THURSDAY’S double-header of Grade 1 races began with the Ryanair Chase, and for the eighth time in 10 years it went to an Irish-trained winner, J.P. McManus’s Fact Or File (Poliglote-Mitemps, by Trempolino), bred in France by Michel Pehu.

Last March, Fact To File added the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase to a Dublin Racing Festival Grade 1 win, and further enhanced his owner’s Cheltenham haul on Thursday when he won the Ryanair Chase. McManus’ achievements as a National Hunt owner will never be bettered, and his success was cheered by all in the winners’ enclosure.