Willie Mullins has issued a stark warning that he may refuse to bring his top horses to the Cheltenham Festival in future after pulling the heavily-fancied Fact to File from today’s Ryanair Chase.
The renowned Irish trainer withdrew the horse, last year’s Irish Gold Cup victor, citing ground conditions that were simply too firm for his liking.
Speaking to ITV, Mullins declared: “These horses are too difficult to acquire and when you have them you mind them.”
He added pointedly: “If the ground is going to be like this, we’re not going to bring them.”
Willie Mullins has threatened to pull his horses from Cheltenham this week
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Mullins made clear his frustration stemmed from assurances he believed had not been honoured regarding track preparation.
“We were promised watering and I’m not sure the watering we were promised has been done,” he told Racing TV. “So I’m a little bit annoyed by that.”
The trainer explained that his team had waited throughout the day hoping for rainfall that had been “half promised” but never materialised.
He emphasised that good ground simply does not suit the calibre of National Hunt horses he brings across from Ireland.
“For the majority of good, big, national hunt horses we would like it a little soft,” Mullins stated.
Owner JP McManus, who owns Fact to File, supported his trainer’s stance after conducting his own inspection of the course.
Willie Mullins has made clear his frustrations to Cheltenham bosses
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“I left it to Willy, but I can overrule him,” McManus told ITV Sport. “I have to say I found it, too much for him, I was a bit, part of the course, altogether, not to my liking.”
McManus revealed he had walked the track each day of the Festival and, whilst acknowledging the groundstaff had done commendable work, felt more could have been done.
“I think they could’ve done more, especially at the top of the track,” he observed, adding that only significant rainfall would have prompted them to run the horse.
Fact To File was pulled from today’s Ryanair Chase
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The Ryanair Chase ultimately went to Heart Wood, ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe and trained by Henry De Bromhead, who claimed victory in the Grade 1 contest.
Jonbon, who had been installed as favourite following Fact to File’s withdrawal, could only manage second place, with Banbridge completing the podium in third.
It proved a frustrating afternoon for Mullins, who failed to register a single winner on Day Three.
The Irish trainer did, however, secure four runner-up finishes through Gold Dancer, Jade De Grugy, Ballyburn and Road To Home, whilst Place De La Nation finished third in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
