13:20
Cheltenham
Odds correct as of 9:19am 16th Feb
Ruby Walsh was one of the best jockeys to ever ride around Cheltenham and no one has ridden more Festival winners than him. He’s a man that knows what he’s talking about and his opinion is well respected within the racing community. That’s why it could be worth taking note of this runner on the Tuesday as Walsh is convinced the horse is going into the winners’ enclosure. MyRacing will provide free tips for every race at the Cheltenham Festival so make sure you tune in!
The opening race of the Festival, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, is an unusual one thus far as there is no standout Willie Mullins-trained runner near the head of the market, but that could change as we get closer to the big day.
As things stand, Irish hopefuls will largely be placing their faith in Talk The Talk. Joseph O’Brien’s strong-travelling type should relish a Supreme test and will come late and fast. He’s a proven Grade 1 winner but he will require a good ride too. El Cairos will be aiming to continue Gordon Elliott’s incredible season and he’s a huge player if he can cut out the jumping errors.
However, Ruby Walsh is sweet on only one horse, and he said: “For the Supreme, without any great confidence – it looks a really good race – I think Old Park Star is the percentage call. I think El Cairos is a very good horse, but you can’t really suggest backing him at the price he is when he’s just won a maiden hurdle at Thurles. Fair enough, he was going to win at Leopardstown when he fell, but Old Park Star has achieved an awful lot more.”
If you back any of our selections you can watch them live on the free Racing Post app or racingpost.com. Simply log in to one of your bookmaker accounts and click ‘Watch live’ on the racecards.