Walsh enjoys incredible winning weekend at Dublin Racing Festival

The Dublin Racing Festival suffered a false start when the opening day on Saturday was postponed until Monday due to the heavy rain from Storm Chandra but it proved to be worth the wait for Mark Walsh.

There has been much talk about the Clane jockey’s future since the announcement that Harry Cobden will take over as JP McManus’ number one jockey in Ireland and the UK at the end of this National Hunt season.

Walsh is not one who courts the media at any time and he has kept his counsel since that announcement but over the weekend he did what he does best and delivered an incredible winning weekend at Leopardstown.

A brilliantly judged ride on Fact To File in the Irish Gold Cup on Monday completed a second consecutive Grade 1 double for himself, McManus and trainer Willie Mullins.

The display puts Fact To File firmly in the reckoning for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, even though he doesn’t currently hold an entry and would have to be supplemented, and Walsh was thrilled that he was able to show his true ability.

“That was the real Fact To File. He never showed up at Kempton, but today he showed what he can really do.” Trainer Mullins praised the performance of both the horse and jockey.

“It was a hell of a performance, you know, both for Mark and the horse. So, terrific. Jumped from fence to fence. Really, 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 would he stay the trip going at that pace, because they were in a fair lick from the start. And he stayed every inch of it. He galloped the way through the line.

“I think it was one of the best races run in Ireland this year. And the class of horse that was in it. So, what can we say about it? It turned out to be as good as it looked.” 

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

Walsh rode the winner in last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, Inothewayurthinkin, for the same owners but that horse has failed to fire since and was disappointing again on Monday. That could open the door for Fact To File to be supplemented into this year’s race in March.

“We had him in the Gold Cup, but he was withdrawn the last minute. But he can always go in as a supplementary entry. I think that's what last year's winner was. He could be (a supplementary entry), but we haven't spoken.” Earlier in the day, Narciso Has rubberstamped his position as Triumph Hurdle favourite with a dominant display.

“He settles lovely in front, jumps well in front, and has enough for a kick at the end,” said Mullins.

“He’s mature as well and, looking at him, I think he’s going to make into a nice chaser. He’s a fine, big, specimen of a horse.

“I liked him from the first day that he came in. He was very green the first day that he ran, but he’s learning all the time.

“He has his two ears pricked going down the back the whole way. He seemed well within himself and well able to handle himself,” added the Champion trainer.

On Sunday, there was a welcome return to form for Majborough.

Previously, he had not been jumping efficiently and out to his right but in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Dublin Chase, with cheekpieces applied and a change in tactics to go and make the running, we saw a different horse.

“That’s the real Majborough today,” said Walsh after the race.

“The run at Cork, he doesn’t like going right-handed. Then the last day here, I said afterwards, ‘we’re doing the wrong thing with him’. He has a big stride so go and let him use it. So we went forward with the cheekpieces on. He is looking at what he’s doing now, shortening into fences, getting them right. Every fence he was gaining ground,” he said.

Mullins praised Walsh’s role in the transformation.

“All credit to Mark Walsh. He told us what we wanted and he was right. The horse was enjoying it, he was poetry in motion,” he said.

“Mark said he had plenty in the tank, he gave him a squeeze in the straight and he picked up.” Majborough is now a 6-4 favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

The weekend for Walsh with a win in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase on Kaid d’Authie as he overcame odds on favourite Final Demand.

“Putting cheekpieces on him today made a huge difference,” his trainer said.

“He showed the ability out there that he has been showing at home. He had been disappointing on the racetrack but today he was foot perfect.” 

Asked if Kaid d’Authie would next be seen in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham, he replied: “I would imagine so, yes,” said Mullins, who admitted he was not pleased by Final Demand’s display.

“I was disappointed with how Final Demand jumped. Maybe there is a little problem. We will find out. Either that or maybe he is more ground dependent than we thought.”