Cheltenham preview: Ruby Walsh on the Sky Bet Supreme

The former rider was speaking on Paddy Power Media’s popular ‘From The Horse’s Mouth’ podcast ‘Cheltenham Countdown’ where he was joined by Rory Delargy and host Patrick Kennelly.

When asked what he thought of the unbeaten six-year-old's win in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle the former jockey said: "I thought he was very good at Fairyhouse in a pretty bog standard maiden hurdle, he couldn’t have been any more impressive than he was, we know how good a bumper horse he was last season and David Porter rides him every morning at home, he’s very happy with him.

"He looks well – I thought he was workmanlike more than spectacular at Leopardstown at Christmas, but he got the job done and he made a mistake or two. I was glad to see him do that, he’ll improve for that. I don’t really love to see novices going there absolutely foot perfect because somewhere along the way, they’re going to get it wrong.

"You like to see them have made a mistake and learnt how to deal with it before they get there. He made two at Christmas, he’ll have learnt from that himself, he’ll improve from it and knowing Willie the horse will improve too. So he’ll have had him ready enough to win his maiden hurdle, he’ll have improved a little bit to Christmas, he’ll have him better again by the Dublin Racing Festival with the aim of being better by March. So look he’s doing everything Willie has asked him to do, but I wouldn’t think he’s near turned the screw on him yet."

So how does Facile Vega compare to Willie’s seven previous winners of the Sky Bet Supreme?

"I don’t know – I’ve never sat on him and a lot of them are different horses," he said.

"Champagne Fever was a stayer, Ebaziyan was out of left field, Tourist Attraction was before my time, Douvan was a much faster horse than Vautour who was a galloper. Klassical Dream, he was more in the Vautour mould, he was a high-cruising speed, pace horse who didn’t have a turn of foot, Douvan had the turn of foot.

"What does Facile Vega look like to me -probably more Klassical Dream, Vautour, Champagne Fever mould in that he has a huge-cruising speed without having an electric turn of foot."

Stablemate Impaire Et Passe won the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown over the weekend - so what did Walsh make of the display?

"He was really impressive. I thought he showed a good turn of foot, he beat The Model Kingdom, I didn’t think it was a frantically run race. I think the mare in front of Gordon’s Shecouldbeanything didn’t attack her hurdles whereas Impaire Et Passe getting a lead was all the time jumping by her.

"He jumped brilliantly, quickened up really well, had a look at the last and gave it a bit of height and he was too good for The Model Kingdom which to be a Grade 1 novice hurdler, he would have to have been. I thought he was really impressive, but I just wouldn’t assume he goes Supreme after watching it.

"Mikael D’Haguenet also won that race and went Ballymore so he’s a relaxed individual, he looks like he’d be an easy horse to ride be it two/two and a half. He has a great way of going and I’d say his destination is up in the air or his target even."

Mullins has other strings to his Supreme bow and Walsh fears the biggest danger lies in Ireland. Of what else could run from the Closutton team he added: "Il Etait Temps I would have thought was one who chased home Facile Vega at Leopardstown at Christmas and obviously then what comes out of the Dublin Racing Festival, whatever he chooses to run in that two-mile novice hurdle you know providing they get close enough or they look like they have a reason to maybe turn the form with Facile Vega, whoever wins at the Dublin Racing Festival.

"Not too many of them will have enough runs to qualify for handicaps so that won’t be an option for too many of them. A lot will depend on what happens at the Dublin Racing Festival. You say to me look at the English challenge – looking back at Christmas the biggest challenge could come from within Ireland – come from Joseph’s and that would be High Definition.

"I was impressed enough with him at Christmas anyway. His jumping was not great, but he was in front, he was making the running, he was having a good look.

"Look beating Jetara’s probably not good enough to win at Cheltenham but I thought there was a lot to like about the way High Definition did it – you’re assuming you’re going to get another look at him, but he’s a high-rated Flat horse, he does need to brush up on his jumping but maybe a better race getting a lead will help with that and I thought he won quite snugly and you can’t knock any horse that goes and wins first time over hurdles."

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.