Fact To File can make class tell on day one at Punchestown
COMEBACK MISSION: Having fluffed his lines at Cheltenham, Ballyburn is fancied to end his season on a high note at Punchestown on Tuesday. Picture: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
The Grade One William Hill Champion Chase is a fine feature on the opening day of the 2025 Punchestown festival as the six-strong field includes the current Champion Chaser, a former champion, and the Ryanair Chase winner from this year's Cheltenham Festival.
Fact To File, who was long considered a Gold Cup contender for this season, never got as far as racing’s Blue Riband, but he was imperious in the Ryanair, trouncing his rivals by nine lengths and more. This is another test of the eight-year-old, as he drops to two miles for the first time since finishing runner-up in the Champion Bumper at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, but he can come through with flying colours.
