The 2026 Ryanair Chase looks like a high‑class, rather honest renewal built around one big question: can anything stop Fact To File from defending his crown?
Now the day three feature race, the Ryanair has settled nicely into its role as the Thursday showpiece for horses who live in that middle lane between Champion Chase speed and Gold Cup stamina.
Run over 2m4½f on the New Course, it asks for rhythm at the fences, the ability to hold a position, and just enough petrol left to get up the hill.
This year’s edition on Thursday, 12 March at 4pm, brings eight runners to post after Croke Park was declared a non-runner, and there is a sense that several familiar names are circling the same prize from slightly different directions.
Fact To File: The Standard Setter
Fact To File comes in as defending champion and an odds‑on favourite for good reason. His win in last year’s Ryanair was the sort of performance that tends to live in the form book for a while.
Timeform has him in the low 170s, a figure that puts him ahead of a typical Ryanair winner and in company with the likes of Allaho on peak ratings.
Add in his solid record in Grade 1s and the fact that he clearly handles Cheltenham, and you can see why the market has taken a very firm view.
There are, if you go looking, small question marks. Connections briefly flirted with the Gold Cup route, and he has met his match over three miles when Galopin Des Champs turned the screw, which tells you that he isn’t bomb‑proof when pressure is applied deep into a race.
Dropping back to this intermediate trip removes some of that stress and plays much more to his cruising speed and jumping, but it also brings in a different type of rival – sharper horses stepping up from two miles and strong travellers from 2m4f who can get him out of his comfort zone earlier.
The favourite is solid and straightforward, but this is not a match against the clock; it is a race, and others have their say.
2026 Ryanair Chase Odds
*Odds from Betfred correct at time of publishing
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fact To File | Mark Walsh | W P Mullins | 10/11 |
| Jonbon | N de Boinville | N J Henderson | 4/1 |
| Impaire Et Passe | Paul Townend | W P Mullins | 5/1 |
| Banbridge | S Bowen | J P O’Brien | 13/2 |
| Heart Wood | Darragh O’Keeffe | H De Bromhead | 12/1 |
| JPR One | Brendan Powell | J Tizzard | 33/1 |
| Matata | J J Slevin | N & W Twiston-Davies | 40/1 |
| Master Chewy | Sam Twiston-Davies | N & W Twiston-Davies | 66/1 |
Old Rivals and New Angles
The most obvious threats are the horses with proper Grade 1 form who now aim specifically at this trip.
Banbridge fits that label neatly. Joseph O’Brien’s chaser has already shown his liking for 2m4f at the top level and enhanced his reputation again when finishing second in the King George at Kempton.
His ability to travel on the bridle, jump economically, and then see it out makes him a natural for the 2026 Ryanair Chase, where tactical speed often matters as much as raw stamina.
If the ground stays on the sound side and they do not go overly hard in front, Banbridge looks the sort who could track Fact To File and ask a proper question turning for home.
Jonbon brings a different storyline. He has been one of the most prolific Grade 1 winners of recent seasons, yet still arrives at Cheltenham with unfinished business.
He was found one too good in both the Supreme (2022) and the Arkle (2023) before coming up short again in last year’s Champion Chase (2025).
Connections briefly flirted with the idea of skipping the Festival altogether, but he has been confirmed for another crack and steps up in trip in search of a race that might finally match his strengths.
The question is whether he still has the same spark at ten and whether that extra half‑mile finds him out when they start racing in earnest after the third‑last.
The Mullins Depth
Willie Mullins is not turning up with just one dart. Impaire Et Passe adds depth to the Closutton challenge and some intrigue for punters looking beyond the obvious.
A top‑class hurdler, he showed last season that spring festivals bring out the best in him, and his camp have long viewed this 2m4½f trip as an ideal target.
If the race develops into more of a test from three out, Impaire Et Passe’s blend of stamina and pace should keep him in the picture.
From a place perspective, he looks a logical each‑way alternative to the favourite, especially if the market underestimates how well his hurdle form and festival profile translate to this intermediate chase.
Darker Horses and Place Players
Heart Wood, from Henry De Bromhead, also deserves a mention, having chased home Fact To File in last year’s Ryanair.
He stayed on honestly into second then and has done little since to suggest that performance was a fluke. He may again find one or two too sharp at the very top of the market, but he is hard to knock.
JPR One has been making a name for himself in graded company and brings a progressive look to his form, the sort that can be underestimated if you focus only on the established stars.
Master Chewy and Matata add a bit of spice to the pace map. Both like to get on with things and could ensure that nobody gets an easy time in front, which might suit those stalking in behind more than the free‑goers themselves.
If you are looking for one horse to side with against Fact To File for place purposes, Impaire Et Passe probably makes the most sense.
He has festival‑friendly form, a trip that looks tailor‑made, and the sort of profile that could see him ridden to pick off tired rivals rather than go toe‑to‑toe with the favourite from a long way out.
Banbridge is another who can fill that role, particularly if the ground and pace scenario favour those who can travel sweetly on or near the speed.
Is It Fact To File’s Race To Lose?
So, can anything beat Fact To File? On the bare form and what we saw twelve months ago, the honest answer is that they all have him to worry about and will need either a career‑best or some help from the race to turn the tables.
Yet Cheltenham has a habit of asking little questions, a short price does not always answer – a fence taken a stride too long, a gap that closes at the wrong moment, a rival who finds something fresh on the day.
From a viewing perspective, this looks like a proper Ryanair Chase: a classy reigning champion, a couple of hardened Grade 1 chasers trying something slightly different, and one or two who could improve just enough to make life interesting.
If you want to keep it simple, Fact To File is the right favourite and the most likely winner.
If you prefer a bit of insurance, Impaire Et Passe stands out as a fair each‑way option, with Banbridge a solid alternative if conditions fall his way.
BETFRED
