SOME Grade 1s in the National Hunt calendar are regularly subject to small fields that yield uninspiring finishes, but not so the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase. Two years ago, Fastorslow dug deep against the frontrunning Appreciate It, with the 2022 victor Galopin Des Champs close behind them in third.

Twelve months ago, the green and gold of JP McManus filled the finishing line, as Fact To File denied a last-gasp effort by Spillane’s Tower, with the 2022 and 2023 winners chasing them home in that order.

This year, Gaelic Warrior (13/8) outshone those memorable performances with an all-the-way win that even surprised his champion trainer, Willie Mullins. Keen in Paul Townend’s hands from the jump-off, his rider soon accepted his fate, as did Mark Walsh aboard Fact To File (11/8f), who led the rest of the field from a clear gap.

As the two-and-a-half-mile test neared its end and Fact To File ate down the distance, it seemed that Gaelic Warrior’s defeat was on the wall. The 2024 winner was almost upsides when jumping the second last, Mark Walsh motionless alongside an under-pressure Paul Townend, but Gaelic Warrior proved well-named as he refused to lie down.

Battling neck-and-neck to the line, Gaelic Warrior prevailed by a neck to notch his fifth Grade 1 win. The gallant pair finished 29 lengths clear of the remainder, with Martin Brassil’s nine-year-old Fastorslow finishing best of those on his first start in 12 months.

Hell of a horse race

Willie Mullins said what we were all thinking after training the first two home. “It was a hell of a horse race, it’s a pity someone had to lose,” he said. “Both horses gave their all and it was just the bob of a head. I don’t know what price Fact To File was coming down to the last, he looked all over the winner, but Gaelic Warrior just found more reserves. It was fantastic.

“Paul said he was just so free and well in himself, he just wanted to gallop and jump, and he was doing everything fairly right. For luck, he was able to get a breather into him after the fourth last, which gave him a little bit of powder over the last, and it worked.”

The trainer, just like his horses, kept us on the edge of our seats when asked where we’ll next see Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File. “I’m not going to say anything here and now but we’d love to have something in the King George, we’d love to have something in Leopardstown,” he noted.

“So, we’ll see how they recover, see how they come out of the race; it’s only five weeks away I think and for those steeplechasers, they take a long time to recover, I think.”

Perfect partner

After winning the John Durkan Chase for a third time, Paul Townend reported: “He was fresh and ready and he wanted to go today. I was only going to get into a wrestling match if I didn’t let him.

“To be fair to him, he took a breather when he needed it and gave himself a chance to have a go at Mark. He gave a good jump at the last, when it was all on the line and rallied again at the back of it.

“Neither horse gave up. At the line, there was nothing in it. We weren’t even certain of where the line was when the two of us pulled up. It was a huge run from both of them.”

Mark Walsh, who was narrowly denied back-to-back wins, commented: “Delighted with him. Disappointed to be beaten; when I winged the second last and went past Paul, I thought I had him beaten but in fairness to Paul’s horse, he got up in front of me on the line.”