Mark Walsh as good as ever with Dublin Racing Festival four-timer

Mark Walsh put the icing on the Dublin Racing Festival cake when partnering Fact To File to Paddy Power Gold Cup glory at Leopardstown.

Walsh was in the plate earlier on the card when Narciso Has came out on top in the Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle, a strong start to a Monday card that followed an already successful Sunday.

Majborough had already supplied the rider with a Grade One win the day prior, taking the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase, and Kaid d’Authie was another highlight in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase.

Walsh rode all four for owner JP McManus and is going out on a high after it was announced Harry Cobden would be taking over as retained rider for the green and gold outfit next season.

On Fact To File’s Gold Cup triumph, Walsh told Racing TV: “That was brilliant. You could put a line through Kempton (in the King George) – he didn’t jump and he didn’t travel.

“The way this lad jumps, he jumped his way to the front four out (today). I was there a mile too soon, but there was nothing I could do about it, I just had to sit and suffer and fill him up.

“I was delighted with him today and I always happy. I planned to follow the lads in front, we went a good enough gallop over the first five or six (fences) and then they steadied it up and I jumped and travelled everywhere.

“He has no problem staying. I thought jumping the second-last (I would win). I could hear Darragh (O’Keeffe, riding Monty’s Star) kicking besides me and Paul (Townend, on Galopin Des Champs) was shouting at his fella and I gave my lad a little squeeze and there was plenty left.”

When asked whether he felt Fact To File could be a Cheltenham Gold Cup contender, albeit he does not currently hold an entry, the jockey added: “We’ll see, he’s a good horse in his own right.

“He’s only in the Ryanair at the moment. We’ll take today and we’ll see for another day.

“I was just a passenger, all I had to do was steer him. He’s so clever, you just leave it to him. He’s one of those horses that is a joy to ride.

“He was fairly keen here on his two runs last year over three miles behind Galopin Des Champs, but he has learned so much now. He’s the complete package now. That’s the real Fact To File.”

Fact To File, like Walsh’s other big winners, is trained by Willie Mullins, who said of the rider: “He’s a tip-top rider. He’s going to get some fantastic rides from JP, there’s a lot of horses there, and it’ll leave him more scope to ride horses for other yards, and more of my horses as well.

“Mark has always performed very well. I’ve never any doubt about Mark performing well – he’s ridden plenty of winners, plenty of Grade One winners for JP and me.”

In the aftermath, Galopin Des Champs was eased to 6-1 from 9-2 favourite by Paddy Power for the Gold Cup, with Jango Baie and The Jukebox Man installed as the 9-2 joint-favourites. Ladbrokes took a different view, however, making Fact To File the 5-2 market leader for the Gold Cup and just 4-5 for the Ryanair.