Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Behind the Lines Sportswriters discuss their careers and the work that inspires them. Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Mark Walsh and Willie Mullins liftthe trophy after winning with Fact To File.Tom Maher/INPHO Fact To File coasts to Ryanair Chase, Alex Ferguson amongst owners for Caldwell Potter win Earlier Fact To File made light work of the Ryanair Chase. 4.26pm, 13 Mar 2025 Share options FACT TO FILE made light work of the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham when strolling home an easy winner as the 6-4 favourite. Willie Mullins’ eight-year-old opted for the intermediate contest instead of the Gold Cup and his charge was ridden by Mark Walsh in a field of nine. The JP McManus-owned gelding jumped and travelled neatly throughout and looked perfectly poised to put the race to bed at the foot of the hill, something he did with ease when cantering across the line nine lengths ahead of Heart Wood. Mullins said: “It was a hell of a field and he won very easily, he’s a proper horse. “They went a good gallop and he just stayed with them and got his jumping right and coming off the bend I don’t think Mark was worried, he just needed to get over the last two fences and he did that well. “It’s a surprise the manner he has won it and I was hoping coming here he was good enough to win it and he would win it, but when you’ve got Il Est Francais and Protektorat in the field, they are good horses and horses of a lifetime for some people. He was able to beat them like that, which is huge. “Every day of the week, I think he would be the one to give Galopin Des Champs the biggest problems, I do, and he was in the Gold Cup but we felt it was better to bide our options and let him come to this race. “He could be a Gold Cup horse next year and he will be a year older, we just felt at this stage of his career, a hard race in the Gold Cup if it turned up soft is not what he wants. That was the way our thinking was all season and JP was very pro that, we just didn’t want him to have a hard race in a Gold Cup, as sometimes that can ruin a horse’s career. Advertisement “I’m not going to talk about two-year plans after Lossiemouth, but I imagine that’s where he will be going next year.” Mark Walsh on Fact To File celebrates after winning.Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO Fact To File was beaten just under five lengths by Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown last time and Mullins added: “Probably some people felt after the Irish Gold Cup that he didn’t really see it out and that maybe the Gold Cup was a year too soon. “I heard someone say Mark had a job pulling him up and that is extraordinary. “He was a lot more mature there.” The manner of the victory was not unexpected for McManus, who said: “I had a little on today, I couldn’t let him run loose! He’s a nice horse. “I wasn’t surprised how he did it to be honest, it was very straightforward.” Caldwell Potter was a poignant winner of the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, as Paul Nicholls brought up his 50th winner at the Cheltenham Festival. Running in the colours of the late John Hales, he was subject of a mammoth €740,000 transfer fee in February 2024 with former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson also amongst the seven-year-old’s group of owners. A Grade One winner in Ireland for Gordon Elliott, Caldwell Potter had won one of his three starts since switching to Ditcheat and was given an enterprising front-running ride by Harry Cobden. Alex Ferguson celebrates after his horse Caldwell Potter won the Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Cobden and the exuberant grey never missed a beat as they led the field a merry dance and when the champion jockey asked his mount to lengthen entering the home straight, the result was soon a formality as Caldwell Potter silenced the doubters with real interest. Ken Budds’ 125-1 Anyway picked up the silver medal, with another outsider, Willie Mullins’ O’Moore Park back in third. The memory of Doddie Weir was honoured at the Cheltenham Festival, as Brian Hughes produced Doddiethegreat to perfection to lead home a Nicky Henderson one-two in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle. Running in the colours of Kenny Alexander, the nine-year-old is named after the former Scotland rugby union great, who died of motor neurone disease in November 2022, with prize-money earned throughout Doddiethegreat’s career donated to the foundation set up by Weir to raise funds and aid research into MND. Second at Haydock in his previous start, Doddiethegreat was sent off at 25-1 in the hands of Hughes – picking up a chance spare ride for Henderson – and was always catching the eye as he eased into contention on the second circuit. At the business end, it was stablemate and 11-2 favourite Jeriko Du Reponet that proved the biggest danger but Doddiethegreat was not to be denied as the result represented not only a turnaround in the fortunes for Henderson, in a week Jonbon and Constitution Hill have suffered reversals, but also a first winner at the Festival for Hughes since Mister Whitaker in 2018. Press Association Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Fact To File coasts to Ryanair Chase, Alex Ferguson amongst owners for Caldwell Potter win”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “Fact To File coasts to Ryanair Chase, Alex Ferguson amongst owners for Caldwell Potter win”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. 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