'The real Fact To File' shows up to prove point in Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown
Mark Walsh onboard Fact To File wins the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown. Pic: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
A number of points were proven in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup. In winning the Leopardstown highlight in front of a crowd of 10,084, Fact To File proved he does indeed stay three miles and that he is a far better horse than he looked when a disappointing sixth in the King George at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.
Mark Walsh, the man on top proved a point too, the 39-year-old’s fourth Grade One of a brilliant Dublin Racing Festival was a timely reminder of his talents after last month’s announcement that Harry Cobden will be JP McManus’s new retained rider in both Britain and Ireland from next season.
“A bit like Majborough yesterday, that’s the real Fact To File today,” Walsh said of the 9-2 winner. “He didn’t show up at Kempton. The ground was probably too quick for him, he was never happy, I was never happy on him but he’s after showing us today what we knew he could do.
“He’s class, I was just a passenger. All I had to do was steer him, he’s so clever, you just leave it to him, he’s one of those horses that’s a joy to ride. He’s the complete package now.”
As is his jockey, not that that was news to the winning trainer.
“Mark has always performed very well,” said Willie Mullins. “I’ve never any doubt about Mark performing well. Mark normally rides his own race and he’s ridden plenty of Grade One winners for me and for JP. He’s a top rider.
“He’s going to get some fantastic rides for JP, there’s a lot of horses there, and there’ll be more scope to ride other horses for other yards and more of my horses.”
Like Fact To File, runner-up Gaelic Warrior also passed the stamina test, even if Mullins felt he didn’t settle as well as the winner.
“He ran too free,” Mullins said. “Down to the fifth last I thought he had every chance of winning but his exertions early in the race just told. At the pace he went there, he could run in the Ryanair but he definitely stays the trip as well.”
As for Galopin Des Champs, a horse chasing a fourth consecutive Irish Gold Cup success, the way he tenaciously fought off Firefox to finish an honourable third proved that his spirit remains undimmed even if his legs are perhaps no longer as quick as they once were.
“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.”
Reigning Cheltenham hero Inothewayurthinkin was a tired faller at the last but, thankfully, was able to walk away.
Mullins, Walsh and McManus had earlier combined to win the Gannon's City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle, Narciso Has enhancing his Triumph Hurdle claims with an impressive frontrunning success.
“It was a very good performance, he did it the hard way from the front,” said Mullins. “He settles lovely in front, jumps well, and has enough for a kick at the end.
“He’s mature as well and looking at him I think he's going to make into a nice chaser. He’s a fine, big specimen of a horse.
“I liked him from the first day that he came in. He was very green the first day that he ran but he's learning all the time.”
Mange Tout did her best to keep the favourite honest but the effort told as Selma De Vary stayed on well to finish second.
“She missed a lot of time and I think she'll improve a good bit for that run,” was Mullins’ assessment of the runner-up.
“I think she's a filly that has a big future. She looked quite hot and we rode her out the back for that reason.
“She looks like one for the Triumph as well and then possibly back to Punchestown. We could also go to the race in Fairyhouse, we'll see.”
The day got off to the best possible start for punters as Doctor Steinberg justified 7-4 favouritism in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle to put down a huge marker for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, for which he is now as short as 2-1.
For much of the contest, the Mullins-trained son of Doctor Dino looked eager to go faster than Paul Townend wanted him to but he found plenty at the business end of proceedings to finish eight lengths clear of Kazansky.
“He was very impressive on that ground, it’s very tough,” Mullins said. “Every time we’ve gone up in trip he seems to like it. He’s out of a Cyborg mare and that’s all stamina.
“It was probably going to the last the first time before he relaxed. There was a horse up his backside everywhere he went and he was very free but he kept galloping. To pull like that and still be galloping at the end of two-miles-six on very, very tough ground (was impressive). He goes on all sorts of ground but he seems to be better in tougher conditions.”
