Ruby Walsh Tips Thread

[Morning Glory]

You got Hurricane Fly right anyway

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/ruby-walsh-rocky-up-for-a-fight-222859.html

First of all this morning let me reveal that I am definitely going to partner Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

The alternative was obviously Zarkandar for Paul Nicholls. That horse heads to the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton today and earlier this week Paul asked me which one of them I intended to ride at the festival.

He posed a straight question and I gave him a straight answer - Hurricane Fly. It is getting quite close to Cheltenham now and Paul needed certainty. As a result Daryl Jacob will be aboard Zarkandar this afternoon and that is perfectly understandable.

In the meantime, I will be at Ascot, where I ride four for Paul and one for Kevin Bishop. The feature is the Grade 1 Betfair Chase and I team up with Ghizao.

I’m not overly optimistic that he will prove good enough and, on ratings, has it all to do against the likes of Captain Chris, Cue Card and Finian’s Rainbow.

I don’t think the two miles, five furlongs plus will be any problem to my horse, but realistically he has to step up appreciably on anything done before to be a major player.

Captain Chris ran a cracker when beaten neck by Long Run in the King George at Kempton and that represents quality form.

Finian’s Ranbow hasn’t run since finishing a poor fourth of four behind Captain Chris at Ascot in November, so has a bit to prove.

Cue Card was a fair way adrift of Captain Chris when fifth in the King George, but travelled like a dream for much of the trip.

He is a really classy individual and dropping down in distance will work in his favour. I hope Ghizao can surprise me, but I’ve a feeling this may be destined for Cue Card.

My day starts on Aaim To Prosper in a novice hurdle and I have to say he’s another I will be riding more in hope than confidence.

Mind you he did improve plenty from his first outing over jumps at Newbury to his latest effort at Doncaster. His jumping was better and he did show more enthusiasm.

But he’s a nine-year-old now and doesn’t have huge scope for improvement. I’ll be giving it my best in an effort to get a real tune out of him.

Then it is what I regard as my best ride of the day, Rocky Creek, in the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Chase. He jumps, stays and will love the trip.

This is a competitive little contest, but I think Rocky Creek is improving at a rate of knots and believe he’ll win.

Kevin Bishop provides me with Queens Grove in a very valuable handicap hurdle and it’s a lovely spare to get. I actually rode Queens Grove’s mother, Just Jasmine, to finish third in a Cheltenham handicap for Kevin some ten years ago.

Anyway, Queen Grove has won four in-a-row, handles soft ground, no problem, and has a nice weight. After that, who knows?

I end my day on Far West in a novice hurdle and this is a horse I like. He is ex-French and unbeaten in three races for Paul.

He started at Chepstow and then won twice at Cheltenham, the last time by 19 lengths. If he wins this, I think we can safely say will be the new favourite for the Triumph Hurdle.

The problem now, of course, is that he has to take on Rive Maigue, who is two years his senior. I know Barry Geraghty really rates River Maigue, so this is going to tell us an awful lot about Far West.

I will be very interested in how Zarkandar gets on at Wincanton. His form is rock solid, I think he’s a good horse and will be hard to beat.

Navan on Sunday went west yesterday morning and punters in Ireland for the weekend are left with just six races at Gowran Park today.

Willie Mullins has a strong hand in the Grade 2 Hurdle, with Zaidpour and So Young. Both horses are working well at home, but my preference would be for Zaidpour.

Willie’s other runner is Djakadam in a maiden hurdle.

He came from France and would have won at Thurles, on his Irish debut, if I hadn’t fallen off him at the last. He has been improving nicely at home and Paul Townend should get it right on him on this occasion.

And just a quick word about the Cheltenham Gold Cup, following the exploits of Silviniaco Conti and Sir Des Champs last weekend.

I watched the Hennessy at Leopardstown from Newbury and formed the impression that the extra two furlong of the Gold Cup are made for Sir Des Champs.

