Willie Mullins To Fire In John Durkan Memorial Chase 1-2-3 At Punchestown

After a fantastic day of action on Saturday the top-class weekend action moves to Sunday, with a star-studded cast lining up for the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown. 

A race that features last year’s Gold Cup and Grand National winners Inothewayurthinkin and Nick Rockett, plus the 2024 hero Fact To File.

Not to mention Aintree Bowl winner Gaelic Warrior, who slammed Saturday’s easy Betfair Chase winner Grey Dawning.

Sportscasting’s Andy Newton gives you his John Durkan Memorial Chase tips and thoughts below.

John Durkan Memorial Chase Tips: Take Warrior To Lead Home Mullins 1-2-3

The 2024 John Durkan Memorial Chase winner Fact To File has been propping up the market for this top Grade One for months and it’s easy to see why.

The JP McManus-owned eight year-old is the top-rated (173) in the line-up and is looking to be the first repeat winner since Min landed three on the spin between 2018 and 2020.

Mark Walsh will also be getting off the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin to ride Fact To File – so it’s hard to put anyone off him.

The Ryanair Chase in March will again be his big target again this season – where he’s already as short at 5/2 for a repeat win.

However, is he value here at 11/8 – in a race that features so many other big names?

These also include the 2023 winner Fastorslow, who after 364 days off and last seen running fourth in this race in 2024 – you feel he might just need this run.

Especially his trainer Martin Brassil saying he’d be happy with a ‘top four’ finish.

Gold Cup Hero Inothewayurthinkin Likely To Find Trip Too Sharp 

You also feel the trip (2m 3 1/2f) will be a tad on the short side for Gold Cup hero Inothewayurthinkin.

Plus the Gavin Cromwell yard are just 1-49 at the moment.

So that leaves us with GAELIC WARRIOR as the best alternatives over Fact To File.

Also trained by Willie Mullins, who is looking for his ninth John Durkan win since 2015, this seven year-old is only rated 3lbs lower than Fact To File.

He’s also got a similar profile to the favourite – with five chase wins from nine – and heads there off the back of two top wins last season at Aintree and Sandown.

With the first of those a three-length slamming of Saturday’s Betfair Chase winner Grey Dawning – form that looks rock solid after his facile success at Haydock.

His form at Punchestown is also solid 1-1-2 and has gone well fresh and off a break in the past.

Paul Townend rides too, as he looks for his third win in this Grade One chase.

And at 100/30 I just feel with not much between Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File on their best form the Rich Ricci runner is surely the value.

GW is taken to give Ricci his sixth win in the race with Djakadam(two) and Min (three) is other winners.

Of the rest, other Mullins runner (he’s got seven in here) Lecky Watson, who took the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase last season, could have more to come.

He’s taken to take bronze and give Mullins a famous 1-2-3 John Durkan – to fill all the podium places.

🥇GAELIC WARRIOR
🥈FACT TO FILE 
🥉LECKY WATSON 

WATCH: Gaelic Warrior Winning The Oaksey Chase at Sandown

John Durkan Memorial Chase Runners and Betting Odds

Note: Odds are subject to change 

John Durkan Memorial Chase Race Details 2025

📅Date: Sunday 23rd November 2025
⌚Time: 3:00pm
🏇Racecourse: Punchestown
🔄Trip: 2m 3 1/2f
💷Winning Purse: €88,500
📺 TV: RTE 2

How Many Times Has Willie Mullins Won The John Durkan Memorial Chase?

Willie Mullins has won the John Durkan Memorial Chase ten times.

The first of these wins came in 2001 with Florida Pearl, with Djakadam winning two in 2015 and 2016.

Min has been his best winner, with three John Durkan successes between 2018 and 2020.

While his most recent was, of course, Fact To File last year.

Willie Mullins John Durkan Memorial Chase Winners 

John Durkan Memorial Chase Winners (Last 10) 

WATCH: FACT TO FILE Winning The 2024 John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown