Mark Walsh shines with Dublin Racing Festival four-timer
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Mon 2 Feb 2026
Mark Walsh put the icing on the Dublin Racing Festival cake when partnering Fact To File to Paddy Power Gold Cup glory at Leopardstown.
Walsh was in the plate earlier on the card when Narciso Has came out on top in the Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle, a strong start to a Monday card that followed an already successful Sunday.
Majborough had already supplied the rider with a Grade One win the day prior, taking the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase, and Kaid d’Authie was another highlight in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase.
Walsh rode all four for owner JP McManus and is going out on a high after it was announced Harry Cobden would be taking over as retained rider for the green and gold outfit next season.
On Fact To File’s Gold Cup triumph, Walsh told Racing TV (watch above): “That was brilliant. You could put a line through Kempton (in the King George) – he didn’t jump and he didn’t travel.
“The way this lad jumps, he jumped his way to the front four out (today). I was there a mile too soon, but there was nothing I could do about it, I just had to sit and suffer and fill him up.
“I was delighted with him today and I always happy. I planned to follow the lads in front, we went a good enough gallop over the first five or six (fences) and then they steadied it up and I jumped and travelled everywhere.
“He has no problem staying. I thought jumping the second-last (I would win). I could hear Darragh (O’Keeffe, riding Monty’s Star) kicking besides me and Paul (Townend, on Galopin Des Champs) was shouting at his fella and I gave my lad a little squeeze and there was plenty left.”
When asked whether he felt Fact To File could be a Cheltenham Gold Cup contender, albeit he does not currently hold an entry, the jockey added: “We’ll see, he’s a good horse in his own right.
“He’s only in the Ryanair at the moment. We’ll take today and we’ll see for another day.”
In the aftermath, Galopin Des Champs was eased to 6-1 from 9-2 favourite by Paddy Power for the Gold Cup, with Jango Baie and The Jukebox Man installed as the 9-2 joint-favourites. Ladbrokes took a different view, however, making Fact To File the 5-2 market leader for the Gold Cup and just 4-5 for the Ryanair.
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