Silviniaco Conti jumped and travelled great at Newbury, but did get tired. Paul assures me there will be buckets of improvement to come.

[mayo]

Looks to have the best book of festival rides http://www.fatjockey.com/cheltenham-...alsh-Rides-127

Video on that one now too

[mayo]

On de morning line too ..

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/ruby-walsh-progressive-rolling-aces-is-one-to-note-223589.html

RUBY WALSH: Progressive Rolling Aces is one to note

Saturday, February 23, 2013

I certainly don’t ride any certainties at Kempton today, but have reasonable prospects of getting among the winners all of the same.
Ruby Walsh: The Talk of Racing
I start on Irish Saint in a Grade 2 hurdle for juveniles and, basically, he is putting his Triumph credentials on the line. The bottom line is that he has to win to have any chance at the festival.

Irish Saint won at Auteuil and Kempton and then couldn’t hold Nicky Henderson’s Rolling Star at Cheltenham. Rolling Star, of course, was subsequently promoted to favouritism for the Triumph Hurdle. Irish Saint clearly has more than a life now, but I’m still not getting too carried away with him.

Grandioso won a modest handicap at Ludlow by 37 lengths and moves into Graded company for Paul Nicholls and I in the Pendil Chase.

He is improving, will appreciate the drying ground and, I’d say, will win if managing to finish in front of Molotof.

Lac Fontana does duty for us in the third Grade 2 of the afternoon, another hurdle. I rode him at Newbury, when we were second to a smart horse of Nicky’s, Chatterbox.

He is bound to improve both jumping and experience-wise and you’d have to think will go close, at worst.

Then it is Rolling Aces in what looks a fiercely competitive three-mile handicap chase. I liked this horse when we won at Newbury and he followed by scoring for Nick Scholfield at Wincanton.

Obviously, Rolling Aces has paid the penalty for those two successes and went up 19lbs. But he started off a low enough base anyway and, as a seven-year-old, has lots of scope for improvement. This is easily his stiffest test to date, but I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t run a cracker.

I finish aboard a horse I know absolutely nothing about, Black Cow, in the bumper, except that he is by Presenting.

Tomorrow, I’m off to Naas and punters are in for a real treat here with some big guns set to take each other on in a Grade 2 novice hurdle.

This is only a Grade 2 in name and is actually a proper Grade 1. Indeed, I’ve often ridden in far worse Grade 1’s.

Defy Logic, Don Cossack, Moscow Mannon and my horse, Annie Power, are four terrific talents, but something has to give.

Defy Logic has looked awesome so far and chances are will go a right gallop in front for A.P McCoy. That will be ideal for Don Cossack and it is more than a possibility the race will be run perfectly to suit him.

Moscow Mannon is trained by a shrewd operator in Brian Hamilton and is is a horse I’m definitely not going to underestimate.

Annie Power (pictured) is a super mare and unbeaten in five races, three bumpers and two over flights.

I’m not confident she will be good enough to win, but am confident of a big run at the same time. I simply love Annie.

I’ll be disappointed should Mikael d’Haguenet fail to deliver in a novice chase. I think he’s a better horse travelling right-handed but. staying wide at Naas when the ground is bad is often the right course of action, so I’m not at all worried about that.

His jumping has been a problem in the past, but he was fine when winning by 12 lengths at Thurles and continues in good form at home.

Call The Police disappointed me a little when we won at Thurles last time, so I’m hoping for better in a conditions chase.

I was happier with him at Clonmel previously and whether we can now beat Days Hotel, I just don’t know.

A word about Willie Mullins’ Upsie in the first, a maiden hurdle. She’s owned by J P McManus and will be partnered by A.P.

Upsie won twice in France, will be suited by two miles and is more than capable of taking a race which looks short on quality.

I’ll be hoping to catch a glimpse of one of my possible Grand National mounts, Prince De Beauchene, in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse today. This is a decent contest, but I think he’ll win.

