Gaelic Warrior triumphs in thrilling John Durkan duel

Gaelic Warrior got the better of a pulsating duel with stablemate Fact To File to win an epic renewal of the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.

Fact To File was the 11-8 favourite to successfully defend his crown in what looked another stellar running of the two-and-a-half-mile Grade One, with fellow Willie Mullins-trained star Gaelic Warrior rated his biggest threat at 13-8 on his first start since winning the Oaksey Chase at Sandown in the spring.

Gaelic Warrior and Paul Townend blew the race apart from an early stage, going a strong gallop in front from the outset and quickly building up a significant lead over the chasing pack, with Fact To File always his nearest pursuer in the hands of Mark Walsh.

While another previous John Durkan winner in Fastorslow and Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Inothewayurthinkin never threatened to get involved, the big two settled down to fight it out from the home turn and although Fact To File looked likely to prevail after bridging the gap and briefly hitting the front on the approach to the final fence, Gaelic Warrior found more on the run-in and got back up to win a thriller by a neck.

Mullins said: “It was a hell of a horse race and it was a pity someone had to lose, but both horses gave their all and it was just a bob of a head.

“Fact To File looked all over a winner coming down to the last and Gaelic Warrior just found more reserves. Paul said he was just so free and well in himself; he just wanted to gallop and jump.

“Paul said he was a passenger most of the way and out over the first two fences he didn’t have much say in the matter. He was able to get a breather into him at the fourth-last and maybe after the third-last, which gave him a little bit of powder coming down to the last.

“Paul said he didn’t look around and just kept sitting and tried to get as much air into him as he could for one final effort and it paid off.”

Gaelic Warrior is Paddy Power’s 6-4 favourite (from 5-2) for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, with Fact To File an 11-2 shot.

Mullins added: “I’m not going to say anything here now (about future plans), but we’ll look to have something in the King George and something in the Savills Chase in Leopardstown.

“We’ll see how they recover and how they come out of the race. It’s only five weeks away.”