Cheltenham Tips: Ruby Walsh's 16/1 Albert Bartlett fancy

Ruby Walsh’s Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle Picks

Deafening Silence

In the fifth 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 Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle on day four of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.

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RUBY WALSH

There’s a couple of ‘trials’ that people usually point to as being significant but the Grade 2 Novice Hurdle at Limerick over Christmas hasn’t thrown up a winner at Cheltenham since Faugheen won the Baring Bingham. Loughglynn won it in December but disappointed at the weekend. High Class Hero looks a worthy favourite – but hasn’t gone three miles yet – although he won over 2m 6 ½f at Thurles and didn’t look like he was stopping, so another two furlongs shouldn’t be an issue.

If I was involved with Gidleigh Park or Captain Teague I’d be going in this direction as the Albert Bartlett over 3m would suit both better than the Baring Bingham over 2m 5f. It’s run on the New Course at Cheltenham and they both look like galloping chasers in the making. Both of them would have a chance.

Dancing City really surprised me at Leopardstown and he got a great ride off Danny Mullins. Predators Gold was too keen and that played to the winner’s strengths. Predators Gold didn’t stay, and that ultimately helped Dancing City.

This is a hard race but there’s value in it.

I’m trying to think what’s going to Clonmel for the next ‘trial’, maybe Quai De Bourbon. He’d probably have to improve, and Mercurey won at Punchestown on Monday. None of Willie Mullins’ is jumping out at me despite him having three of the top four in the betting.

There’s Dr Eggman, who was second to My Trump Card, and the ante-post favourite High Class Hero and Readin Tommy Wrong, who won the Grade One Lawlor’s of Naas among the market leaders. And Dancing City is the fourth favourite.

Dan Skelton’s Deafening Silence has a great chance – he’s improving the whole time. He was good in Sandown, and he stays forever. He’s a bit of age on his side as a seven-year-old, but if you’re looking at it that way, some people will say, ‘Well why hasn’t Dan Skelton got him in a handicap? He’s a certainty off 135′. But he’s a novice. He shouldn’t even be allowed to be in the handicaps.