Heart Wood Wins the Ryanair Chase: De Bromhead's Quiet Cheltenham Dominance

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Heart Wood won the 2026 Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham this afternoon, giving Henry de Bromhead his first winner of this year’s Festival. Jonbon, stepping up from two miles, couldn’t land the blow, and the absence of last year’s winner Fact To File — withdrawn on the morning of the race — reshaped the whole contest.

It was a result most people didn’t see coming. But if you’d been tracking de Bromhead’s record in this specific race, you might have.

Heart Wood on The Race Lab

Heart Wood Wins the Ryanair Chase: De Bromhead's Quiet Cheltenham Dominance