Fact To File romps to victory in the Ryanair Chase

Fact To File outlined his Gold Cup credentials as he romped to an emphatic triumph in the Ryanair Chase at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.

In a competitive field, the Willie Mullins star was imperious as he delivered one of the performances of the week under Mark Walsh.

Fact To File even appeared to have plenty more left in the tank as he crossed the line and such a dominant performance inevitably raises the Gold Cup question for 2026.

Walsh said: "We were seeing if he was a Gold Cup horse and we ran into Galopin Des Champs twice. We tried a few different things and it didn't work, so there was no point trying a third time [in the Gold Cup].

"I was struggling to pull him up and even coming up by the junction in the track, he heard all of the crowd on my left and he started pricking his ears and ducking away from them, so there was loads left."

Mullins stoked Fact To File's Gold Cup chances further, adding: "We thought it would be better to bide our time and he will probably be a Gold Cup horse next year."

Ryanair Chase result

1. Fact To File (6/4f)
2. Heart Wood (18/1)
3. Envoi Allen (12/1)
4. Protektorat (5/1)

For all information such as guides, horses and odds, be sure to explore our dedicated hubs where you can also bet on Cheltenham on every race and bet on the Gold Cup. We also have a Champion Hurdle betting odds hub for everything you need to know about the Champion Hurdle. Maximise your potential winnings with our Cheltenham Super Boosts and other Cheltenham Offers and Promotions. For expert analysis and predictions on every race, visit our Cheltenham Betting Tips page.

Jaquob Crooke

• • 
  •