Willie runs Dogora, a horse I won on narrowly at Gowran Park, in the opener, a juvenile hurdle.

This has the making of a match between him and Stocktons Wing and Dogora, who is tough, might squeeze through.

Willie has a strong hand with Glens Melody and Tasitiocht in a mares’ hurdle and I wouldn’t have liked to make a decision between that pair.

The more the ground dries out the more you would fancy Willie’s Marasonnien in a beginners chase.

- In an exclusive interview held on Monday morning, Irish Examiner columnist Ruby Walsh spoke to racing correspondent Pat Keane

In this interview, the rider encourages punters not to be put off by Hurricane Fly’s below-par performance in last season’s Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, insisting this year’s longer, slower build-up has the nine-year-old in great shape in his bid to become the first horse since Comedy Of Errors to regain the Champion Hurdle.

He also discusses the chances of his Gold Cup mount, Silviniaco Conti, while the unblemished career of novice hurdler Pont Alexandre, which he believes will be even better on good ground, is also discussed.

http://www.fatjockey.com/cheltenham-festival/featured_cheltenham_races.php?Cheltenham-Festival-2013-Ruby-Walsh-Rides-127

[Morning Glory]

http://www.fatjockey.com/news-blogs/racing_news.php?Ruby-Walsh-Cheltenham-Festival-Tips-2013-254

[Lester]

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/ruby-walsh-japan-trip-an-education-226942.html

Today, I head to the rather less exotic Newton Abbot for two rides for Paul Nicholls, starting with the ex-French horse, Virak, in a novice hurdle.

I had a choice of going here, or to Haydock, and Paul indicated Newton Abbot was my best option, on the basis that Virak would win.

He’s had two outings at Pau, finishing second and then bolting in by 12 lengths in January. Paul really likes this horse, so let’s hope he’s right.

Ulck Du Lin is my other ride, off top weight of 11-12, in a handicap chase. You can draw a line through his last run in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham festival.

He made a bad blunder at the third fence and you just cannot do that at Cheltenham. Essentially, we were immediately beaten and he was tailed off when I pulled him up before the tenth.

Prior to Cheltentham, Ulck Du Lin won well at Ascot and Newbury and, wherever he finishes now, will surely leave the Cheltenham effort behind.

Tomorrow, I head to Fairyhouse and a date with the exciting Annie Power in a Grade 1 novice hurdle for mares.

Her record speaks for itself, six from six, and she was most impressive for me at Naas last time when beating Defy Logic.

She travelled beautifully, jumped well and quickened, but that doesn’t tell the full story. What I particularly loved was that she had loads left after the finishing line and wanted to go round again. I just think she is a bit special.

I’m on Pride Ofthe Parish in a Grade 2 hurdle and he has to have a chance, on his close second to Our Vinnie at Limerick.

But this looks very competitive, with the likes of Defy Logic, Bright New Dawn and some other smart sorts also involved.

I think The Paparrazi Kid has a decent each-way shout in a wide-open three-mile handicap hurdle.

I thought he was too keen, and then banged into the last for good measure, when down the field at Naas. This trip should suit.

I’m on Smart Money for Jim Culloty in another tough race, a two-mile handicap hurdle. This horse has a nice weight, 10-7, and Jim’s horses are in good form.

I finish on Mikael D’Haguenet in the Powers’ Gold Cup. There may be a small field, but this is a good renewal.

I have not lost faith in Mikael and continue to believe he is a genuine Grade 1 horse. His jumping has found him out on a number of occasions and that was again the case on his latest appearance when third at Naas.

We were cruising heading to three out, but he knuckled on landing, sat down, stood up and strode on again. I’m sure punters are nicely fed up of him, but I’m not.

[Old Vic]

Todays Tips

But, that said, I really like Briar Hill. He’s certainly no Flash Harry, but is just a good horse, to my way of thinking.

