With a huge Saturday and Sunday of racing ahead at the Dublin Racing Festival in Leopardstown, we thought it was only right to have our ambassador Ruby Walsh sit down and enlighten the masses on what to expect from this weekend.
We brought the legendry jockey to the plush surroundings of The Westbury Hotel just off Dublin’s St Stephen’s Green yesterday to saddle up with the assembled media ahead of the massive festival.
The champion jockey didn’t hurdle any questions and was ready from the off! Subjects like Faugheen’s hopes, the chances of Willie Mullins retaining the Champion Trainer title, the lack of British involvement and what this inaugural Dublin Racing Festival will bring, were all on the table and nothing was off limits for our Ruby.
Here’s some highlights Match of the Day would be proud of!
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Faugheen
After an inexplicable bad day at the office over Christmas at Leopardstown, Faugheen is back to try and make two wins in three years in the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle.
Ruby though was having none of the doubters and believes the way to go is to ride as if the last outing “never happened”.
Dublin Racing Festival
With this being the first running of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, there’s a lot of intrigue about what the punters will make of the festival.
Walsh for his part feels the Irish sporting public will leap at the chance for two great of horse racing.
Missing British challengers
Questions have been asked as to why some many of Britian’s racing hopefuls have decided to shy away from the weekend’s festivities.
Ruby for his part, doesn’t believe the proximity to the upcoming Cheltenham Festival is a factor.
Willie Mullins v Gordon Elliott
Over €600,000 separates Gordon Elliott from Willie Mullins at the top of the Irish Champion Trainer stakes and Mullins needs some luck at the Dublin Racing Festival if he’s to have any hope of bridging that gap.
When asked, Walsh was clearly a believer that Mullins can reel in that gap.