the champion trainer, as he hosted the media on Wednesday morning.

“He ran at Christmas and the Dublin Racing Festival last year, whether they (owners) want to change, I don’t know. They have Spillane’s Tower (to think about) as well.

“He learned an awful lot the other day, the way he was held in by Fastorslow, and it was tough racing being marked the whole time. He raced on again when the other horse came to him, he’ll have learned an awful lot and that will bring him on.

“Hopefully he can bring that sort of class to the Gold Cup. That’s (King George) up for discussion. JP could either have two at Leopardstown with Spillane’s Tower or two at Kempton with Corbetts Cross if they are all hopefully sound. If Corbetts Cross didn’t make it then you’d have to have a double think about supplementing.”

The previous ante-post favourite was last year’s Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior, but Mullins withdrew him on Tuesday as he was not in favour of the idea of running him over three miles first time out this season and he will stick to two miles for the foreseeable future.

Gaelic Warrior was brilliant in the Arkle
Gaelic Warrior was brilliant in the Arkle (Mike Egerton/PA)

“We went through all the other horses and the biggest one I thought was Gaelic Warrior and I said if we weren’t going to run him over three miles on his first start of the season, take him out now because we can go straight to Leopardstown over two miles which I think will suit him better,” said Mullins.

“All the rest I think will go to Leopardstown or wherever.

“Gaelic Warrior missed a bit of time, but he’s back again. He’ll go over two miles at Christmas and then the Dublin Racing Festival, I imagine.

“We could look at the Clarence House, Energumene has gone there before over two-one as right-handed at Ascot would suit him, but it’s more than likely we’ll go Leopardstown, Leopardstown, Champion Chase (at Cheltenham).

“We took him out of the King George because I wasn’t going to run him over three miles on his first run of the season. If he’d had a run in the Durkan we would probably have looked at the King George, but the way things have panned out we are looking at Christmas, the DRF and then Cheltenham.

“I enter them in many different races because they might pick up a foot bruise or something and then you have to go to plan B and we’re lucky enough (to be able to do it).  If you keep your options open it makes it easier for the benefit of the horse rather than rushing for a race and they run bad and then you are plan B or C.”

Il Etait Temps (far side) beat Gaelic Warrior at Punchestown but has had a setback
Il Etait Temps (far side) beat Gaelic Warrior at Punchestown but has had a setback (Brian Lawless/PA)

Another towards the head of the King George betting was Il Etait Temps but he is set to miss the first half of the campaign.

“He was ready to run, I had him in the John Durkan but he got a little infection last week. Infections can be so sore it can look like a fracture, I thought he’d broken a bone in a front leg, but it was an infection which had to be washed out,” said Mullins.

“He’ll miss three weeks so he’ll miss Christmas, but hopefully be back for the Dublin Racing Festival. When I saw him in the yard last week, I thought he was out for the season but the vets have said it’s fine, it’s just an acute infection which should come right.”

McManus team to pause before plotting Durkan duo plan

/in /by

Connections of Fact To File and Spillane’s Tower are in no rush to decide on future plans after the JP McManus-owned pair fought out a thrilling finish to the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.

Both Grade One winners in novice events over fences last season, the pair graduated to open company with honours in Sunday’s elite level feature, with the Willie Mullins-trained Fact To File getting the better of Jimmy Mangan’s Spillane’s Tower by half a length.

With the winner’s dual Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning stablemate Galopin Des Champs back in third, the form could hardly be stronger and McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry is looking forward to seeing what both horses can achieve over the rest of the campaign.

“We were delighted with both horses, it was a cracking race. Both horses jumped well and finished out the race nicely, so you couldn’t be happier with them,” he said.

“I thought the third horse (Galopin Des Champs) ran a blinder over the trip. He’s the one they all have to beat and he ran a cracker, but we’re delighted with our horses and hopefully they’ll come out of the race good.”

Whether the team are able to split up Fact To File and Spillane’s Tower next time remains to be seen, with the Savills Chase at Leopardstown the obvious target for both.

Spillane's Tower ran an excellent race in defeat
Spillane’s Tower ran an excellent race in defeat (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

The King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day is an alternative and would give McManus the option of splitting his aces, but neither horse is entered at this stage.

Berry added: “We’re going to sit on it for a week or 10 days, see how they come out of the race and make some decisions for around Christmas then.

“We’re not getting carried away, we’ll just see if the trainers are happy with both of them and see where we want to go.”

Fact To File prevails in John Durkan thriller

/in /by

Fact To File edged out Spillane’s Tower in a thrilling finish to the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase, as last season’s crack novices got the better of established stars Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow.

The latter pair looked to be in control of proceedings out in front for much of the contest, but Fact To File came cruising into contention under Mark Walsh once they turned for home.

He jumped the final fence in superb fashion to leap to the front past Galopin Des Champs, but Spillane’s Tower, carrying the second colours of winning owner JP McManus, was also finishing strongly and emerged as a serious threat on the run-in for Jack Kennedy.

However, Fact To File was always doing just enough and last season’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase victor scored by half a length at 7-2, giving Willie Mullins his 10th success in the race.

Stablemate Galopin Des Champs was two and a quarter lengths back in third and Fastorslow finished fourth.

Mullins declared: “What a race! I was trying to keep an eye on them all and I think it’s a testament to the race that the horse that tried to keep up with Galopin Des Champs, Grangeclare West, had to pull up before the last.

“I thought we were beaten when Spillane’s Tower came up alongside us halfway up the run-in, so it just shows that he’s made that leap from novice company to senior company that he could pull out more. I love that in a horse, that he could pull out a bit extra to get home.

“Mark said he took a blow but stayed on well to win. He’s over 17 hands but an athletic horse with it. He has a lovely temperament and true grit.

“It was a hell of a race, and I think all these horses are going to win big races between now and the end of the season.

Punchestown Races – Sunday November 24th
Fact To File and jockey Mark Walsh with groom Georgia Fenwicke Clennel (Niall Carson/PA).

“It’s fantastic that Punchestown have brought the race back to this time of the season and all these horses can recover in time to run around Christmas.

“I don’t know where they will go next but Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs could both run at Leopardstown.”

Fact To File is now favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, with Betfair and Paddy Power cutting him to 11-4 and Coral going as short as 2-1.

Jimmy Mangan, trainer of Spillane’s Tower, said: “I’m absolutely over the moon, delighted with him. He hasn’t been on grass since he won here at the Festival. You couldn’t really because the ground has been so firm.

“There is everything to look forward to but don’t ask me where he will run next, as I couldn’t tell you. He has options between two and a half miles and three miles and last year’s novice form is working out well.

“It was a great race and you had the best of horses and the best of jockeys.”