'It’s the one hurdle performance this year that you went ‘Jesus’'

The Cheltenham preview nights are in full swing as racing's fraternity cast an eye over all 28 races and attempt to find this year's winners.

Paddy Power hosted the Utlimate Cheltenham 2025 Preview Night on Monday featuring former jockey turned broadcaster Ruby Walsh, Racing TV’s Lydia Hislop, tipster Johnny Dineen and Irish trainer Tony Mullins, all hosted by Paddy Power Himself.

Brighterdaysahead in the Champion Hurdle, Ruby?

She blew me away in Leopardstown — I was watching it thinking, you’re going too fast, you’re going too fast, you’re going too fast the whole way and all of a sudden, they were going too fast for the pacemaker, he falls in a hole going to the third last, King Of Kingsfield, the next minute the mare picks up, heads on to the second last and away with her off the bend again.

You’re thinking — she can’t — and she did and she kept doing it. And down to the last, she’s a bit long and had a grab and ran all the way to the line.

Take out whatever way you read the race as in were the rest of them sharp enough at the start or why didn’t they follow her, when you just watch to me what she did, to me that was the best performance I saw over hurdles in Leopardstown in a long, long time.

It’s the one hurdle performance this year that you went ‘Jesus’.

Can you replicate that at Cheltenham?

No it’s a more undulating track so it’s whatever way you look at it, how far do you think King Of Kingsfield will bring Brighterdaysahead? How far do you think he needs to bring Brighterdaysahead?

I think King Of Kingsfield will bring her to the fourth last in the Champion Hurdle. She’ll take it off him as they rise up on to the top of the hill and it’ll be what the crowd want from there home — Nico will be on their tail, I hope two of Willie’s are right behind them and it’ll be whoever wins from there.

But I think you’ll have some running done when you get past her.

If you were riding would you replicate Leopardstown?

To an extent obviously the undulations in Cheltenham there are places where you have to up the ante and there are places where you have to slow a little bit, but I know when I went out to ride Annie Power, I was thinking about the way that Dawn Run was ridden.

She just went flat out from the word go and galloped them into the ground and I was hellbent on doing that on Annie Power and I think this mare could do the same thing. I just think she’s spectacular.

Selection:

Brighterdaysahead

Tuesday Nap

I’ll have to go for a price so I’ll go for Beyond Your Dreams [in the Fred Winter]. I think the obvious ones early in the card — Kopek Des Bordes [Supreme], Majborough [Arkle] but look if you’re going for something at some bit of a price.

Champion Chase

Solness?

Solness has improved out of all recognition but I think that’s just against the standard of two mile chasers that happens to be in Ireland. I think the two horses of Willie’s, Gaelic Warrior and Energumene, unless the Severn somehow reroutes and floods Cheltenham, I can’t see it being soft enough for either of them to win a Champion Chase.

And I think Jonbon is rock solid — I don’t necessarily buy the Cheltenham theory either, I actually would think Jonbon’s worst performance over fences, he was 16-1 on at Warwick when he beat Calico. That was actually his worst run over fences.

The twice he was beaten at Cheltenham, he went to the Supreme off a poor run in Haydock, he beat Richmond Lake, he went to the Arkle off a poor run in Warwick and he got beaten both years.

I think this year he’s going there off a good performance in the Clarence House and he beat Energumene. I think his runs this year have been better from beating Boothill in the Shloer, from beating Quilixios in the Tingle Creek to beating Energumene, he’s actually building all the way through the season.

I think he’s rock solid and I think he’ll win — I just think the opposition is not good enough to get near him.

Wednesday Nap

Copocabana [in the Champion Bumper]

Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle

I can’t find the one to beat Teahupoo and the race in Fairyhouse was a no race this year so as such he definitely hasn’t had a taxing season.

But I just can’t find a horse to beat him so I think therefore he’ll win.

Thursday Nap

I think it’s the hardest day, most handicaps, I think Jungle Boogie each-way in the Ryanair.

Cheltenham Gold Cup

If you’re riding Galopin Des Champs what are you worried about?

Bad luck, that’s all, now he doesn’t need good luck to win the race, he just needs average luck. Average luck, he’s the best horse, he’ll win the race, what you don’t want is bad luck.

So that’s what I think, he’s dead straightforward, he has a great mentality, great way of going, touch wood he’s a solid jumper, stays, has a turn of foot, pick a hole in him?

Friday Nap

Galopin Des Champs is the nap and I hope he wins but at 1-2 no-one’s going to want to hear that so Angels Dawn [in the Hunters’ Chase].