The late withdrawal of last year’s winner and hot favourite Fact To File from today’s Grade 1 Ryanair Chase, left the door open for the 2025 runner-up Heart Wood (9/2) to go one better.

Partnered by Darragh O’Keeffe, the eight-year-old sat on the outside in third most of the way behind 2/1 favourite Jonbon in second, and leader JPR One. Jumping upsides Jonbon over the fourth last, O'Keeffe made his move to dispute the lead. With two fences left to jump, Heart Wood was driven to the front and kept finding, leaving the gallant Jonbon 10 lengths behind.

Winning trainer Henry de Bromhead said: “It was brilliant, Darragh was brilliant on him. He jumped amazing, it’s just lovely to get it. Delighted. He ran a blinder last year and we probably rode him to sort of be placed last year, whereas this year we said that we would go out and give it a real go. They went some gallop, to my eye. He just winged fences. Darragh was brilliant on him. It was just one of those dream runs.”

Reflecting on how hard it is to win at The Festival, he said: “It’s getting harder and harder. It’s been even more competitive this week. I’m just delighted. We have a great team. A great team at home, we all work hard and it’s lovely to get these rewards.

“He is a brilliant rider, we are so lucky to have him. He’s a real team player, he works harder than anyone and I’m delighted for him. He has given everything a brilliant ride this week, [winning] wasn’t happening, and it’s lovely when it does.”

Asked how he would feel if Envoi Allen won the Gold Cup tomorrow, he said: “He’s in mighty form. I know all the stats are against him, but he’s in some form and you wouldn’t think he was 12. We’re delighted to have him here and I know he is delighted to be here. It’s great fun. The Thompsons are great supporters of the game and they just love the Gold Cup.”

Darragh O’Keeffe, the successful jockey, said: “He jumped brilliant. I got into a great rhythm. His run last year was very solid; with the favourite out [this year], I thought that if he put in the same performance – and he seemed to be better this year – that he could be bang there.

“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. I just wanted to get him a winner on the board. 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. I’m delighted to win this.”

Successful owner Brian Acheson said: “Half an hour ago I was on the floor and now that - it just shows you what a screwed up game this is! It’s fantastic. That fella was always there - when the favourite came how, 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 [Festival] winner. It’s a funny thing - I think he’s the fourth winner of a Cheltenham Grade 1 to come out of Tramore on New Year’s Day, which is some stat. It’s just relief. Darragh and the horse are the heroes, not us. It’s brilliant for the team at Knockeen - it’s about them, the horses, the trainers, not about us [owners].”

Nicky Henderson, trainer of the runner-up Jonbon, said: “He’s done his best and tried his heart out. He wants to protect that record (never 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 aahing 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 would help. He could do three at Punchestown, but he’ll tell us. They can tell us 90% how they are, but that 10% you need to be winning races like that, if it’s missing because they haven’t got over their last race…. Those were two hard races at Ascot in proper winter ground and that probably told on him.”

Sean Bowen, rider of the third Banbridge, said: “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 but stayed on well.”

Joe Tizzard, trainer of the fourth JPR One, said: “Lovely run. We knew where we were coming into it, but he got us excited. He loved it up front and he ran as well as he could ever run. It’s where he is, really. The horse has had probably his best ever season, he brings us to day like this and he gets your blood up coming down the hill. He just didn’t quite see it out, but if he’s alright we’ll take him to Aintree then we’ll take him to Punchestown, round flat tracks, and just enjoy him. He’s been a solid horse all his life.”

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