Ruby Walsh on the Cheltenham Gold Cup: ‘He’s worth a punt each-way for me in a Gold Cup’

By irishracing.com news

On the first of this year’s Paddy Power’s ‘From The Horse’s Mouth’ podcast ‘Cheltenham Countdown’, host Tom Nugent together with former champion jockey turned tv pundit Ruby Walsh, and Rory Delargy, journalist and broadcaster, discussed the Gold Cup

A solid effort from Galopin Des Champs in the Savills Chase, Ruby?

Yeah it was a solid effort — we know a Gold Cup can be reclaimed, Kauto Star managed to do that so that stat can be broken. I

suppose at 10 is a slight negative maybe, if you look you’re thinking he has to be on the way in a little bit now.

But his comeback run in the Savills was a good effort, there’s no doubt about that, but it’s still the first time in his life he finished behind I Am Maximus and it was solid.

The DRF is going to be crucial — has he improved from it? You’re hoping he has, you’d imagine the run, fitness wise etc, would, but when you start in a Grade 1 three-mile chase, there’s also the worry what effect it has on you?

Do you bounce out of it and get over it, you’re hoping he has — the age, he hasn’t got the mileage on the clock, but when you start at the highest level, it can be hard to maintain it.

What did you think of the Savills as a piece of form?

The Savills Chase is a great race in its own right and Affordale Fury is the winner of the Savills Chase and he’s a Grade 1 winner as simple as that.

I think it was run at a very consistent pace — Sam Ewing went a very even gallop every step of the way.

I think when you look at Irish races, more so than English ones, that was the lowest finishing speed percentage for a Grade 1 three-mile chase in Ireland for quite a while.

Now it was still 102%, but that is Irish racing where it tends to be always finishing stronger than maybe a test that you get in the UK. But still to get down to 102% is low enough in Ireland.

When you think Affordale Fury had 102%, I think a lot of Galopin Des Champs’s winning percentage times there in Irish Gold Cups and Savills Chases were all over 106 up as far as 111 even 112%.

So it was a test of stamina, Affordale Fury had fitness on his side, jumped a bit to his right, I think I Am Maximus probably got involved a bit soon, jammed on at the second last and had to run hard to catch him back.

Whereas Galopin pinged the third last, pinged the second last, quickened to the bend — ultimately he got a bit tired, looked again after the last that maybe he had a chance when Affordale Fury and I Am Maximus ended up so wide on the track.

It was good comeback, but no I think the second and third can improve by Affordale Fury in three weeks’ time, let alone in March.

The King George?

I think it was the best finish I watched anyway and I think it was a great race to watch — what do you expect or want of any horserace?

And I think three of the first four are entitled to take their chance in the Gold Cup, there’s no doubt about it.

The Jukebox Man, funny watching him back in an Albert Bartlett, I wonder did he pull himself up more than he didn’t stay because he stopped so quick?

Jumped the last hurdle, passes the parade ring gate, he gets very lonely and Stellar Story nabs him on the line.

He never gives him a chance to rally does he, he got him so late. So I think he will stay and he looked like coming off third best in the King George when they jumped the last, yet he got himself back up and got himself back in front.

Jango Baie looked like he wanted to go a bit further, I know he’s an Arkle winner and it sounds ridiculous, but so too is Gaelic Warrior an Arkle winner and he wants to go a bit further.

They’re both Arkle winners and you’ve a couple of Gold Cup winners that were placed in Arkles — Kicking King and War Of Attrition so Arkles do produce Gold Cup horses, there’s no doubt about that.

I thought Jango Baie two different jumps in the straight might have seen him winning. Gaelic Warrior a better jump at the fourth last and if Paul hadn’t dropped and had to grab his whip, maybe still would have won, but that is splitting hairs blaming that for it.

But the mistake at the fourth last and a better gallop would have suited him. So I can see a case for all of them and I think they add to what is a very open Gold Cup.

But I could see all three of those taking their chances and making it even more difficult for all of us to decide which one you want to be with.

If you’re Paul Townend are you lobbying hard to get Gaelic Warrior into the Ryanair and ride the two of them?

No doubt I would be — whether it would work or not would be a completely different ball game.

Would that be an option or are connections gung ho for the Gold Cup?

I know he’s won a John Durkan, but it did look like stamina won him a John Durkan. And I think first time up horses can be fresher etc. It was two six when he won at Sandown, he won an Arkle.

There’s no reason it couldn’t be an option, but I’d have thought he’ll be heading for a Gold Cup. It would be the plan, it always was the plan and I don’t see any reason to change it.

But you’re right, if I was Paul Townend I would be trying my absolute best to split them up, no doubt. Of course he will, that’s human nature, — Paul Townend is thinking about the business that Paul Townend is running.

He wants to go to Cheltenham with as many good rides as he can have, but sometimes whilst Paul might be able to influence Willie in saying ‘well I think I’d like to ride A in the Supreme, B in the Turners and C in the Albert Bartlett’ when there were three novice chases, he might be able to separate them the best three that way, but when it gets to championship races it gets a bit harder.

Looking beyond the top of the market?

I would love to see Galopin Des Champs regain a Gold Cup and I most certainly wouldn’t be laying him. I do think Haiti Couleurs will put a shape on this race.

You’re going to have front runners here, you’re going to have a big field, I think a biggish field anyway, you’re going to have lots of competition and it will be a stamina test and I think one at a price who’s going to need a bit of luck to win, but I could see them running in the money is I Am Maximus.

I know he’s 10 which some people will say is too old, but I think on a different day, he may well have won the Savills Chase and I just think at the price, he’s worth a punt each-way for me in a Gold Cup where I think the bookmakers will get a result.

The winner?

I’m going to go for the forecast Galopin Des Champs to beat I Am Maximus. For the tricast Haiti Couleurs.

Gold Cup

Paddy Power: 11-2 Galopin Des Champs, 6 Inothewayurthinkin, 7 Jango Baie, The Jukebox Man, 8 Gaelic Warrior, 12 Grey Dawning, Haiti Couleurs, 20 Affordale Fury, 25 I Am Maximus, 33 Spindleberry, 40 bar