Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup
Grade 1, Leopardstown 15:30
€250,000 guaranteed,
5yo plus,
3m, Class 1   
Monday 2nd January 2026

BetPlay

1 Fact To File 9/2
2 Gaelic Warrior 4/1
3 Galopin Des Champs 15/8F
12 ran NR: Stellar Story
Distances: 5l, 8½l, nk Time: 6m 29.60s (slow by 18.60s)

Fact To File returned to his best, while stablemate Galopin Des Champs was left to reflect on a brave but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to land the Grade 1 for a fourth consecutive year.

Already a dual winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and successful in this Dublin Racing Festival centrepiece in each of the previous three seasons, Galopin Des Champs arrived as the 15-8 favourite to emulate another Closutton great in Florida Pearl, who dominated the race between 1999 and 2004. Trained, like all three principals home, by Willie Mullins, the 10-year-old carried the weight of expectation as he sought to write another chapter in an already distinguished career.

His narrow defeat when third in the Savills Chase at Christmas had been his first reverse in eight chase starts at Leopardstown, but that outing came on his belated seasonal return and there was confidence he would come on for the run under Paul Townend.

For much of the contest he travelled comfortably in the slipstream of Savills Chase winner Affordale Fury, before moving boldly to the front four fences from home, a move that drew an audible roar from the stands. However, his advantage was short-lived as Monty’s Star and, crucially, Fact To File ranged up on his outer, the latter clearly intent on banishing memories of a disappointing King George VI Chase effort at Kempton on Boxing Day.

As the field swung for home, another Mullins-trained contender, Gaelic Warrior, loomed into contention, but it was Fact To File who was travelling with the greatest purpose. Ridden with confidence by Mark Walsh, the 9-2 chance quickened decisively, stretching clear up the straight to win by five lengths in authoritative fashion.

Gaelic Warrior stayed on strongly to take second, while Galopin Des Champs showed his customary determination to edge out Firefox for third, completing a clean sweep of the podium for the champion trainer. The reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Inothewayurthinkin met with a tired fall at the final fence, but was soon back on his feet and able to walk away.

“That was a helluva performance, both from Mark and the horse,” said Mullins.

“Terrific, he jumped from fence to fence and it was something to watch.

“He just jumped his way to the front and Mark didn’t want to disappoint him and he kept galloping.

“I was wondering would he stay the trip going at that pace, because they went a fair lick from the start.

“He stayed every inch of it and galloped right through the line.

“I think it was one of the best chases run in Ireland or England this year. The class of horse that was in it was fantastic. It turned out to be as good as it looked.”

Owned by JP McManus, Fact To File is only in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, but Mullins said: “We had him in the Gold Cup, he was withdrawn, but he could always go in as a supplementary entry. I think that’s what last year’s winner was. We haven’t spoken and we’ll see what happens.

“The first thing Mark remarked to me when he got off the horse was that when he hit the front he pricked his ears, which tells us all that he had more in the tank.

“From the first day he came into the stable he just exuded the fact that he was a racehorse and he’s proved it today here.

“We had so many horses in the race that any one of them could have put up a performance. That was far and above what he had done before.”

Despite the reverse for Galopin Des Champs, Mullins was not too downhearted, saying: “Galopin Des Champs ran a terrific race, he just got a little bit tired. I just thought the exertions at Christmas might tell on him and they did, but that will put him right now for Cheltenham – I think he’ll come back a lot stronger after that race.

“I was afraid that the Christmas would have an impact. He ran maybe two races if not three at Christmas and that has to tell on a horse. I think today’s race, coming the way that it did and what he did in today’s race, that showed me he’s still got plenty left in the tank.

“Gaelic Warrior was just doing too much throughout the race. Going to the fifth-last I thought he had every chance of winning but his exertions early on in the race just told.

“Whether that means he goes back for the Ryanair Chase (I don’t know), but he definitely stays, so I’d have no problem if we want to go for the Gold Cup with him.”

Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (Grade 1)
3m, €250,000 guaranteed
12 ran
Going: Soft

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1   Fact To File 9 11-10 W P Mullins Mark Walsh 9/2
2 5 Gaelic Warrior 8 11-10 W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins 4/1
3 8½ Galopin Des Champs 10 11-10 W P Mullins Paul Townend 15/8F
4 nk Firefox 8 11-10 Gordon Elliott Sean Bowen 33/1
5 11 I Am Maximus 10 11-10 W P Mullins Jack Kennedy 9/1
6 ¾ Monty's Star 9 11-10 Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe 40/1
7 2½ Champ Kiely 10 11-10 W P Mullins J J Slevin 66/1
8 46 Grangeclare West 10 11-10 W P Mullins Brian Hayes 25/1
FELL Inothewayurthinkin 8 11-10 Gavin Cromwell Keith Donoghue 16/1
PU Affordale Fury 8 11-10 Noel Meade Donagh Meyler 8/1
PU Lecky Watson 8 11-10 W P Mullins Sean O'Keeffe 40/1
PU Spindleberry 8 11-3 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 11/1
NR 12 Stellar Story 9 11-10 Gordon Elliott NON RUNNER