Winning duo Paul Townend and Gaelic Warrior [Getty Images]BBCSun, November 23, 2025 at 3:56 PM UTC·2 min readSecond favourite Gaelic Warrior (13-8) held off a late charge from Fact To File (11-8) to win the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown.
The Willie Mullins-trained horse built a huge lead by the midway point, but was pushed right to the last with a strong surge from Mark Walsh on the Ryanair Chase winner, leaving it almost neck and neck to the line, but Paul Townend managed to hang on.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn a field that contained Inothewayurthinkin in its first race since winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup, 2024 Grand National winner I Am Maximus and 2023 John Durkan Chase winner FastorSlow, second favourite Gaelic Warrior prevailed over its stablemate.
"That was a proper horse race," winning jockey Townend told RTE Sport.
"He took a bit of a breather when he needed it and it allowed him to fill up to have a go at Mark anyway.
"A good jump at the last when it was all on the line and put his head down and rallied off the back of it. His jumping held together, which was a big help."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn soft to heavy conditions, Gaelic Warrior put significant daylight between himself and the rest which gave the chasing pack considerable work to do.
The fast pace would be difficult to sustain as it cleared the hurdles, with Fact To File gradually eating into the gap and by the final few fences, had made ground.
It seemed all the momentum was with Fact To File as Walsh was right on Townend's shoulder going into the final fence and a good jump seemed to give it a narrow lead, but Gaelic Warrior dug deep to take the win with Fastorslow (10-1) 29 lengths behind in third.
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