Ryanair-Chase on The Race Lab

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 Jonbon, stepping up from two miles, couldn’t land the blow, and the absence of last year’s winner Fact To File — withdrawn on the morning of the race — reshaped the whole contest.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.

Impaire Et Passe Returns From 291 Days Off to Win Gowran — Where Next?

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 18:00:00 +0000

When a horse wins on its first start in 291 days, you pay attention. When that horse is a former Cheltenham Festival winner with entries in the Ryanair Chase, Gold Cup, and Grand National, you pay very close attention.

Impaire Et Passe returned to action in Saturday’s Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park and got the job done in the style that has defined his career — held up, travelling sweetly, then finding plenty when asked. Held up in rear, he made a mistake at two out but kept on well to lead close home, winning the Grade 2 on heavy ground.

The Numbers That Explain Why Jonbon Should Swerve the Champion Chase

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Here’s a stat that should settle the Jonbon debate once and for all.

At two miles and below over fences, Jonbon’s record reads 14 wins from 21 completed starts — a 67% strike rate. Excellent, but not flawless. At two miles and four furlongs or beyond? Three runs, three wins. Perfect.

Now consider this: at Cheltenham, across all distances, he’s 0 from 5.

Put those two numbers together and the conclusion is obvious. The Ryanair Chase, run over two miles and four furlongs at the Festival on Thursday March 12, isn’t just a viable alternative to the Champion Chase. It might be his best chance of finally winning at Prestbury Park.

The Numbers Behind Walsh's Ryanair Hunch: Why the Data Backs a Gold Cup Swerve

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Ruby Walsh doesn’t do throwaway lines. So when he says one of Gaelic Warrior or Fact To File will “definitely” end up in the Ryanair Chase rather than the Gold Cup, it’s worth pulling the form book apart to see what the numbers say.

Speaking on the Paddy Power ‘From The Horse’s Mouth’ podcast, Walsh drew a comparison with Florida Pearl — a horse who dominated at Leopardstown but never quite got the Gold Cup trip. His conclusion: the extra two furlongs and a couple of yards at Cheltenham’s 3m2½f might just find one of them out.