The quirky Gaelic Warrior continued his upward progression with a victory in the Grade 1 John Durkan Chase at Punchestown, defeating last year’s winner Fact To File.

Always talented, the German-bred Gaelic Warrior has been a difficult horse to assess over the previous few seasons, best remembered for unseating jockey Paul Townend at the final fence when veering right in the 2024 Ladbrokes Novice Chase at Leopardstown. He suffered defeats at the same track in the early part of last season, before securing an easy win on his first try over three miles in the Grade 1 Bowl Chase at Aintree, ahead of Saturday's Betfair Chase winner Grey Dawning.

In a race which had been touted as exceptional, Gaelic Warrior faced stablemate Fact To File, Grand National winner I Am Maximus and Gold Cup hero Inothewayurthinkin. Yet it was only ever between two horses, with Gaelic Warrior leading in the early part of the race, extending to an over-ten length lead before the sixth fence. Fact Or File loomed ominously as the pair raced to the second-last fence, with Mark Walsh's mount set to pass Gaelic Warrior, but the gelding battled hard to secure a neck success. The 2023 John Durkan winner Fastorslow finished third, twenty-nine lengths behind the leading pair.

Speaking to RTE Sport, Townend said: "It was a proper race, wasn't it?

"He was fresh and ready, he wanted to go and I was only getting into a fight with him if I didn't let him go on. To be fair, he's taken a breather when he needed it and a good jump at the last meant he put his head down and rallied at the line.

"His jumping held together, which was a big help. I was riding my race and seeing what happened from there.

"Neither horse gave up and at the line, there was nothing in it. It was a huge run from both of them".

Elsewhere on the card, the French-bred Westport Cove utilised his chasing experience to take the Grade 2 Craddockstown Novice Chase by a neck from Fleur In The Park.

The son of Muhatathir had stepped up his form to win the Grade 3 Kilbegnet Novice Chase at Roscommon for trainer Willie Mullins, having only achieved a maiden victory over fences in May. The Craddockstown was a tougher test, but the gelding set out to make all under jockey Paul Townend and despite being headed by Fleur In The Park at the second-last fence, he battled back for a neck victory.