English/Ire
Mullins displeased with Cheltenham ground
Willie Mullins believes that more could have been done by Cheltenham to ensure a softer surface on day three of the Festival after withdrawing Fact To File from the Ryanair Chase on Thursday.
There was much speculation about what race the JP McManus-owned Irish Gold Cup was going to turn up in this week but as things prevailed, Fact To File failed to feature at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, with trainer Willie Mullins unsatisfied with the ground conditions at Prestbury Park on Thursday.
The ground was officially described as good, good to soft in places, however, after both Mullins and JP McManus had walked the track, neither were happy to take a chance with the Ryanair market leader.
Speaking to Racing TV, Mullins said: "JP walked the track this morning and I happened to walk it coming across the track after exercising horses.
"Looking at Bambino Fever (unplaced favourite in first race) and looking at the ground, I thought 'this ground is going to be too good for her' and sure enough she wasn't able to act on it.
"I said to JP these horses are too difficult to get and acquire, and you have to mind them. We waited and waited for the rain that was promised, it hasn't come, so we made the decision not to run. These horses are too hard to find, too hard to get."
Whilst Mullins accepts that the forecast rain did not arrive, he believes further watering could have taken place to ensure that conditions were softer underfoot.
He said: "In jumps racing we would like soft in the description of the ground, and we think good ground is not good enough for the type of individual we are buying and trying to race. You want to have the top horses at the best Festival, but if the ground is like this, we are not going to bring them.
"We were promised watering and I'm not sure the watering we were promised has been done. I'm a little bit annoyed about that and I thought there would be more watering done.
"I know the weather forecast hasn't been kind, but very few people complain about a bit of watering and then too much rain.
"This isn't good for the type of horses we are bringing over here and I know it suits some horses but for the majority of the good, big, National Hunt horses we would like it a little softer."
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