Ruby Walsh feels the Edwardstone team face a real tactical dilemma ahead of the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Beaten by Jonbon on his first two starts of the campaign at Cheltenham and Sandown before not getting home stepped up in trip at Kempton, Alan King's charge was a revelation under front-running tactics in the Betfair Game Spirit at Newbury.
He spreadeagled his field that day but speaking on this week’s instalment of Cheltenham Countdown, Paddy Power Media’s From The Horse’s Mouth podcast, Walsh warned similar tactics next month might not work.
He said: "I think it’s catch 22 for Edwardstone in that if he jumps and runs like he did at Newbury, which seemed to really suit him, it suits Jonbon and El Fabiolo even better. El Fabiolo can be a bit keen and he was too keen early in Leopardstown so his jumping was only okay and then the faster they went, the better his jumping got.
"So you’re going to allow El Fabiolo to settle and Jonbon looks like an out and out stayer who’s crying out for a lead so whilst it might suit Edwardstone to do that, it’s going to suit his two main rivals as well so that’s the predicament that Alan King and Tom Cannon will be in."
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