Plans yet to be decided for Ryanair absentee Fact To File

Willie Mullins will talk to connections before deciding where Fact To File is likely to be seen next, after missing the defence of his Ryanair Chase title at Cheltenham last week.

The JP McManus-owned Irish Gold Cup winner was a late defector from the Festival feature, with the ground deemed not soft enough for him to take part, a decison taken not long before post time.

In his absence McManus was still able to field Jonbon, who was looking for a first Cheltenham Festival win but ultimately had no answer to Henry de Bromhead’s winner Heart Wood.

“Fact To File, I don’t know yet,” Mullins said.

“I’ll have to speak to JP and Frank (Berry, racing manager) and see what they want to do, whether he’ll go to Aintree or go back to Punchestown, I’m not sure.

“It was disappointing not to run him, but they felt they were promised rain and the rain didn’t come.”