Ruby Walsh Racing Tips: My Best Bets for Down Royal on Friday

12:40 – FURY ROAD @ 4/5

The big jump meeting at Down Royal kicks off with this maiden hurdle. Gordon Elliott’s Fury Road, Tecumseh Sherman for Pat Martin and ridden by Davy Russell, and Face the Odds for Noel Meade and Sean Flanagan all make this a competitive race, but I’d go for Fury Road at 4/5 as Gordon likes the meeting and has a good record in this race.

13:10 – DAYLIGHT KATIE @ 3/10

If Gordon Elliott misses the target in the first I can’t see the same happening in the second. Daylight Katie is a very good mare, and I think she’ll take all the beating here. Emily Moon for Jessica Harrington will provide the opposition, but it’s all about Daylight Katie for me.

Down Royal Racing, Down Royal Racecourse, Co. Down 4/11/2017
The Tayto Group Maiden Hurdle
A view of the Down Royal Racecourse
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Presseye

13:45 – TRIPLICATE @ 9/2

Triplicate is a 141 rated horse, Coeur Sublime is 145 and Coko Beach is 142, so weights and ratings would suggest that this is one for Coeur Sublime, who was placed in the Triumph Hurdle. Coko Beach did place in the Fred Winter but Triumph Hurdle form would be far superior to that in my view.

But I also think four-year-olds are vulnerable at this time of year, so I’m going to go for Joseph O’Brien’s Triplicate, who was a good runner-up to Quick Grabim in the Royal Bond.

14:55 – SAMCRO @ 2/13

This is a beginners chase and while it’s not the biggest race on the card, it arguably sees the biggest horse in Samcro running today.
It’s a huge opportunity for Keith Donoghue and a great ride for him with Jack Kennedy out injured. Dortmund Park with Mark Enright on-board for Gordon Elliott presents the biggest danger, but if Samcro is going to be the horse he was supposed to be he has to be winning this.

16:05 – PENCILFULLOFLEAD @ 6/5

Rounding things off is the bumper. Noel Meade runs Powerful Ted and Gordon Elliott has Pencilfulloflead in this, and the second of those stands out for me at 6/5.