It has been well documented the way he works on the gallops. He will come up alongside the worst horse in the yard and do exactly the same against the best.

I’m taking nothing for granted and know this is a good race, but do expect Briar Hill to win, it’s as simple as that.

I kick away on Heathfield for Tony Martin in a 30-runner maiden hurdle, but it is hard to make any sort of case for him.

I fancy Willie’s Sizing Tennessee, who is a dual bumper winner. He did disappoint us in the Cheltenham bumper, but seems to have strengthened up plenty and has schooled well.

I’m on Good As Gold for Pat Fahy in a wide-open handicap hurdle. She’s a mare that likes to be held up — Navan is a good place for that — and has an each-way chance.

I ride Call Me Bubbles for Willie in anothe fiercely competitive handicap hurdle, one of three runners for him.

I could have gone with Supreme Carolina, but Sarabad didn’t enter calculations, because I couldn’t do the weight.

Two and a half miles around Navan will certainly suit Call Me Bubbles and he is clearly not without hope.

My father’s Colbert Station and Paul Nolan’s Noble Prince — I won on him at Thurles last time — are more than useful chasers and both have a life.

I’ll be more than surprised should Willie’s Royal Caviar fail to win the bumper. He’s a gorgeous horse, with a bright future.

[mayo]

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/ruby-walsh/ruby-walsh-dramatic-rise-in-trip-may-see-urano-into-winners-enclosure-253319.html

If you saw Cadspeed working at home, he would have you in the poor house. He simply does not translate it onto the racecourse.

He didn’t exactly impress at Thurles last time, when a remote fourth to Trifolium, and will have to step up markedly on that to take a hand.

Cadspeed has one chance and that is if the surface turns into a quagmire. We live in hope.

My last ride is on Easy Vic for Tony Martin in a handicap chase. He’s not exactly reliable either, but does have a nice weight down at the bottom 10-5.

He finished second to Hold Em Cowboy over flights at Navan and, to my way of thinking, is better suited to jumping fences. This shapes like a very ordinary contest and you’d have to think Easy Vic will at least be competitive.

Besides Cadspeed, Willie Mullins has other runners, starting with Gigginstown’s Valseur Lido in the first, a novice hurdle.

He’s ex-French and bolted in first time out in this country at Cork. I’d say Valseur will go off at prohibitive odds and there will be long faces all round should he fail to deliver.

Willie introduces another French recruit for Gigginstown in Don Poli in a maiden hurdle. I’m not saying he is in the same league as Briar Hill, but does remind me of him.

Last week I described Briar Hill as no Flash Harry and that’s exactly what I would call Don Poli at home. He comes up the gallops the same way, with the worst and the best horses.

Essentially, he is just idle, but possesses an engine. If you back him there will be stages of the race when you won’t be very happy but, I suspect, he will be in front at the line.

Killultagh Vic runs for Willie in the bumper. He is working quite nicely at home and certainly well enough to do himself justice.

Willie sends City Slicker to Ascot today for the valuable Ladbroke Hurdle and he has a real each-way shout. When you see last season’s juveniles topping the weights then you have go to think that an older horse such as City Slicker will go close.

He will love travelling right-handed, has a great man riding in AP and we have been very happy with him at home of late.

Willie takes the wraps of Un de Sceaux at Thurles tomorrow and has found a very suitable opportunity to get his campaign up and running.

The race has just three runners and when you consider that it is impossible to make a case for Our Ollie and that Rory O’Moore is rated 30lbs below our horse then anything less than an emphatic win for Un de Sceaux will be disappointing.

He is unbeaten in four outings, two French bumpers and twice over hurdles at Punchestown, and was especially impressive at the festival in April when scoring by 13 lengths.

Un de Sceux summered well and has got stronger. He is hard on himself, however, so Willie has got him fit slowly and has also been teaching the horse to relax.

