‘He could be ridiculous’ – Ruby Walsh’s fascinating Cheltenham Festival predictions

RUBY WALSH has revealed some fascinating Cheltenham Festival predictions – and a couple of horses he fancies at a price.

The legendary jockey sat down with Paddy Power to go through a number of big names.

Sportsfile

With the Festival less than two months away, the ante-post markets are really starting to mature as punters look to grab maximum value.

Facile Vega is one who punters have been piling into accas.

The Willie Mullins hurdler is unbeaten in six and odds-on for the Supreme, the curtain-raiser on Tuesday, March 14.

Walsh is deeply embedded in the Mullins’ camp and though he reckons the horse has loads more to offer, wouldn’t be touching him at his current 8-11 odds.

He said: “I wouldn’t oppose Facile Vega – there’s no way I’d back him at odds on, but I definitely wouldn’t be opposing him.

“He’s doing everything Willie has asked him to do, but I wouldn’t think he’s near turned the screw on him yet.

“He is in the Vautour mould. He has a huge cruising speed without having an electric turn of foot.”

Highlighting one he liked at big odds in the 2m hurdle, Walsh set his sights on a Gordon Elliott-trained Robcour runner.

He said: “There’s 25-1 available about Irish Point each-way – I think he could go there.

“He had a great run in the Royal Bond, he ran well behind Champ Kiely at Naas, I think for value that’s a big price. A strongly run two miles would probably really suit him.”

Walsh also hinted he would side with 6-1 Impaire Et Passe for the Ballymore, where Paul Nicholls’ Hermes Allen is currently the 5-2 fav.

And he said the current 12-1 about American Mike for the Albert Bartlett could be ‘ridiculous’ depending on what he does at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Revealing a few possible improvers, Walsh said: “American Mike looks a good price now or he could look a ridiculous price after the Dublin Racing Festival one way or the other.

“I would have said the same about the Nigel Twiston-Davies horse, I thought Weveallbeencaught is definitely an improver.

“And I think Dawn Rising could be the other one at a big price. The way he came home in Naas behind Champ Kiely, he looked to me like he needs to go further too.”

Paddy Power Cheltenham specials

Facile Vega (Supreme) & Hermes Allen (Ballymore) both to win was 5-1 now 11-2

Willie Mullins to train the winner of the Supreme, Ballymore & Albert Bartlett was 9-2 now 11-2

UK-trained horses to win the Supreme, Ballymore & Albert Bartlett was 16-1 now 20-1

Gordon Elliott-trained horses to place in the Supreme, Ballymore & Albert Bartlett (Standard Place Terms Apply) was 9-1 now 12-1

Irish-trained horses to win the Supreme, Ballymore & Albert Bartlett was 6-4 now 7-4

Hermes Allen to win the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle was 5-2 now 11-4

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