Fact To File bounced back to his brilliant best and proved he does indeed stay three miles with a superb performance to win the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.
Stablemate Galopin Des Champs was sent off the 15-8 favourite to win the Leopardstown showpiece for a fourth consecutive year but the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero had to settle for third, behind the Mark Walsh-ridden winner and Gaelic Warrior.
“That was a helluva performance, both from Mark and the horse” was Willie Mullins’ verdict on the winner, who was bouncing back from a lacklustre showing in the King George at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.
“He just jumped his way to the front and Mark didn’t want to disappoint him. I was wondering if he’d stay the trip going at that pace because they were going a fair lick from the start but he stayed every inch of it and galloped right through the line.
Having been withdrawn from the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the JP McManus-owned Fact To File will have to be supplemented if he is to run in the Festival feature but, should connections opt to do so, Mullins expressed confidence that an extra two furlongs won’t be beyond last year’s runaway Ryanair Chase winner.
“It shouldn’t be a problem going on today’s performance,” Mullins said. “It shouldn’t be a problem and if it is there’s Gaelic Warrior behind him.”
While it was hard to escape the conclusion that age is perhaps starting to catch up with Galopin Des Champs, Mullins remains confident the 10-year-old can continue to dine at the top level for some time yet.
“He had a very hard race at Christmas, he ran two or even three races at Christmas coming from where he came from,” Mullins said. “I’m not despondent. He was right there at the third last and it just told a bit. Hopefully if I can get him in the same form going back to Cheltenham he’ll run a good race there.”
