Ryanair Chase (Grade 1)
IT was a case of ‘no Fact To File, no problem’ for Heart Wood (9/2) in the Ryanair Chase, as last year’s runner-up went one place better in a renewal robbed of its star act due to controversial drying ground.
From the night before racing, whispers had begun that the Irish Gold Cup winner, who dazzled in this race 12 months ago, mightn’t be a certain runner on account of conditions, and we were made to wait until 46 minutes before post time to receive confirmation that he was a non-runner. J.P. McManus and Willie Mullins were clearly frustrated by the lack of watering, which is bound to be a big talking point ahead of next year’s meeting.
To his credit, though, Heart Wood - a winner on soft ground at Tramore on New Year’s Day when last seen - had no difficulty in these conditions and posted a career-best performance under a positive Darragh O’Keeffe. The victory got the rider, trainer Henry de Bromhead and owners Robcour up and running for the 2026 Festival, and what a timely tonic it was for these colours after Bob Olinger (third) and Teahupoo (sixth) relinquished their Stayers’ Hurdle crown 40 minutes earlier.
Jonbon, sent off the 2/1 favourite, maintained his astonishing record of never finishing out of the first two, but had no answer to the highly-impressive winner, who put 10 lengths between himself and Nicky Henderson’s 12-time Grade 1 winner.
Banbridge never looked a danger back in third, while another of the leading Irish hopes, Impaire Et Passe, was pulled up before the fourth last, having been struggling.
“Half an hour ago, I was on the floor and now that - it just shows you what a screwed up game this is!” said Brian Acheson of Robcour.
“It’s fantastic. That fella was always there. When the favourite came out, he had a chance, but we’re having such a bad week that you start to talk yourself out of it. It’s a real credit to Henry; I’m delighted for Henry and Darragh, because it’s their first winner [at the meeting since Rachael Blackmore’s retirement].”
O’Keeffe, registering his second Festival win after Maskada’s Grand Annual success in 2023, added: “It’s unreal. I’m very grateful to be riding for Henry de Bromhead this week. I was keen to get a winner on the board, because his record here is so good.
“The horses have been running well, just a couple of things went against us. These colours are brilliant, they’ve always been great to me.
“Heart Wood jumped brilliant. I got into a great rhythm. His run last year was very solid; with the favourite out, I thought that if he put in the same performance - and he seemed to be better this year - that he could be bang there.”
Nicky Henderson, trainer of Jonbon (second)
“He’s done his best and tried his heart out. He wants to protect that record [of never finishing out of the first two]. It’s amazing, isn’t it? He still wants to fight and I’ve never seen him jump better. We were umming and ahhing about whether to get a bit more time into him after those two hard races at Ascot, but he did everything to tell us he was in great form at home. Take nothing away from the winner.
“If he was a bit below the boil there, we are hardly going to come back at Aintree, but let’s just see how we go. Look how he finished there. On that, you’d say three [miles] would help. He could do three at Punchestown, but he’ll tell us.”
Sean Bowen, rider of Banbridge (third)
“He ran a great race, but is probably a bit in between trips. He doesn’t quite get three miles and two up the hill, but he was flat out here over two and a half. He stayed on well.”