Fact To File wins by plenty in the Ryanair Chase in the first feature race of St. Patrick’s Thursday. The most impressive ride of the festival so far winning comfortably.
Heart Wood rode in second by Darragh O’Keeffe but there was no catching Mark Walsh on Fact To File for another Willie Mullins winner owned by JP McManus.
Results:
1st: Fact To File (10/3)
2nd: Heart Wood (18/1)
3rd: Envoi Allen (12/1)
Fact To File has CRUISED the Ryanair Chase 👏
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 13, 2025
What a ride by Mark Walsh 😮💨#ITVRacing | #CheltenhamFestival | @WillieMullinsNH pic.twitter.com/pD6uStDu8P
Jockey Reaction- Mark Walsh:
“That was brilliant Let him use his jump and he never missed a beat today, he winged everything. It was just seeing if he would be a Gold Cup horse.
“He heard all the Crowd on the lift shouting and he was pricking his ears up- He loved it!
“I absolutely love it, it’s such a dream to be riding horses like this, I am in a privileged position and I am very grateful.”
Trainer Reaction- Willie Mullins:
“Hell of a field and he just won very horse, it is a proper horse.
“He got all his jumping right and off the bend I don’t think Mark was worried just negotiate the last two fences and he did that well.
“It was in the manner he won it, I was hoping when coming here that he would win it and that he was good enough to win beating great horses like that is huge.”
