CONNECTIONS of a huge Willie Mullins Cheltenham Festival favourite are ‘not ruling out’ a dramatic late switch.
JP McManus and racing manager Frank Berry will keep all options open for superstar chaser Fact To File.
The awesome John Durkan winner is currently as short as 5-4 for the Grade 1 2m4f Ryanair Chase.
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It looked the obvious race having seemingly been done for stamina by Galopin Des Champs on his final two runs.
Fact To File got the better of his stablemate over the shorter trip last year and it was thought one last crack at him in the Irish Gold Cup would be the final roll of the dice.
Fact To File finished third that day, with Galopin Des Champs powering clear in the closing stages.
But Berry, McManus’ right-hand man, said the Gold Cup could still be on the agenda should anything happen to the hat-trick seeking champ.
And, anyway, he’s not entirely convinced Fact To File fails to stay the searching trip.
Berry said: “He has the choice, and I’d say we’ll be delaying it as long as possible to see how the Gold Cup line-up is going and how the Gold Cup horses are standing up.
“I was a little disappointed to be honest that he wasn’t second.
“He settled lovely, got a great run through, and you couldn’t make any big excuses.
“Maybe the horse that beat him for second (Grangeclare West) is a good horse.
“You’d have to have a question mark about it (stamina) but I wouldn’t rule it out.”
That came as Il Est Francais’ trainer Noel George said he is leaning toward the Ryanair for his King George runner-up.
Il Est Francais was done late on in the Christmas cracker having led the whole way under James Reveley.
He’s 3-1 for the Ryanair with a switch to the Champion Chase and bust-up with Jonbon looking unlikely.
Trainer Noel George said: “At this stage we’re probably looking at the Ryanair for Il Est Francais.
“The weather could play a big factor and we don’t have to make a decision until next week really and anything could happen in a week, so there is no point rushing.
“I can’t see any concerns about Cheltenham and you can see with how he jumps he is such a well-balanced horse.
“A lot of people seem to be saying he’s a flat-track bully, but no one really knows and I can’t see that.
“I think if it does come up on goodish, fresh ground in the Ryanair on the Thursday, I think he will take plenty of stopping.”
Ryanair odds via William Hill
5-4 Fact To File
3-1 Il Est Francais
7-2 Gaelic Warrior
4-1 Banbridge
5-1 Spillane’s Tower
7-1 Protektorat
8-1 El Fabiolo
12-1 Djelo
16-1 bar
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