Fact To File among 12 in contention for Ryanair Chase as confirmations for day three of the Cheltenham Festival are made

Fact To File and Gaelic Warrior feature among a strong Willie Mullins contingent for the Ryanair Chase after confirmations were made for the third day of the Cheltenham Festival next Thursday.

Gaelic Warrior was a surprise omission from the BetMGM Champion Chase field yesterday but features among 12 possibles for the Ryanair.

Fact To File could be JP McManus's only runner in the championship race over the intermediate two-and-a-half-mile trip, after John Durkan runner-up Spillane's Tower was not put forward.

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Fact To File, the winner of last year's Brown Advisory, also holds an entry in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, for which the next confirmation stage falls on Saturday.

King George hero Banbridge now looks firmly on course for the Gold Cup, with Joseph O'Brien not confirming the nine-year-old for the Ryanair, but other leading fancies Il Est Francais and Protektorat remain in contention.

Last year's first and third, Teahupoo and Home By The Lee, top a bumper 20 confirmations for the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle, with all the main contenders left in at this stage.

The McManus-owned The Wallpark had been top weight and joint-favourite for the Pertemps Network Final on the same Thursday card but was a notable omission from the handicap confirmations and looks set to take his chance in the Stayers', for which he is a best-priced 12-1.

2024 winner Monmiral could now top the weights for the Pertemps after Gwennie May Boy was also taken out

Thursday looks a notable day for McManus, who has the market leader in five of the seven races, with Jagwar heading the betting for both the Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase and the TrustATrader Plate.

But another of the green and gold brigade towards the head of the market for the Plate, Crebilly, was not confirmed.

Springwell Bay was dominant at Cheltenham

Springwell Bay remains in both the Jack Richards and the Trustatrader PlateCredit: Edward Whitaker

Another novice chaser with multiple entries on Thursday is Springwell Bay, who is top weight in the Jack Richards and no bigger than 8-1 for the Plate; he remains in both but has been removed from the Ryanair.

Yet another McManus horse to get backed is Johnnywho, who took over as favourite for the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir when crack amateur Derek O'Connor was booked for the ride earlier this week.

Shakem Up'arry and Duffle Coat top the Kim Muir weights and stand their ground, while Walking On Air, who is no bigger than 10-1, is now 30th on the list in a race with a limit of 24.

Leading fancies Sixandahalf, Maughreen and Karoline Banbou all remain in contention for the opening Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle, as is the four-year-old Galileo Dame, who also holds an entry in Friday's JCB Triumph Hurdle.

Ryanair Chase confirmations

Djelo
Energumene
Envoi Allen
Fact To File
Gaelic Warrior
Hang In There
Heart Wood
Hitman
Il Est Francais
Jungle Boogie
Master Chewy
Protektorat

Ryanair Chase (3.20 Cheltenham, March 13)
Paddy Power: 6-4 Fact To File, 3 Il Est Francais, 4 Gaelic Warrior, 9-2 Protektorat, 10 Djelo, Energumene, 12 Heart Wood, Jungle Boogie, 14 Envoi Allen, 25 Master Chewy, 40 Hitman, 100 Hang In There

Stayers' Hurdle confirmations

Bob Olinger
Buddy One
Crambo
Franciscan Rock
Ga Law
Gowel Road
Hiddenvalley Lake
Home By The Lee
Langer Dan
Lucky Place
Maxxum
Monmiral
Mystical Power
Nemean Lion
Rocky’s Diamond
Sandor Clegane
Teahupoo
The Wallpark
Winter Fog
Jetara

Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (4.00 Cheltenham, March 13)
Sponsors: Evs Teahupoo, 6 Home By The Lee, 7 Lucky Place, 10 The Wallpark, 12 Rocky’s Diamond, 14 Gowel Road, Langer Dan, Mystical Power, 20 Bob Olinger, Nemean Lion, 25 Crambo, Franciscan Rock, GA Law, Hiddenvalley Lake, Maxxum, Monmiral, 33 Winter Fog, 40 Buddy One, Sandor Clegane, 50 Jetara

Ground and weather update

The ground at Cheltenham on Friday remained good to soft after another dry day, with clerk of the course Jon Pullin applying water to selected parts of the track.

“The Old and New course remain good to soft and we've continued with the watering today, Pullin said. “The cross-country course has dried back a bit to good to soft, soft in places.

“We've got a dry and warm week ahead and temperatures are 16C for the next two days. On Monday there's a risk of a shower or two but nothing significant volume-wise - it'll be 1-2mm at most. From there we go to a period of dry weather but cold at night so some overnight frosts.”

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