Cheltenham Festival: Ruby Walsh on Gaelic Warrior
Ruby Walsh admits a mark of 129 gives Gaelic Warrior a big chance in the Boodles Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle as "we’d be hoping he’s a bit better than that."
He was speaking on Paddy Power Media's 'From the Horse's Mouth Cheltenham Countdown podcast along side host Patrick Kennelly, Rory Delargy and Paddy Power trader and formbook guru Frank Hickey.
Willie Mullins' charge is already favourite for the closing race on Tuesday despite haven't not jumped a hurdle in public since switching from France.
Walsh said: "Well 129 would mean a Boodles horse more so than a Triumph horse where the likes of Fil Dor is a 142, so you’d have to race at levels against him in the Triumph, you can get 13lb off him in the Boodles so that would be the obvious thing. He’s a nice type, obviously had three runs in France, didn’t manage to win, he stays going really well, he’s by Maxios, he’s a good jumper.
"I would hope he’s quick enough, he has loads of stamina, he’ll stay going, he has a lot of pace to travel well. But there’s a few horses in here that have plenty of experience and have been running so they’ve been on the track. Now Gaelic Warrior won’t lack for work but The Tide Turns ran well behind Teahupoo in the Red Mills Hurdle, I thought Brazil, might not have been the strongest race at Naas, but he absolutely bolted in.
"Icare Allen has the option of going for the Triumph or this race, but he was very good in Fairyhouse on his last start. So it’s a competitive race – look I won’t tip anything outside Gaelic Warrior but purely because he has a mark of 129 and we’d be hoping he’s a bit better than that. "
Was the decision to head straight to the Boodles a deliberate one by connections?
"Yeah look we were aware of his mark. We didn’t think it would be that low, but it was going to be low so if you run obviously the handicapper can see you and reassess you. If you don’t run, they can’t.
"It’s as simple as that so that’s why he hasn’t run. But that wouldn’t bother me – I rode Ciel De Neige in this a couple of years back on his first run for Willie, he finished third, I thought he was unlucky not to win the race but one did fall in front of him at the third last, flattened the hurdle and he did rather well to stay in the race. But he came home well – I haven’t ridden Gaelic Warrior, I’ve only watched him, he does keep going, he’s a stayer."
Paddy Power Podcast special bets:
Gaelic Warrior To Win The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle was 5-2 now 11-4
State Man To Win The County Hurdle was 9-2 now 11-2
Saint Felicien To Win The Coral Cup was 8-1 now 10-1
Good Risk At All To Win The Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle was 11-1 now 12-1
Gordon Elliott To Train The Winner Of The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle was 13-8 now 2-1
These specials can be found here: https://www.paddypower.com/horse-racing?tab=specials
Walsh is sweet on a Gordon Elliott-trained runner in the ultra-competitive Coral Cup.
"I like Saint Felicien – I’ve been watching him since he won at Gowran Park back in November, he had a good run in Naas behind Darasso, Whiskey Sour was third, he won in Leopardstown on Sunday. I think Saint Felicien, I had him in my head maybe as a Martin Pipe horse, but he’s 149 so he’s a couple of pounds too high for that. I thought he was the one for me. I’ve no idea where he runs but he’s one for me in this," he added.