Cheltenham Tips: Ruby Walsh's picks for the Stayers' Hurdle

*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.

Ruby Walsh’s Stayers’ Hurdle picks

Irish Point
Ahoy Senor (each way)

In the third of this year’s Paddy Power Media’s ‘From The Horse’s Mouth’ podcast ‘Cheltenham Countdown’, host Tom Nugent together with former champion jockey turned tv pundit Ruby Walsh and well-known journalist and broadcaster Rory Delargy, look at the Stayers’ Hurdle on day two of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.

RUBY WALSH

Teahupoo is at the top of the market and cut in the ground is essential for him. He’s a better horse on soft ground. I know people from within the camp are saying he’s not, but his best form is with cut in the ground.

Gordon Elliott also has Irish Point and I fancy them both to run. I don’t have an inside line, I don’t know for certain, but if it was me, they’d both run. I couldn’t honestly say, ‘well I don’t need to run Irish Point because Teahupoo will win’. I don’t think you could be that confident so I’d be for a back-up plan. I’d be for having a couple of darts in my pocket, so I would run both of them. If they were mine, they would both take their chance.

If I had the choice, I’d probably ride Irish Point. Teahupoo tried and failed last year, so I’d go with Irish Point. Go with the unknown rather than the known.

Willie Mullins’ options are Impaire Et Passe and Sir Gerhard but I’d be surprised if Impaire Et Passe was to step up to three miles. He hasn’t raced like a three miler this year, I’d be surprised if he wasn’t kept at the shorter distance of 2m.

Sir Gerhard won at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve, his first run over hurdles for a long time over 2m 4f. He got the job done and has to prove that he stays three miles. Providing he stays in one piece, he’ll line up. Does he stay or not, it’s an unknown. He’s tried it over fences, he hasn’t tried it over hurdles – he should stay, but I couldn’t guarantee you that he’s going to stay.

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I’d have Ahoy Senor in any ante-post list at a huge price. Go back to last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, he was still in front leading them a merry dance when he fell at the last ditch. He was in good form that time, Lucinda Russell has a habit of getting horses back into good form in the spring. I could see him being a huge player getting on the front end with Derek Fox and building it up.

Do I see him winning? One or two might get by him, but would I mind holding an ante-post docket at the prices each-way when he’s turning off the top of the hill a couple of lengths in front? I could see it setting your heart racing.

I do see Irish Point in the frame and probably Teahupoo. They’re the strongest challengers and you could throw in Theleme maybe as well. Sir Gerhard has to stay. The number one pick is Irish Point.