Ruby Walsh's Cheltenham Festival fancies before November meet

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13 November 2023

Ruby Walsh's Cheltenham Festival fancies before November meet

*Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost prices which means that if your selection does not run in the race for whatever reason – you will lose your stake under traditional Antepost rules

Ahead of the Paddy Power Cheltenham November meeting, we’ve got another Punters’ Panel for you lucky lot.

Ruby Walsh, Johnny Dineen and Frank Hickey have been asked some of the biggest questions ahead of the Cheltenham November meeting as well as who to follow before next March’s extravaganza.

The mighty Ruby Walsh, our top trader Frank Hickey and pro punter Johnny Dineen gathered to tackle some of your burning questions ahead of the November Meeting.

Ruby, who also discussed the Paddy Power Gold Cup ahead of Saturday’s showpiece, was quizzed on a horse he likes that isn’t from the Willie Mullins, Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls yards.

The ex-National Hunt champion jockey talked up Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s Iroko, who has won on four of his last five starts, and could go for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase or the Turners Novices’ Chase next year.

He said: “Iroko, the winner of the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, is the one to watch.

“He won on his seasonal reappearance at Warwick in November and he could be in for a decent season.”

Ruby has a long affiliation with the Willie Mullins yard and they’ll be both looking forward to El Fabiolo’s run at next year’s Festival in March.

The six-year-old won the Arkle ahead of Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon earlier this year and many are expecting the pair to go head-to-head once again.

When asked who might emerge from lower down in the market to challenge El Fabiolo in the two-mile chasing division, Ruby admitted it seems a two-horse race in the Champion Chase.

He added: “[Dysart Dynamo?] What’s he taken now – two tired falls at Cheltenham, one as a hurdler, one as a chaser. I’m not so sure the undulations of Cheltenham really suit him.

“To me it’s El Fabiolo versus Jonbon, maybe Gentleman De Mee if he got a good rub of the green through the year could be the one – he’s a Grade 1 winner at two miles but I think you’re right, there’s not massive strength in depth in that division and with a bit of luck you’ll still get a good clash if El Fabiolo and Jonbon can get there unbeaten.”

WATCH RUBY, FRANK AND JONNY IN OUR LATEST PUNTERS PANEL FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH PODCAST SPECIAL BELOW

The Cross Country Chase is also a major feature at the Cheltenham festival. It’s run over 3m6f and the runners face unique fences and obstacles in the endurance-testing race.

When Ruby was asked for an ante-post fancy for the Cross Country Chase, he reckons it’s between a Gordon Elliott runner or potentially Willie Mullins’ Stattler.

He said: “I can see exactly why Johnny has nailed it and thinks the winner might come from Gordon Elliott’s yard but can I think of anything going in that direction from Willie Mullins?

“Maybe something that has lost its way like a Stattler but he’d even qualify for hunter chases at this stage so I don’t know.”