We think that has been successful, but Rory O’Moore is a bit of a tearway, so there should be lots of pace on and it is going to be interesting.

I’m going to nap Urano in a two mile and six maiden hurdle. That, of course, goes against my better judgement, but it is that type of weekend.

Paul Townend and I have tried everything with this horse. We’ve dropped him out, forced the pace, gone left and right-handed, on all sorts of ground, and nothing has worked.

Urano is now taking a rather dramatic rise in trip and, hopefully, will finally bypass the number two berth and head for the winner’s enclosure.

[gigginstown]

Well, I was all set to be off on my travels again today to ride three horses for Willie Mullins at Sandown, but the meeting was abandoned yesterday afternoon.

By Ruby Walsh
That was disappointing, because we were giving Glens Melody, Gitane Du Berlais and Upazo great chances in their respective contests.

But no one has died and it is a case of onwards and upwards with four cracking months of the season still remaining.

Willie has a strong hand at Cork today and three of his four runners have good chances, starting with Turban in the opening conditions hurdle.

Whether I will be at Cork, I’m not sure, because Willie was tied up all day yesterday and into the evening. If he wants me to head south then I’ll only be too delighted, so watch this space.

Anway, back to Turban. He won a beginners chase around here and forget about his last outing at Killarney in May, when the surface was too fast.

Turban is in really good form at home right now, will love the ground and is more than capable of going close.

Wicklow Brave has three bumper successes to his credit and has schooled well for his debut over jumps in a maiden hurdle.

The slight reservation you would have is his ability to handle the ground.

I know he won on soft ground at Listowel in September, but this will surely be much worse.

Willie has real prospects of a treble with Blood Cotil in the beginners chase.

A smart horse, he was a natural jumper of hurdles and has taken equally well to fences.

The other representing Willie is Connaught Manor in a maiden hurdle, but he’s moderate and it is hard to make a case for him.

I’m at Naas tomorrow for three rides and at least two of them, Mozoltov and Briar Hill, have outstanding claims.

Mozoltov, who is owned by the Gigginstown House Stud, runs in a novice chase.

Ordinarily, he would be Davy Russell’s ride, but we all know what happened during the week.

Davy rode the horse to win easily at Fairyhouse first time over fences and I’m hopeful he will now outstay Ned Buntline.

Briar Hill goes in the Grade 2 Slaney Hurdle and Willie has also left in Upazo.

The idea was for him to run at Sandown today, of course, so we will have to wait and see how that now pans out.

Anyway, as you are all aware, my admiration for Briar Hill has been well documented at this stage.

He is just a very good horse, who will do no more than the bare minimum required, and we’ll be inconsolable, for the want of a better word, if Briar Hill fails to deliver.

I end on Chiltern Hills in a beginners chase for mares. She has the size and scope to make a chaser, but enigmatic might be the best way to describe her.

She got her act together last season and then lost her way again. Perhaps, a watching brief might be best on this occasion.

Everyone else as impressed with Hurricane Fly at Leopardstown last Sunday as I was? He was terrific and is a pleasure to ride.

He has it all, speed, stamina and a great attitude. I very much agree with his trainer that there is improvement to come.

Don’t have the slightest doubt Willie has only one day in mind and the world and its mother knows when that is.

Annie Power was superb at Cheltenham on Wednesday. She won very well and jumped beautifully, but for hitting the last.

It will take some horse to give her 7lbs and, as long as she has a tail on her, will always be getting that in Grade 1 company.

Will she go the two-mile or the three-mile road at Cheltenham, who knows? Let’s just say that, right now, she is supplying me with more questions than answers.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/ruby-walsh/ruby-walsh-blood-cotil-can-jump-to-it-254245.html

[Old Vic]

MUCH IMPROVED: Upazo disappointed last season, but has looked a different proposition this campaign.
Ruby Walsh

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/ruby-walsh/ruby-walsh-upazo-facing-acid-test-in-tolworth-255002.html

I’m on duty for him at Kempton, David Casey heads to Warwick, while Patrick Mullins and Paul Townend look after things at home at Punchestown.

