Fact To File rated narrowly ahead of Gaelic Warrior despite John Durkan defeat
Sunday’s John Durkan Chase saw a career-best effort from Gaelic Warrior (173 from 169) to get the better of last year’s winner Fact To File, aided by the run of the race but building on his strong finish to last season when beating Grey Dawning in the Bowl at Aintree and following up at Sandown.
Whether Gaelic Warrior confirms superiority over Fact To File in any future meeting is open to question, given he had stolen a 12-length lead by the seventh fence, but he did have to show battling qualities having been narrowly headed at the last before edging back in front on the flat for a neck win, putting himself in pole position for Kempton on an important weekend of King George clues.
Fact To File (174 from 173) came off second-best in a memorable duel with his stablemate in his bid to win this for the second year running but ran right up to his best, on a par with routing his field in last season’s Ryanair Chase, with Gaelic Warrior enjoying the tactical edge on this occasion.
Admittedly, Fact To File had closed the gap on him by the home turn and even edged past going to the last, but Fact To File had done plenty of running to peg back a rival who had pinched a lengthy lead.
Three miles stretched him at Leopardstown a couple of times after his win here last year, so presumably he’ll remain at this sort of trip building towards another crack at the Ryanair.
There was a stronger field for the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase than for the Betfair Chase 24 hours earlier, though there was an apparent stark difference in readiness between the two Willie Mullins stablemates who pulled a long way clear and the rest who came home at wide intervals.
It’s therefore best not to take the bare result at face value given this was just a starting-point for the season ahead for plenty of the beaten horses, notably Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin who was a remote fifth.
READ MORE: Romantic Warrior dazzles with return success in G2 Jockey Club Cup
Timeform’s Highest Rated Chasers:
175 Galopin des Champs
174 Fact To File
174 Inothewayurthinkin
173 Gaelic Warrior
172 Il Etait Temps
170 Jonbon
168 I Am Maximus
167p Jango Baie
167 Marine Nationale
166p Majborough
