Mark Walsh caps stunning weekend with Irish Gold Cup triumph on Fact To File
Fact To File led a 1-2-3 for Willie Mullins at Leopardstown
/Mark-Walsh-Gold-Cup_1.jpg?ext=.jpg)
Mark Walsh celebrates with the Irish Gold Cup
Mark Walsh put the seal on a sensational Dublin Racing Festival by steering Fact To File to a brilliant Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup win at Leopardstown.
The 39-year-old jockey racked up a fourth Grade 1 win of the weekend on board the nine-year-old, who held firm amid a challenge from stablemates Gaelic Warrior and Galopin Des Champs, who was denied a fourth straight victory in the €140,000 feature.
The winning margin was five lengths and trainer Willie Mullins, handler for each of the first three home, said the victor could yet be supplemented for the Cheltenham Gold Cup next month.
"We had him in, but he was withdrawn at the last minute,” he said. “He could always go in as a supplementary entry, but we’ll see what happens.
"He deserves one, and it was a hell of a performance from both Mark and the horse. It was terrific. He jumped from fence to fence, and it was something to watch. He jumped his way to the front and Mark didn’t want to disappoint him.
“He kept galloping and I was wondering if he’d stay that pace because they went a fair lick from the start. He stayed every inch.
“It was one of the best chases run in England or Ireland this season, and the class of horses in it was fantastic. It turned out to be as good as it looked."
Walsh said: “It was brilliant. He jumped his way to the front four out, about a mile too soon, but there was nothing I could do about it. I had to sit and suffer and fill him up. I’m delighted with him today.
“I was always happy. He jumped so well down the back straight. I thought jumping the second last, I could hear Darragh (O’Keeffe) was kicking beside me but I gave him a little squeeze and there was plenty left.”
Walsh was also in the saddle for Narciso Has’ victory in the Gannon's City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle, the evens favourite coming home four-and-a-half lengths clear of Selma De Vary.
Mullins claimed further Grade 1 honours in the opener, Doctor Steinberg comfortably landing the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle, but Gordon Elliott ensured the top level races were not a Closutton clean sweep as Romeo Coolio justified odds-on favouritism in the Goffs Irish Arkle.
Winning jockey Jack Kennedy said: “We went a very strong gallop. My lad’s jumping was unbelievable until he ditched down the back and he made two little mistakes.
“I was on the back foot really the whole way from there and his stamina kicked in down to the last, and then he got a bit lonely in front.
“He's very tough. I was very happy with his jumping and thought it was a lot sharper until the ditch down the back and the one after. Thankfully, he got it done.”
The same jockey-trainer duo came out on top in the Barberstown Castle Handicap Chase, Jacob’s Ladder delivering the goods, while Broadway Ted completed a treble for the Cullentra handler with a narrow success over stablemate With Nolimit in the Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown INH Flat Race.
Philip Fenton earned a notable triumph as Niall Moore steered home Saint Le Fort in the Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle.