Ruby Walsh
Strong team in rude health for Festival -
- (7th March 2017)
Ruby Walsh gives us the latest news on the formidable team that Willie Mullins is sending to Cheltenham next week.
The Cheltenham Festival is going to be a bit harder than in years gone by without Vautour, Faugheen and Annie Power but Willie’s horses are well. We will go there in good form and we’ll give it our best shot.
With such as Douvan, Yorkhill, Un De Sceaux, Djakadam, Let’s Dance Airlie Beach, we have a strong enough hand.
Willie is well represented in the novice hurdles and we could have four or five in each of them. It’s probably going to be difficult enough for me, and whether I’m on the right ones or not is is a different story.
Djakadam at his peak:
Djakadam is in great shape ahead of his third run in the Gold Cup
Djakadam is in great shape ahead of his third run in the Gold Cup
I was pleased with Djakadam when he schooled after racing at Leopardstown on Sunday. He wasn’t overly extended or anything, but he seems to be in a great frame of mind and is very well in himself.
He jumped super and galloped well. He wasn’t pushed too hard but I was really happy with him and, fingers crossed, he can go to the Gold Cup in the form he’s in at the moment.
We’ve had a different approach with him him this year.
The first year he went to the Gold Cup off the back of his Thyestes win, while last year he tipped up in the BetBright Chase at Cheltenham and got a cut on his chest and went off that prep to be second to Don Cossack.
This year he’s going to go having not run since Christmas and the Lexus Chase.
His preparation has gone well and Willie is happy with him. The once or twice I’ve sat on him he’s given me a good feel and hopefully he can bring either of his Gold Cup runs to the table and that should put him there or thereabouts.
Obviously it’s a competitive race and the connections of Cue Card are Native River are both entitled to be bullish.
The Gold Cup is a brilliant race and it’s shaping up into a good one again this year when you add in
Outlander, Don Poli, Sizing John. It’s an open race and a lot of people think they have chances.
Yorkhill’s jumping technique is fine:
I was happy with Yorkhill’s schooling session at Leopardstown on Sunday.
He was sloppy at the second and I probably wasn’t going quick enough when he stood off at the third, but that seemed to wake him up and he jumped the last five down the back very well.
He cruised through his work and came home strong on the bridle. He has some engine.
I thought once he woke up and watched what he was doing, he jumped really well. I’m not concerned about his jumping - he has a good technique.
D-Day for Limini:
If she’s going to run in the Champion Hurdle she will have to be supplemented tomorrow. I can’t imagine Willie will make a decision until he has to press the button.
She seems in good order, but I guess he will how she is in the morning before deciding whether or not to enter her.
It’s an open race and you can make a strong case for plenty. The New One and Yanworth are both rated lows 160s and that probably sets the standard.
Bellshill back in groove:
Bellshill fell on Sunday but he schooled this morning and seems fine.
It took us by surprise at the weekend. We were not expecting that, at schooling pace, but maybe he’s learnt from it and he seems none the worse.
These things happen and that’s why you have a novice season. It’s a learning curve and they are getting an education. Nobody is perfect and there are going to be mistakes along the way.
I guess Willie will monitor him until end of week and see how he goes.
Augusta Kate is brave, just like her dam:
It wasn’t over when Augusta Kate fell at the last at Naas on her latest start, when up against Death Duty.
I know Jack Kennedy thought he would have won anyway - he obviously felt he had quite a bit of horse underneath him - but I thought I was challenging and going to make a race of it if nothing else.
She has schooled really well since and it was only her second start over hurdles, so she’s entitled to improve for the experience.
She had a look at the second last and last, but that was just greenness. It was her first time off the bridle, really quickening, and she had a bit of daylight and was a bit green. You would have to factor in a bit of improvement - her schooling since has been very good.
I rode the dam and she was brave, and Augusta Kate does not lack for bravery either.
I think she is going to head down Albert Bartlett route and have another go at Death Duty.
Vroum Vroum and Douvan:
Jackie [Mullins] rides Vroum Vroum Mag at home all the time and is very happy with her. It was an underwhelming performance at Doncaster but hopefully she will go back to the Festival in the kind of form she was in last year.
Douvan? He’s in wonderful order, just doing what Douvan does.