Ruby Walsh, decisions, decisions

Euronymous said:
If NYE doesn't go on the soft why was the bellend running him on it?
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Nothing against running a horse on bad ground, handicapper will drop it a few lbs as well, where's the problem? how much did you lose on the yolk? whinging about it running on soft, the information is there for you to use.

Where's the trainer going to find good ground in this weather? when it arrives, the horse will probably be unfit..

if you had a horse that needs 2m2f in a class 4 with good ground, you couldn't run it in those conditions for every run of its life, why? well you'd either be run out of it by the handicapper or be limited to about 5 career starts in 5 years.
 
sunybay said:
I find funny how people think quevega is going to win the mares races for ten years.

I can imagine the face of mullins if quevega loses and annie is not running in the mares races, ricci has zaidpour for the stayers and mullins also has Boston bob in what looks a week edition.
With mullins having the Hurricane and un de sceaux for the champion, it is quite easy for him to run the 2 mares in the mares race, with the addition they are in different ownership and having Townnend as second jockey.


About Ruby riding Big Bucks , i think it is possible if he is transfered to willie mullins this month:ninja:
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I suggest a New Year's resolution for you - pay attention to the facts rather than your own entrenched opinions.

1 Nicholls and Stewart are both recorded as it being likely that the ride Big Buck's will be offered to Walsh - but that " no decision had been made as to who would be riding him " .

2 The Mullins horses , with the exception of Annie Power do not have a hope in hell on form of troubling Big Buck's if he retains his form .

3 As far as I am aware there is no formal contractual retainer between Mullins and Walsh . Walsh gave up the Nicholls job but otherwise his relationship with the Mullins yard remains the same and he would not be bound to ride Zaidpour or Boston Bob instead of Big Buck's .

That does not of course mean that Walsh will ride Big Buck's in the World Hurdle - he may not have retained his form or Annie power may run and he may decide to ride her . To be so adamant as you are on the basis of no evidence is plainly foolish.
 
FrogTheBountyMuncher said:
What has New Years Eve got to do with him becoming the biggest operation in the country? He's got more financial support in Hamdan than all of the NH put together, he just needs to show that he can provide a good financial model.

New Years Eve has no form on soft ground, he can't run on it.
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Hamdan, what are you talking about?
 
Big Bucks

first of all he was a great horse
the % he is back to his level if he would not have been injured is quite low for me and after an injury is lower,

horses as good as him were not able to win more than 2 and he has won 4.

Nicholls looks a shrew man and to put Ruby on Big Bucks would not be confidence boost for Jacob, if he is back to his best even Scudamore could win on him so it doesnt have too much sense to put Ruby on him.

Ruby has made a good move going to Mullins , with the stable being the most dominant in Europe and with Townnend on his shadow.


Quevega
good mare too, last years was not impressive and another year older is not a positive, the percentage call is that she will lose.

Ricci is investing quite a lot of money and has an impressive stable, he can win with a novice a race but the rest of older horses have not a great chance in the Festival, Annie Power can have a chance in the World Hurdle but time is on her side and the logical move would be the mares race.
 
Ruby Walsh or David Russel should go and work for John Ferguson, his operation in 10 years time will be the biggest in the country,
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I thought the business model was to spend a sh*t load of money and cross your fingers.

I really don't think he's achieved what was expected two years ago, even if it was a hobby. I know it takes time, but not a sign if him spending big on long term chasing types, even though it is early days.


“Training is my fun. I can pretend it’s a business but it’s not, though these things are fun only if they’re done well – we have always been ambitious.”
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FrogTheBountyMuncher said:
He gets all his horses from Shiekh Hamdan Al Maktoon.
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He gets the majority from Sheikh Mohammed, not Hamdan, but Sheikh Mohammed doesn't own them and has no input into the stable so him having more money than all of jumps racing makes no difference. He won't be 'the biggest jumps operation in the country' either as he has about 50 boxes and isn't planning on expanding.

