Paddy Power ambassador Ruby Walsh expects Ramilles to run well in the closing Weatherbys Champion Bumper on Wednesday.
He was speaking to Paddy Power himself offer up the second edition of Paddy Power Media’s tipping podcast ‘From The Horse’s Mouth’ for Cheltenham week.
- You can hear the Podcast in full right here
Here are Ruby’s tips and his thoughts on all of the second day’s races:
1.20 Ballymore Novices Hurdle Bob Olinger
"Yeah seven [runners] – where have all the horses gone I suppose? Bob Olinger he’s skinny now at 7-4 [15-8 now], but the problem is seven runners so there’s no each-way value any more either. So I have been a Bob Olinger fan all year and it will be interesting to see how he gets on here. I thought his run Naas when he beat Blue Lord is stronger than Gaillard Du Mesnil’s run at the Dublin Festival when he beat Gentlemansgame so I just think Bob Olinger for me."
1.55 Brown Advisory Novices Chase Monkfish
“Oh I think Monkfish is top-class. I’m lucky enough to have ridden him a few times at home and there’s so much to like about him. There’s nothing to dislike about him and look a bit like I thought for Shishkin on Tuesday, I just think doesn’t need bad luck – as long as he doesn’t have bad luck, he’ll win.”
2.30 Coral Cup Birchdale
"And another one I gave a mention to and I’m back to it now is Birchdale – he was eighth in the race last year but he came only off one prep run last year and that had been in the previous November in Ascot. He’s coming into this year’s race, he’s had a run in November at Catterick where he unseated, he was last in a novice chase in Newbury and then went to Kempton where he finished third – that was in a jumper bumper race, but he has three runs under his belt and therefore should have the fitness in the clock, ran well last year. I’m going to go for Birchdale."
3.05 Queen Mother Champion Chase Chacun Pour Soi
"No there isn’t [any reason why Chacun Pour Soi won’t take to Cheltenham] and I probably had a different mentality – I always went out thinking horses would handle everything and horses were good jumpers and horses were good horses until they’re proved otherwise to me. I never looked for the negative before I started so I don’t see why he won’t handle Cheltenham. I know he’s a nine-year-old but he’s lightly enough raced, I think his form has been the best two-mile form on offer for 18 months now and I think he’ll take all the beating. Nube Negra Spanish pedigree – good winner around Kempton, can he climb the hill here, only time will tell. Politologue won an ordinary race last year and got ran over at Ascot by First Flow, no I think Chacun Pour Soi – I just can’t find a horse to beat him."
3.40 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase Easysland
"[Why does Felix De Giles ride Easysland and not Jonathan Plouganou] I do not know – I was just going to comment on that myself. I don’t know, but Felix has a pretty good record around Cheltenham himself – he rode a winner here for Emmanuel Clayeux last year. He was formerly based with Nicky Henderson, I don’t know if Jonathan Plouganou is injured or suspended, that I don’t know, has he failed a COVID test, I don’t know. Could be any one of load of reasons I presume. I think Easysland will win – I just didn’t see enough from Tiger Roll in Navan from the third last hurdle home to tell me he was in good form and I don’t think the rain on Monday will have suited Tiger Roll. So I do fancy Easysland."
4.15 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase Chosen Mate
"I was hoping The Shunter would turn up here but he hasn’t and the one I fancy is Chosen Mate. He’s 9lb higher than he was last year when he bolted in, Jordan Gainford claims 7lb off him, brings that back down to a 2lb penalty really, but that’s not true because claimers claim for a reason, but this is a good young man to ride and I thought with the ease that which he won under the one that won the race in it last year looks to me like he’s been laid out for it again this year."
4.50 Weatherbys Champion Bumper Ramillies
"Yeah look we don’t know much about Sir Gerhard. We’ve only had him a fortnight, he’s a lovely looking horse, he looks well, he looks plenty fit, his form is rock solid and he’s now trained by Willie Mullins. Rachael Blackmore rides him, Paul Townend rides Kilcruit and they’re two very good horses. Kilcruit was good at the Dublin Racing Festival, but I think that race collapsed and going for a bit of value here, I’m going to go for Ramillies. I think he’s improved a lot since the Dublin Racing Festival, he’s 12 or 14-1 [12-1], Bryan Cooper takes the ride in Joe Donnelly’s colours, I’m going to go for Ramillies to tell you the truth. Look all we could do with Sir Gerhard is basically maintain his work, just keep his lungs open, keep him healthy, keep him well."
"All you can do – you can’t get a horse fit in a fortnight. What you can do is take the edge off him and leave whatever chance he would help in Cheltenham at home on the gallops in Closutton. All you can do is too much so you just keep their pipes open, keep ticking along and hope for the best. That’s why you don’t know – how do you know, you can’t just go out, the first morning he came was two weeks’ ago so you have to let him get used to the surrounding s and the gallop and then you’re only a week away from Cheltenham by the time that happens and you can’t give them a race a week out from a race so unfortunately you have to sit and suffer."
Nap: Ramillies each-way in the bumper
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