Willie Mullins confirms Galopin Des Champs-Fact To File rematch - and gives Ballyburn green light for huge Sir Gino clash

Willie Mullins will let Galopin Des Champs and Fact To File do battle again in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on Saturday, while there could be another huge clash in store at Kempton the day before when Ballyburn is set to lock horns with Sir Gino in the Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices' Chase.

Dual Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs put in a stunning display to land last year's Savills, storming 23 lengths clear of Gerri Colombe, and his record over fences at Leopardstown is a flawless five from five, which includes four Grade 1s.

Fact To File got the better of him on his seasonal reappearance in the John Durkan last month, when the JP McManus-owned chaser made a winning start to open company by beating Spillane's Tower by half a length, with his stablemate another two and a quarter lengths back in third.

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Galopin Des Champs is marginally favoured by bookmakers to reverse the form stepping up in trip at a course he relishes, as he is 6-4 favourite with most firms, while Fact To File is a general 7-4.

The champion trainer also confirmed State Man would try to land the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Hurdle for the third time in succession on Sunday, when he could renew rivalry with Brighterdaysahead, who handed him his first domestic defeat since 2021 in the Morgiana last month.

State Man is a 4-7 shot to land his 11th Grade 1, while Gordon Elliott's star mare is a best-priced 11-4 to confirm the Punchestown form.

State Man: odds-on to land his 11th Grade 1 victoryCredit: Patrick McCann

Mullins said: "Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs are both well and worked on Saturday morning. They seem in good order and both are on course for the Savills. State Man is in good form and is on track for the Grade 1 at Leopardstown."

Ballyburn's next target has been the subject of much conjecture, given the two-mile Grade 1 novice chase at Leopardstown has been axed, but Mullins indicated he was likely to cross the Irish Sea with the hugely talented six-year-old, meaning a clash with the Nicky Henderson-trained Sir Gino – who will be making his chasing debut – looks on the cards.

The Ronnie Bartlett and David Manasseh-owned Ballyburn looked a rare talent as a novice hurdler, landing Grade 1 honours at Leopardstown before blitzing the Gallagher Novices' Hurdle field at Cheltenham by 13 lengths, and following up at Punchestown.

He tackled fences for the first time last month at Punchestown, where he made light work of a 12-runner field, gliding 13 lengths clear of stablemate Ocastle Des Mottes, which put him at the head of the ante-post market for both Grade 1 novice chases at the Cheltenham Festival.

Ballyburn: could face Nicky Henderson's highly promising Sir Gino at Kempton on FridayCredit: Patrick McCann

The Wayward Lad on Friday is his most likely next assignment, for which he is vying for favouritism with Fighting Fifth Hurdle winner Sir Gino.

Ballyburn also holds an entry in the Grade 1 2m3½f Guinness 00 Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick a day later, but Mullins will be well represented there as he plans to run multiple Grade 1-winning hurdler Impaire Et Passe, who made a successful start over fences at Fairyhouse last month. He could be joined by Mirazur West and Sa Majeste.

Mullins said: "Ballyburn is in at Kempton and Limerick. I'd say he'll go to Kempton. I've been saying all along that Kempton would look the likely option. Time-wise it suits and hopefully it will be nice ground. It's a Grade 2 but I think I'll have three others for the Grade 1 at Limerick. Impaire Et Passe, Mirazur West and Sa Majeste will probably go there."

Savills Chase (2.35 Leopardstown, December 28)

Paddy Power: 6-4 Fact To File, Galopin Des Champs, 7 Spillane's Tower, 8 Gerri Colombe, 12 I Am Maximus, 16 Corbetts Cross, 20 Envoi Allen, 25 Gentlemansgame, 33 bar

Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices' Chase (1.55 Kempton, December 27)

William Hill: Evs Ballyburn, 5-4 Sir Gino, 4 Kalif Du Berlais, 5 Rubaud, 40 Home Free, 50 Brookie, 100 Hypotenus

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