Let’s start with my two rides at Kempton, Upazo and Twinlight. A week ago, I was all set to go to Sandown to partner Upazo in the Tolworth Hurdle, but the meeting was lost and the race rescheduled for Kempton.

Upazo, of course, disappointed us last season, but has looked a different proposition this campaign, winning in fine style on two occasions at Fairyhouse.



There is no doubt, however, that stepping into Grade 1 company now represents a major step up in class and this will tell us what he’s made of. He went to Sandown, of course, and then spent a bit of time touring England, before returning home.

But he does seem in good order and worked quite nicely on Tuesday, although not asked to do anything overly strenuous.

I read during the week that the Pipe stable think The Liquidator won’t be as well suited to Kempton as Sandown.

But he looked a good horse when winning at the Punchestown festival, has done nothing wrong subsequently, and if we can beat him then I’d imagine Upazo will win.

Twinlight, my second ride, heads into the unknown in the two miles, four and a half furlongs Listed chase.

All the evidence is that he is best at two miles, so whether will get this trip we simply don’t know.

What we can say is that the opposition are exposed, whereas he is young and improving.

Twinlight, as well, is definitely best travelling right-handed and if he is ever going to get two and half or so then it will be around here.

David Casey has three good rides at Warwick: Glens Melody, Rathvinden and Vesper Bell.

Glens Melody kicks him off in a Listed hurdle for fillies and mares.

I rode her last time at Cheltenham, when she performed way below what we expected to finish a remote third.

But the ground was just too quick and she wouldn’t let herself down on it. This surface will be far more to her liking and she has to go close.

Rathvinden moves from winning an ordinary maiden hurdle, admittedly in a canter, at Cork to a Grade 2 over two miles and five.

At the moment it is hard to get a handle on him and this will tell us a lot more than we know now. I won’t be surprised if the trip plays to his strengths.

Vesper Bell has his share of weight, 11-4, in a handicap chase. I’ve landed this particular race twice in the past and it is a contest you can carry a decent burden and win.

You have to jump and stay and Vesper Bell does both, even if he did fall at the first at Aintree on his latest appearance.

Willie has plenty of runners at Punchestown and we’ll have a look at some of them, headed by Vautour in the Grade 2 novice hurdle.

I rode the ex-French horse to win on his debut in this country at Navan and was most impressed. I like him a lot and think he will take this rise in class in his stride.

The Bosses Cousin does duty for Willie in the first, a beginners chase.

He hasn’t run for 317 days, not since falling two out, when holding every chance, at Thurles last February.

Despite that tumble, he is actually a great jumper and has been in training a long time.

The other of Willie’s I want to mention is Pink Hat in the maiden hurdle for mares. She was beaten by Theatre Bird at Clonmel, but that horse went on to boost the form when winning again at Leopardstown.

I thought Pink Hat jumped well enough at Clonmel, but the way she schooled during the week I’d say will be even better now.

I have four rides at Navan tomorrow and there’s no doubt Un De Sceaux looks the best of them in a four-runner hurdle.

His record is five from five, two of them bumpers in France, and won 29 lengths on his seasonal debut at Thurles.

Un De Sceaux shapes as if he has improved from Thurles and we all know what he does and it will be out and away.

There’s no messing with him, he will be able to maintain a relentless gallop and if something comes sailing by then good luck to them.

Willie takes the wraps of Aklan, who won twice on the flat for John Oxx, in the 24-runner maiden hurdle.

He’s been off for 505 days, but has been in since August, so I don’t see fitness as an issue.

Aklan is a fine big horse, who has schooled well, and my gut instinct is that it will take a fair sort to beat him.

I partner Gallant Oscar for Tony Martin in a handicap hurdle and he has a chance, in a moderate race, if improving by, say, five or six pounds.

