Fact To File risks withdrawal from the Ryanair Chase on day three of the Cheltenham Festival amid concerns over firm ground conditions. Owner JP McManus confirms the Willie Mullins-trained horse will only compete if substantial rain softens the track before the 4pm GMT start.
Owner’s Ground Assessment
McManus, who holds the final say, shared his views with ITV Sport less than two hours before the race amid light local rain. “I left it to Willy, but I can overrule him,” he stated. “I have to say I found it too much for him… part of the course altogether not to my liking. I’ve walked the track every day, they’ve done a great job, but I think they could’ve done more, especially at the top of the track—not everyone would agree with me. If there’s significant rain, he’ll run; if there’s not, he won’t.”
Earlier, McManus’s racing manager Frank Berry voiced similar worries: “I’m very worried about the ground, it’s up in the air at the moment.”
Horse’s Strong Recent Form
The nine-year-old gelding enters as the Evens favorite after a dominant five-length win in the Irish Gold Cup. Fact To File claimed this Grade 1 title last year on St. Patrick’s Thursday, outpacing rivals with jockey Mark Walsh. He tracked the leaders before surging clear at the third-last fence, winning by nine lengths.
Officials selected the Ryanair Chase—over two miles and four and a half furlongs—over Friday’s Gold Cup, suiting horses who thrive at the intermediate distance.
Current Track Conditions
The course reads Good to Good to Soft following morning showers, but McManus’s team deems it insufficiently softened for peak performance.
Key Rivals in the Field
McManus also fields Jonbon, trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Nico de Boinville. The in-form contender boasts 20 wins from 27 starts, never placing outside the top two, with morning odds at 4/1.
Mullins saddles another threat in Impaire Et Passe, with Paul Townend aboard. A Fact To File scratch could spark a tight battle between Jonbon and Impaire Et Passe.
