Fact to File prevails over Spillane's Tower in pulsating John Durkan chase at Punchestown
Fact To File, ridden by Mark Walsh, jumps the final fence alongside third-placed, Galopin Des Champs ridden by Paul Townend, before winning the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Steeplechase. Picture: ©INPHO/Peter Mooney
Top-class races seldom deliver what they promise on paper, particularly at this early stage of the winter season, but the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase, the feature on Sunday afternoon in Punchestown, delivered in spades as two of the leading novices from last season, Fact To File and Spillane’s Tower, led home some more established stars.
Both horses sported the silks of leading owner JP McManus, and it was the Willie Mullins-trained and Mark Walsh-ridden Fact To File, winner of last season’s Brown Advisory Novice Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, who came out on top following a pulsating finish to the race.
Two of Mullins’ other runners, Grangeclare West and two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs, set out to make the pace but Paul Townend, aboard the latter, was happy to go on with almost a circuit still to go. He jumped well and extended his advantage before the turn for home, looking the most likely winner as he did so.
However, last year’s winner, Fastorslow, had already moved into contention, with Fact To File still there but short of room as they rounded the final bend. All the while, with the focus on the front three, Spillane’s Tower crept into contention, and soon the stage was set for a thrilling finish.
Galopin Des Champs was a couple clear two out but was very big at that fence, allowing the chasers to chip away at his advantage. Stablemate Fact To File was upsides jumping the last, but Spillane’s Tower closed rapidly and appeared to have the momentum as they raced up the run-in.
When Walsh got down behind Fact To File, however, he responded generously and forged on again close to home to beat fellow Grade One-winning novice Spillane’s Tower by half a length, with Galopin Des Champs little more than two lengths further back in third, a place ahead of Fastorslow.
“What a race. A brilliant renewal of the John Durkan, probably the best ever,” enthused Mullins. “I thought there were a lot of points to be taken out of the race.
“I loved the way Fact To File stayed on after looking beaten. I thought he was beaten halfway up the run-in, and Mark said he took a blow, but when he got his second wind, he stayed on well to win.
“It was a fantastic run from Spillane’s Tower, another novice in senior company, and what I really liked about Galopin Des Champs is that the horse that tried to stay with him over the first mile, Grangeclare West, had to pull up before the last, and yet Galopin Des Champs stayed on to be third.
“And Fastorslow had a fantastic run on a track he loves. There were plusses for a lot of the horses that ran in the race.
“It’s going to be some race when you look back at it at the end of the season. I think all of these horses are going to win big races – it was a hell of a race.”
Focusing on the winner, who Mullins has always held in the highest regard and regularly put forward as having Gold Cup potential, he added: “He’s over 17hh, but a big, athletic horse with it. He has a lovely temperament, and he’s just got true grit, the way he got down to battle.
“I thought we were beaten when Spillane’s Tower came up alongside us, halfway up the run-in, but it just shows he’s made that leap from novice company to senior company, that he was able to pull out more to beat a horse when it looked like he was beaten. I love that in a horse.
“I’m not writing off Galopin Des Champs, however. There’s still a lot more races to play out for the rest of the season.”
Jimmy Mangan, trainer of the runner-up, was far from despondent at being touched off in such a good race.
“I’m over the moon with him. He hasn’t been on grass since he won here at the festival - you couldn’t really as the ground was so firm. There’s everything to look forward to with him.”