I end aboard Popcorn for Willie in a handicap chase. He has been absent for a very long time - 764 days, to be precise. Don’t be shocked if he runs a cracker. Popcorn was ready to rock in the Paddy Power at Leopardstown, but was taken out to leave eventual winner, Rockyaboya, into the race.

[Old Vic]

There’s an old saying that a good start is half the battle and I hope to give punters a flyer by taking the first at Naas, a maiden hurdle, on Ivan Grozny.

Successful twice on the flat in France, he made a fine start in this country at Leopardstown at Christmas.

I rode him that day and we just got chinned close home by Plinth and Tony McCoy. My lad was a bit deliberate in his jumping down the back, but pinged the last and then we looked to have it in the bag.

Plinth seemed to have our measure going to the flight, but wasn’t clever at all. He rallied back, however, and managed to grab us.

Anyway, it was a good first run over jumps by Ivan Grozny and he’s been in fine form at home in the meantime.

I’d say he will definitely improve for better ground, but still have to be reasonably optimistic will take this.

Willie runs two in a Grade 3 hurdle and I’ve gone with Upsie, in preference to Mourad. The latter returned with a modest sixth behind Boston Bob at Punchestown and would need to improve.

That said, Upsie was disappointing at Leopardstown when only fourth behind Theatre Bird. She stopped to a walk in the straight, so let’s hope can leave that behind.

Tony Martin has booked me for Captain Hox in a maiden hurdle. He thinks he has a good chance, but his form seems moderate, although it does look a bad race for Naas on a Saturday.

At Fairyhouse tomorrow the plan will be the same as today, to get away to the perfect start by winning the first, another maiden hurdle, on Daneking.

He’s certainly not one of Willie’s stars, but shapes as if more than good enough to take a contest of this nature.

Daneking ran a fine race at Leopardstown, third to Western Boy and Kylestyle, and the form could not be working out any better.

Western Boy went on to run Vautour to three parts of a length at Punchestown last Saturday, while Kylestyle bolted in at Thurles on Thursday.

Willie has two in the Grade 3 hurdle for mares and I’ve gone with Vicky de L’Oasis, in front of Gitane du Berlais.

I rode Vicky at Newbury last time and she performed way below expectations in finishing a well beaten third.

I can offer no explanation for such a poor effort, but think she is far better than that and, hopefully, will prove it now.

Gitane Du Berlais won by eight lengths at Aintree for Paul Townend and, realistically, there is little or nothing between the pair. Gitane, however, is only a four-year-old and it is always hard for horses of that age at this time of the year.

I’m on Turban, ahead of Cadspeed, in a handicap chase. Turban was beaten over hurdles by Waaheb at Cork, but is a good jumper and returning to fences won’t do him any harm. A strongly run race is what he wants and is likely to get that.

Cadspeed is out of the handicap, which is unfortunate, because he ran really well at Navan on his latest appearance.

I ride Fernhurst Lad for Tony Martin in another handicap chase. You’d have to say that his prospects aren’t particularly good, having finished a poor ninth at Navan last time.

Tony, however, says he is a big horse, who is hard to get fit, so obviously we are not entirely without hope.

Willie introduces a newcomer, Most Peculiar, in the bumper and he should go well. He has turned a corner since November and appears to be improving all of the time.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/ruby-walsh/ruby-walsh-get-off-to-a-flyer-with-grozny-255712.html

[mayo]

Just back them all

[Sefton]

Festival Preview without the handicaps

Lydia Hislop was joined in the Racing UK studio by Steve Mellish, Mark Howard and special guest Ruby Walsh on Tuesday to provide a comprehensive breakdown of the key aspects to the National Hunt season with a view to the Cheltenham Festival and beyond.

http://www.racinguk.com/news/article/25359/racing-uks-half-term-report

[mayo]

No tips but good video profile

[mayo]

[mayo]