He has also started buying stores as he wants to get away from the flat types because his ambition is to win the big chases.
 
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Nicholls looks a shrew man and to put Ruby on Big Bucks would not be confidence boost for Jacob, if he is back to his best even Scudamore could win on him so it doesnt have too much sense to put Ruby on him.
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It sounds as if Andy Stewart is expressing a preference.

Quevega
good mare too, last years was not impressive
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She stumbled at a crucial point at the top of the hill and got shuffled well back in a big field. I think the amount of ground she made up on the winner was impressive. Having said that, she's 10 so one would think that age should be starting to catch up with her.
 
Muttley said:
It sounds as if Andy Stewart is expressing a preference.



She stumbled at a crucial point at the top of the hill and got shuffled well back in a big field. I think the amount of ground she made up on the winner was impressive. Having said that, she's 10 so one would think that age should be starting to catch up with her.
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She then cantered all over Reve di Sivola with Zaidpour 30 lengths behind at Punchestown and achieved her highest OR as a result . She also has very few miles on the clock so may still be as good as ever. I find the idea that they would put her record at risk by running Annie Power very unlikely.
 
I find some of the responses laughable tbh. Willie didn't send her to Cheltenham on New Years Day for fun, and after a win like that she won't wait for Aintree or Punchestown. He'll also run her in the race they believe is her best trip and best chance of a win. Ricci has no interest whatsoever in Hurricane Fly, Quevega, Boston Bob, et al, and is unlikley to step aside for other owners. Given Ricci's the biggest spending owner in the yard I would doubt Willie would even contemplate anything else. For what it's worth I think Willie and Ricci will send her to the Champion Hurdle, and Un des Sceaux is the one most likely to go to Aintree.

It that's the case there's no decision for Ruby to make in the Mares. As for the World Hurdle, Ruby may ask permission to ride Big Bucks, and then take a temparature read as he won't risk upsetting a big owner in the Mullins yard who may bring him further success at the highest level.
 
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I think its funny to think that Willie Mullins learned anything about his mare on the back of the run. It would appear at this stage that her ideal distance is 2m4f.
 
Euronymous said:
I'd like to think actual training ability might count for something. If NYE doesn't go on the soft why was the bellend running him on it?
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and why was he never put in the race. it was blatent cheating. Horse was never at any time asked to get involved.
 
Annie Power has no chance in the CH. World Hurdle is the trip for her on typical march ground.
 
It's more experience for the horse traveling across the water and experience at the track. It gives Mullins more confidence that she'll handle the trip should they decide to bring her to the festival.
 
Ardross said:
I suspect suny is wrong on all counts .

Annie Power will not run in the race to deprive Quevega of the six timer which would make her the first ever to win a Festival race six times .

He will not desert Hurricane Fly for her in the Champion.

He will ride Big Buck's if he comes through the Cleeve.
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Why would Ruby get the chance to ride Big Bucks. Stable jockey gets the ride. PFN has already stated that. If Mullins has any runners in the World Hurdle Ruby has a contract to ride one of those.
 
Well Ive not seen the contract with my own eyes. But he is retained by Mullins for Mullins. Not for Stewart or Nicholls. If Mullins has anything in the World Hurdle he'll ride that. IMHO ofcourse. :)
 
Digger said:
Well Ive not seen the contract with my own eyes. But he is retained by Mullins for Mullins. Not for Stewart or Nicholls. If Mullins has anything in the World Hurdle he'll ride that. IMHO ofcourse. :)
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Are you sure Ruby is retained by Mullins?
 
well there are about a dozen articles that mention it.. but as i say I dont know if anything is official in writing.


"Having left the job as Paul Nicholls' stable jockey to spend more time back home in Ireland where he has a retainer with Willie Mullins"
 
A quote of note from Ruby after Annie Powers win,

*"This trip (two and a half miles) is not a bother for her, but where she will run at the Festival is a decision for Willie and Willie only'
 
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