Leading Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle fancy Irish Point

Cheltenham Festival tips: Ruby Walsh on the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Thu January 25, 2024 · 2y ago

Ruby Walsh would ride Irish Point over Teahupoo in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle in March - and feels both should run.

They represent Gordon Elliott and owners Robcour and speaking on the Cheltenham Countdown on Paddy Power Media’s From The Horse’s Mouth podcast alongside host Tom Nugent and Rory Delargy, the pundit said: "I don’t have an inside line, I don’t know but I do believe if it was me they’d both run. I couldn’t be honest with myself and say ‘well, I don’t need to run Irish Point because Teahupoo will win’.

"I don’t think you could be that confident so I’d be for a backup plan and I’d be having a couple of darts in my pocket so I would run the two of them. I know if they were mine they would both take their chance.

"I’d probably ride Irish Point – Teahupoo has tried and failed, go with Irish Point. Go with the unknown rather than the known maybe. I do think Teahupoo is a better horse on soft ground. I know people from within the camp are saying not and they have to believe that, but I think his best form is with cut in the ground."

"HE'S A HUGE PLAYER AT 40/1" | Cheltenham Countdown Ep 3 | Ruby Walsh | Rory Delargy | Stayers'

Willie Mullins has Impaire Et Passe and Sir Gerhard prominent in the betting but Walsh doesn't expect the former to run in the Stayers'.

"I’d be surprised if Impaire Et Passe were to go up to three miles. To me he hasn’t raced like a three miler this year, I’d be surprised if he wasn’t kept at this shorter distance," he said.

"Sir Gerhard won at Punchestown on New Year's Eve, first run over hurdles for a long time, two and a half miles and went and got the job done and has to prove that he stays. Providing he stays in one piece he’ll line up, but just does he stay or not, it’s an unknown. He’s tried it over fences, he hasn’t tried it over hurdles – he should stay but I couldn’t guarantee you that he’s going to stay."

And what of defending champion Sire Du Berlais?

"It’s just that I kind of have it in my head that maybe he’s a horse that improves for a run but he hasn’t been seen. It’s back in November 2020 when he beat French Dynamite in the Lismullen the last time that he won first time up so he’s getting older. Like anyone get older, we get a bit slower, get a bit cuter, harder to get fitter and it will be a great training performance if he can go there without a run and win," Walsh said.

"Maybe he runs in the Boyne Hurdle. If he was to run in the Boyne and Cheltenham, would I discount him for Aintree or Punchestown? He could be interesting then."

Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle odds with the sponsors: 4 Teahupoo, Theleme, 5 Irish Point, 8 Crambo, Impaire Et Passe, 12 Sir Gerhard, 20 Paisley Park, Sire Du Berlais, 25 Blazing Khal, Champ, 33 Home By The Lee, Janidil, Noble Yeats, 40 Ahoy Senor, Ashdale Bob, Dashel Drasher, Nurse Susan, Thedevilscoachman, West Balboa, 50 Asterion Forlonge, Ballyadam, Beacon Edge, Flooring Porter, Nemean Lion, Third Wind, 66 Botox Has, Flight Deck, Good Time Jonny, Langer Dan, Monkfish, Shanbally Kid, 100 Bold Endeavour, Buddy One, Da Capo Glory, Millers Bank, Proschema

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