WILLIE MULLINS has confirmed a shock change of plans is in store for Ryanair hero Fact To File.
All-conquering Closutton king Mullins has long thought the JP McManus-owned superstar was a Gold Cup winner-in-waiting.
He took the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase over 3m at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival and was awesome in winning the John Durkan at the start of this season.
But he couldn't get close to Galopin Des Champs over the longer trip and was rerouted to the 2m4f Ryanair last March.
Fact To File won that with ease to again ignite talk of a future Gold Cup tilt.
Indeed, Mullins himself said after the win: "He'll probably be a Gold Cup horse next year."
But his sole entry for the Punchestown Festival has raised eyebrows - as well as the possibility of an intriguing target next March.
Fact To File was included in the latest round of entries for the Grade 1 William Hill Champion Steeplechase over 2m½f on Tuesday.
He won't run in the Punchestown Gold Cup - where Galopin Des Champs will spearhead Mullins' challenge.
And the trainer said on Thursday he is keen to explore the eight-year-old's speed over fences at the minimum trip.
Mullins, who has an army of superstars heading to Sandown on Saturday in his title bash with Dan Skelton, said: "Fact To File is such a good jumper and can gain so much ground in the air that I think we will probably have a go at two miles next week."
Fact To File, who has proven Grade 1 class, was still available at 12-1 with Sky Bet at the time of writing.
That price will collapse should he win his first foray over 2m since a runner-up finish to former Champion Bumper winner Dream To Share.
Fact To File looks like he could ultimately face Nicky Henderson's awesome Sir Gino if sticking to the minimum trip.
He was forced to miss a second Cheltenham in a row this year but heads the market at 11-4.
McManus has never won the Champion Chase and won't fancy relying on Jonbon after he fluffed his lines at the home of jumps yet again.
Jonbon is still 5-1 second fav, ahead of Majborough, who he also owns, but, like Jonbon, is prone to the odd error.
Sloppy jumping cost him the Arkle - but the way he recovered and flashed to the line suggests a step up in trip could be right for him.
Elsewhere, Mullins is yet to decide where superstar mare Lossiemouth runs.
She was pulled from Sandown and could run in a potentially epic Champion Hurdle at Punchestown - or stick to mares' company over 2m4f once more.
Mullins, quizzed on a possible showdown with Constitution Hill, State Man and Brighterdaysahead, said: "She’s in both the Champion Hurdle and the Mares’ Hurdle at Punchestown and when going through everything, we just felt to be fair to the mare she should probably stay in Punchestown rather than come to Sandown when we also considered being fair to owners and everything.
"I haven’t even looked at the entries yet for Punchestown as I’m concentrating on Sandown and I haven’t spoke to Rich about which way to go yet.
"It’s probably not fair to comment at this stage – but at some stage it will happen I hope."
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