Ruby Walsh on Paul Townend and Cheltenham Festival review

State Man fell at the final flight with the Unibet Champion Hurdle at his mercy, while the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs had to settle for second best on this occasion after the Gavin Cromwell-trained Inothewayurthinkin stormed past the history-seeking nine-year-old approaching the last fence.

Walsh feels Townend - who claimed Festival victories aboard Kopek Des Bordes (Supreme Novices' Hurdle), Lossiemouth (Mares' Hurdle), Kargese (County Hurdle) and Jasmin De Vaux (Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle) - dealt with the highs and lows of the week in a typically admirable fashion.

Speaking on Paddy Power's 'From The Horse’s Mouth’ Cheltenham 2025 Review podcast, Walsh said: "I thought his initial reaction - straightaway when he went by the line - how he put his arm around Mark Walsh and shook his hand [was good].

"Paul has age on his age side, but you can’t fake being a good sportsman, I'm not going to say a good loser because losing doesn’t suit any sportsperson. But he is a really good sportsperson and I thought his initial reaction to Mark Walsh, I thought that was good to see in sport.

"To ride four winners at Cheltenham is a good haul whatever way you look at it. State Man fell, Galopin Des Champs... probably the pressure of expectation, but he’ll have more than likely have sat down and looked across the weighing room at Jack Kennedy last week and thought 'you know what, I'm having a good week'."

In terms of individual equine performances of the week, Walsh was full of praise for Ryanair Chase winner Fact To File, another big-race winner for JP McManus and Mark Walsh.

He said: "I had tipped Jungle Boogie each-way and when I saw him lining up in front I was thinking ‘oh no’. I thought he would be dropping in and coming from behind, reading the tactics of it completely wrong.

"He went forward, he ran stink, but it made for an end-to-end race. Il Est Francais got in charge away from the stands, but I just thought Fact To File had looked so much happier at that speed.

"Going a couple of miles an hour faster, his jumping, you watch him over three miles and they’re trying to hold him and settle him and he’s wanting to go and he’s grabbing. He doesn’t look a comfortable watch, whereas I thought at this speed, he looked such a comfortable watch.

"Turning off the bend, I thought he looked an aeroplane. He was brilliant - I thought of an equine performance of the week, it was probably him."

Kopek a 'work in progress'

When asked about Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle hero Kopek Des Bordes, Willie Mullins' former number one rider feels he could be given the chance to prove himself in the Champion Hurdle division next season.

Walsh said: "I don’t know [but] he doesn’t strike me as a horse that you’d love to head to a fence on just yet. So, yes, he could be [a Champion Hurdle candidate], I thought he was good, I thought he could be better.

"He shot his way through the last hurdle and did well to gain his momentum. But is still a work in progress, I’d say an extremely exciting horse to own, but a work in progress."

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Free bets
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.