Un De Sceaux© Photo Healy Racing
Ruby Walsh expects Un De Sceaux's new career to get off to a lively start in the Killinan Beginners' Chase at Thurles tomorrow.
The trailblazing six-year-old is already one of the favourites for the Arkle at Cheltenham in March, without ever having jumped a fence in public.
His Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Vautour made a breathtaking debut over fences on Sunday and the pair look to be two of the most exciting recruits to chasing for some time.
Un De Sceaux is unbeaten since joining Mullins from France, and returned there to win two big races at the end of the last National Hunt season.
He has a big fan club due to his style of racing, which seems to be to set off as fast as he can and maintain the gallop to the finish, something Walsh does not expect to change now he goes over fences.
Walsh told Racing UK: "I imagine it will be fast and furious as he likes to get on with it.
"His schooling has been pretty much like Vautour's and hopefully he can do the same when he goes to the track.
"You're a bit of a passenger on his back, but I was quite taken with the way he jumped hurdles in Auteuil and so was Barry Geraghty (who rode him to win in March), obviously they are bigger than the hurdles in England and Ireland.
"The way he jumped at Auteuil, you'd say fences won't be a problem. In fairness to him, as keen as he is, he is quite intelligent so hopefully he'll be the same (over fences).
"The trip should be fine."
Mullins would rather be starting him over over the minimum distance rather than two and a quarter miles but due to a lack of options feels his hand is being forced.
"It's over two and a quarter miles, but it's a case of getting them all out at the moment. There are not that many races after that up to Christmas," he said.
Un De Sceaux faces 15 rivals, including stablemate Blood Cotil, who finished second to the highly-regarded Gilgamboa earlier in the month.
