Fact To File and Il Est Francais remain in Ryanair reckoning

A blockbuster clash between Fact To File and French raider Il Est Francais is still a possibility for day three of the Cheltenham Festival after both featured among the 12 confirmations for the Ryanair Chase.

The Il Est Francais team of Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm are favouring a shot at the intermediate distance event over the Champion Chase following their agonising defeat at Kempton in the King George, while Willie Mullins has also hinted at a drop back in distance for Fact To File after twice suffering defeat at the hands of Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown.

Gaelic Warrior was missing from the confirmations for the Champion Chase but retains this option, while the Closutton handler has also confirmed Energumene, although a crack at a record-equalling third Champion Chase looks more likely for Tony Bloom’s long-time star performer.

Envoi Allen won this in 2023 and is one of three for Henry de Bromhead alongside Heart Wood and Jungle Boogie, while the home team is led by Dan Skelton’s defending champion Protektorat and Venetia Williams’ Denman Chase hero Djelo.

Missing from the confirmations is Banbridge which seemingly makes a shot at the Gold Cup increasingly likely for Joseph O’Brien’s King George scorer, with the Owning Hill handler describing the blue riband as “a very special race” and “more likely at this stage” earlier in the week, should ground conditions continue to dry.

Jimmy Mangan’s Spillane’s Tower is another notable absentee.

Day three begins with the Grade Two Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle where leading players Sixandahalf (Gavin Cromwell) and Galileo Dame (O’Brien) have both stood their ground.

Mullins could saddle up to eight in a race he won five years on the bounce between 2016 and 2020, with Maughreen, Karoline Banbou and Aurora Vega all featuring highly in the betting for the Closutton team.

On Maughreen, whose dam is an unraced half-sister to Faugheen, Mullins said: “She put up a huge performance first time out, jumped like a handicapper for his first run over hurdles, taking on a very experienced horse.

“What she did was really good novice hurdle material, but Cheltenham will be a big ask second time out.

“Since we started schooling, everyone said was a great jumper. I said to connections we maybe should be going for a bumper six weeks out from Cheltenham, but everybody said she’s made to jump and I’d say she’s our top one for the mares’ novice.”

Paul Nicholls also has a strong hand in the race with his pair of Jubilee Alpha and Just A Rose.

He said: “Just A Rose took a while to come to herself, then went to Taunton six weeks ago and bolted in, she won by 25 lengths, Freddie (Gingell) couldn’t pull her up.

“I haven’t been able to run her since, I wanted to go to Sandown but I didn’t want to run her on desperate ground. She’s just coming to herself, she’s coming in her coat but she’s just lacking a little bit of experience.

“I actually don’t think there’s much between the two mares, her and Jubilee Alpha. Freddie will ride her with Harry Cobden on the other filly and we like her also.”

He added: “She won her first bumper at Aintree last year then we gave her plenty of time.

“She was a bit unlucky on her debut at Newbury in a Listed race, making a couple of green mistakes. Then she went to Taunton at Christmas for a Listed race and won that very well and then won at the Winter Million meeting at Windsor.

“That form has turned out quite good and I don’t think she was at her best that day. Experience counts for a lot I suppose but the other is very unexposed, I think they’ve both got good chances.”

Nicholls could saddle last year’s winner Monmiral – who also has the option of the feature Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle – in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle, while the Ditcheat handler could also unleash big-money purchase Caldwell Potter in the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase

Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s Trials day winner Jagwar currently heads the betting for the contest, although he is also the market leader for the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase over the same course and distance later on the card.

Similar comment applies to Jonjo and AJ O’Neill’s Springwell Bay and Gordon Elliott’s Firefox, are leading names for both contests.

The O’Neill team have a strong hand in the concluding Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase where leading amateur Derek O’Connor revealed earlier in the week he had been booked to ride the JP McManus-owned Johnnywho.