RUBY WALSH boasts a 25 per cent success rate in Ireland this season so statistically at least one of his four rides at Fairyhouse today should come out on top. It could be worth betting Cadspeed is that one.
The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old is returning after a year on the sidelines in the Beginners Chase but still looks an interesting contender in a field of 14.
Aitmatov, winner of the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle here in 2007, is back to the course and distance where he finished runner-up to Frisco Depot on New Year’s Day while Rathlin has always been highly rated by the Gigginstown team. The Shepherd is another with decent form having finished second to Gran Torino on St Stephen’s Day.
That’s a lot more recent form than Cadspeed has and the Mullins runner was an odds-on failure the last time he did run. But he put in a fine effort on his chasing debut last year behind Torpichen and something like that again would make him a dangerous opponent.
Our Monty is another Mullins runner returning to action, in this case not having run since winning the Cork National in November of 2009.
A watching brief may be the best option with him in the conditions hurdle and it could be another Walsh – Katie – who comes out best here on board the New Year’s Eve winner That’ll Do Me.
Tom Taaffe has booked Ruby Walsh for Heaney in the second of the maiden hurdles but the Leopardstown third faces a tough task here against Its The Ice I Like who failed by the minimum margin to Abou Ben at Navan last month.
Last season’s top bumper performer, Waaheb, who had been one of the favourites for Cheltenham’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, has been ruled out of the festival.
Runner-up to Lovethehigherlaw at Punchestown last season in the Champion Bumper, the Dermot Weld-trained Waaheb had yet to run over hurdles.
“Unfortunately Waaheb has had a few minor hold-ups and it will not be possible to give him an ideal preparation or a race before Cheltenham. Consequently, he will not be running at the festival,” Weld said yesterday.
