Ruby Walsh, decisions, decisions

Last edited:
Did anyone else hear the clue Ruby gave on C4? He said she handled the track well "even though it was the new course". This suggests that they might have the Champion Hurdle as their main target i.e the old course...The commentators pointed this out.
 
Can someone please explain the difference between the old and new course? Is the Ch H always run on the old course or does it change from year to year??
 
moehat said:
Can someone please explain the difference between the old and new course? Is the Ch H always run on the old course or does it change from year to year??
Click to expand...

Old course is used for first 2 days of the festival moehat, new course is last 2 days.

On the new course most of the hurdles are jumped earlier than on the old course with 2 hurdles over the last 7f

cheltenham.gif


cheltenham%20(new%20course).gif
 
Last edited:
Bar the Bull said:
Couple of points, Digger.

PFN has also stated that the owner has expressed a desire for Ruby or AP for Big Buck's.
Click to expand...

Well it looks like it will be Ruby, we all know AP can't ride superstar horses, just look at Denman who was a point and shoot job..Not to forget losing in the KG on Kauto Star, 19 lengths to Long Run seriously?
 
Last edited:
Thanks granger. Another daft question [something the S.O. and I have pondered over for years]. When they move fences around, why doesn't it leave lots of areas of false ground?
 
FrogTheBountyMuncher said:
Well it looks like it will be Ruby, we all know AP can't ride superstar horses, just look at Denman who was a point and shoot job..Not to forget losing in the KG on Kauto Star, 19 lengths to Long Run seriously?
Click to expand...

AP's record on Big Buck's 2 out of 2 both in a canter .
 
"We will have other runners in World Hurdle and Daryl may ride Zarkandar or Celestial Halo." Paul Nicholls in The Times
 
The four-time Ladbrokes World Hurdle winner has been on the sidelines since December 2012 but is nearing a return to action in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham later this month.

Trainer Paul Nicholls has flown to the Caribbean to discuss riding plans with Stewart and told The Times that the situation is "not as straightforward as people seem to think."

Ruby Walsh and Tony McCoy are the only two jockeys to have ridden the 11 year old since the Hennessy Gold Cup in 2008 but both riders have commitments elsewhere.

"This is not just any horse," Nicholls told the newspaper. "Ruby knows him inside out and if he was available right through, we'd be mad not to have him but he works for Willie Mullins now, so he can't commit and neither can AP."

Daryl Jacob is the new number one at the Ditcheat stable but Nicholls revealed that he is not guaranteed to come in for the ride.

"We will have other runners in the World Hurdle and, as Daryl has been very successful on both Zarkandar and Celestial Halo, he might ride one of them," he added.

The answer to the question may soon be resolved but there are no such problems for Big Buck's with Nicholls pleased with how his stable star's preparation.

"He's done lots of graft and Rose [Loxton], who rides him every day, says he feels no different to two years ago."
Click to expand...

fairly sure pumpkin didn't need to fly all the way to the carribean to chat about jockey arrangements :lol:
 
Big Buck's' owner Andy Stewart insists there are many names in the hat to discuss with trainer Paul Nicholls before deciding which jockey will get the call-up for the ride on the supreme staying hurdler.
Nicholls will consider possible plans with Stewart in Barbados this week, with Big Buck's set to return from absence in the Cleeve Hurdle back at Cheltenham on January 25.
Now 11, the gelding was prevented from bidding for a fifth straight Ladbrokes World Hurdle and continuing his sequence of 18 unbeaten hurdling runs with a leg injury, but he completed a racecourse gallop at Exeter last month and is expected to undertake another one before his reappearance.
With Ruby Walsh, on board for 16 of those successes, no longer Nicholls' jockey and Tony McCoy, who deputised the other two times, likely to be claimed for a JP McManus runner, interest is increasing.
"I'm looking forward to talking it over with Paul with a rum punch," said Stewart.
"Paul has obviously got Daryl Jacob, Nick (Scholfield) and he can use Sam Twiston-Davies as long as his father hasn't got any runners in there, so there are lots of options.
"Ruby might decide he wants to ride Big Buck's and not Annie Power, or Annie Power might go for the mares' race or the Champion Hurdle instead.
"Daryl has done very well with Celestial Halo both at Auteuil and at Newbury and I'm happy for Paul to make the decision.
"After all, I thought it was an absurd idea when he decided to run the horse over hurdles after he unseated Sam Thomas in the Hennessy.
"The one thing I can say is we won't be hiding it under a bushel and whoever's riding him in the Cleeve will be lined up to riding him in the World Hurdle."
 
Mullins wouldn't hesitate to put Townend on Annie Power, if - somewhat unlikely as it seems (imo) - Walsh chose to ride Big Buck's. I don't think his decision will make a difference to whether AP runs in the Stayers or not.
 
Grasshopper said:
Mullins wouldn't hesitate to put Townend on Annie Power, if - somewhat unlikely as it seems (imo) - Walsh chose to ride Big Buck's. I don't think his decision will make a difference to whether AP runs in the Stayers or not.
Click to expand...

I am sure you are right about that but the question is whether Walsh will feel bound to ride Annie Power anyway. I am sure he would be let off if Boston Bob , Mourad or Zaidpour were the Mullins runners .
 
Back
Top