Horse Racing Tips: Ruby Walsh’s best ante-post bets at Leoparstown on Saturday

The Irish Champion Stakes (3.20pm) kick-starts the Irish Champions Festival on Saturday and Ruby has a couple of likely players in the ante-post markets.

Ruby Walsh Leopardstown Flat

By / Horse Racing Tips / 10 months ago

Ruby Walsh’s Horse Racing Tips

3.20pm: Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes
Al Riffa
Onesto

3.55pm: Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes
Inspiral
Tahiyra

*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

3.20pm: Irish Champion Stakes

If you pushed me for a three-year-old to watch, I’d probably be going with Al Riffa. I was slightly disappointed with him at The Curragh behind Mashhoor but he stepped forward considerably from that run when he went to Deauville to chase home Ace Impact. He’s priced just about right for Joseph O’Brien.

I fancy Onesto too. I thought he ran a cracker here last year where Leopardstown was used as a stepping stone for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. He was second behind Luxembourg,  (where Vadeni looked unlucky) but Onesto didn’t perform on soft ground at Longchamp after that and then went to Tokyo, where it was one run too many at the end of a long season. He only had one run since, behind Inspiral at Deauville last month so it looks like connections are up for a good crack at the Irish Champion Stakes on Saturday.

Maybe I’m looking for reasons to justify him as my picks but that’s the theory I’m sticking with. The prep in Deauville behind Inspiral should leave him spot on for this assignment.

King Of Steel is interesting but Onesto and Al Riffa look better value.

Selections: Onesto. Next best: Al Riffa / King of Steel.

3.55pm: Matron Stakes

Inspiral was very good at Deauville on her last start. Frankie rushed her up in Goodwood on the outside of Paddington down the hill while he was trying to get to the stand rail. He just made his move too early. She was beaten at Ascot behind Triple Time before that but won well in France last time. She looks a value play.

Tahiyra has overcome muddling tactics this year already. At Royal Ascot it was a messy race and she ended up in last place before coming home well to win. In the Newmarket 1,000 Guineas she had a terrible draw and was only just denied. Chris Hayes then rode her with incredible confidence to win the Irish 1,000 Guineas, so she can get herself out of sticky positions .

The more I think about it – I’m not going to oppose her.

Ger Lyons’ Zarinsk is going to make it from that start and sit in front. How fast Colin Keane goes will depend on who sits second and pushes her forward, but it could suit Dernot Weld’s Tahiyra, who is hard to get away from as the form pick.

Ante-post Selection: Tahiyra. Next best: Inspiral.

Ruby Walsh’s Ante-post Leopardstown Tips

3.20pm: Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes
Al Riffa
Onesto

3.55pm: Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes
Inspiral
Tahiyra

*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

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