Ruby picks Unioniste & Champagne Fever

Ruby Walsh will partner Unioniste ahead of Boston Bob in Wednesday's RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Paul Nicholls confirmed that his stable jockey will stick with last month's Newbury winner at a post-racing Cheltenham Festival preview at Sandown on Saturday.

Reports surfaced on Twitter on Friday evening that Walsh had made his decisions over the intended runners of Nicholls and Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins, the pair between whom the rider splits his loyalties.

Nicholls confirmed: "Ruby will ride Unioniste and not Boston Bob. He's improved enormously and the soft ground will help him well. He's got a good chance and Ruby is very keen on him."

However, Nicholls has lost the services of Walsh for Dodging Bullets in the opening event of the Festival, the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, confirming that the rider would instead partner Champagne Fever for Mullins.

"It was his decision and the ground made up his mind," said the trainer, who nevertheless reported that Dodging Bullets had "worked great" on Saturday morning.