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Walsh loved up as Vautour nears return
BY JAMES BURN 5:30PM 17 NOV 2015
VAUTOUR, the ante-post favourite for the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup, is set to make his return to action at Ascot on Saturday and his jockey Ruby Walsh cannot wait to renew their partnership.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old, a two-time winner at the Cheltenham Festival, is in line to run in the Stella Artois 1965 Chase on Saturday before a crack at the William Hill King George VI Chase, which could lead to the Gold Cup, which he is 4-1 for.
Walsh said: "He seems to be really well and we're happy with him. I love him. He has so much natural ability and is so straightforward.
"He's a horse we've always thought a hell of a lot of. He was a good winner of a Supreme, but he always struck me as a horse who'd improve when he went further. He was such a good jumper and I thought fences would bring out the best in him."
Cheltenham romp
Vautour, who runs in the colours of Susannah Ricci, owes his place at the head of the King George and Gold Cup markets to his sensational 15-length win in the JLT Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in March.
Walsh reflected: "I was looking forward to riding him at Cheltenham, but I didn't expect him to be as good on the day as he was. He was magnificent.
"I thought he'd win, but I didn't think he win by as far as he did."
Vautour has to prove he will stay the 3m2½f Gold Cup trip, but Walsh, who does not think the son of Robin Des Champs should be favourite for the race, is optimistic it will not be a problem.
"It's a big question," he added on Racing UK. "It's an extra six furlongs and you have some really good horses to take on. It will be interesting and I think he'll stay.
"You have the Gold Cup winner Coneygree, who is a guaranteed stayer and looks very uncomplicated. You imagine he should be favourite."
Vautour: Pharoah of the jumps?
American Pharoah1 360
American Pharoah: "going faster and faster"
PICTURE: Getty Images
The jockey even mentioned Vautour in the same breath as American Pharoah, who this summer became the first horse to win the US Triple Crown for 37 years, stating that the two shared a running style.
Walsh said: "It's like watching that horse in America, American Pharoah, who won the Triple Crown, winning the Breeders' Cup Classic.
"You're looking down the back thinking, 'this big, long stride - he's going to start to tire'. And all of a sudden it just gets longer and he goes faster and faster and I suppose Vautour does the same."
BY JAMES BURN 5:30PM 17 NOV 2015
VAUTOUR, the ante-post favourite for the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup, is set to make his return to action at Ascot on Saturday and his jockey Ruby Walsh cannot wait to renew their partnership.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old, a two-time winner at the Cheltenham Festival, is in line to run in the Stella Artois 1965 Chase on Saturday before a crack at the William Hill King George VI Chase, which could lead to the Gold Cup, which he is 4-1 for.
Walsh said: "He seems to be really well and we're happy with him. I love him. He has so much natural ability and is so straightforward.
"He's a horse we've always thought a hell of a lot of. He was a good winner of a Supreme, but he always struck me as a horse who'd improve when he went further. He was such a good jumper and I thought fences would bring out the best in him."
Cheltenham romp
Vautour, who runs in the colours of Susannah Ricci, owes his place at the head of the King George and Gold Cup markets to his sensational 15-length win in the JLT Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in March.
Walsh reflected: "I was looking forward to riding him at Cheltenham, but I didn't expect him to be as good on the day as he was. He was magnificent.
"I thought he'd win, but I didn't think he win by as far as he did."
Vautour has to prove he will stay the 3m2½f Gold Cup trip, but Walsh, who does not think the son of Robin Des Champs should be favourite for the race, is optimistic it will not be a problem.
"It's a big question," he added on Racing UK. "It's an extra six furlongs and you have some really good horses to take on. It will be interesting and I think he'll stay.
"You have the Gold Cup winner Coneygree, who is a guaranteed stayer and looks very uncomplicated. You imagine he should be favourite."
Vautour: Pharoah of the jumps?
American Pharoah1 360
American Pharoah: "going faster and faster"
PICTURE: Getty Images
The jockey even mentioned Vautour in the same breath as American Pharoah, who this summer became the first horse to win the US Triple Crown for 37 years, stating that the two shared a running style.
Walsh said: "It's like watching that horse in America, American Pharoah, who won the Triple Crown, winning the Breeders' Cup Classic.
"You're looking down the back thinking, 'this big, long stride - he's going to start to tire'. And all of a sudden it just gets longer and he goes faster and faster and I suppose Vautour does the same."
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"You're looking down the back thinking, 'this big, long stride - he's going to start to tire'. And all of a sudden it just gets longer and he goes faster and faster and I suppose Wicklow Brave does the same."
TBF I think he just got the names mixed up,after all it was March.
TBF I think he just got the names mixed up,after all it was March.
imo Ruby is normally spot on. Doesn't say much, when he does it's normally worth it.
He got Kings Palace spot on for the paddy power. I wish I would have took that advice on board.
He got Kings Palace spot on for the paddy power. I wish I would have took that advice on board.
Aren't the Mullins / Walsh combo just making the same mistake as they did with Champagne Fever? That one looked a non-stayer at 3m+ for many, yet Mullins / Walsh were adamant 3m2f wasn't going to be a problem in a future Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Think Matt Chapman is correct re Vautour, the horse has too much speed and will be a miracle if he stays 3m2f, and pretty unlikely to stay 3m. At the very least, the horse is almost certainly prove better at shorter than 3m and they are just trying to stretch him out to land the Blue Riband of jump racing. If the Gold Cup was run over 2m 5f, they wouldn't even be contemplating running over further.
Think Matt Chapman is correct re Vautour, the horse has too much speed and will be a miracle if he stays 3m2f, and pretty unlikely to stay 3m. At the very least, the horse is almost certainly prove better at shorter than 3m and they are just trying to stretch him out to land the Blue Riband of jump racing. If the Gold Cup was run over 2m 5f, they wouldn't even be contemplating running over further.
High praise indeed........from his jockey!!
We all know he's a good horse,time will tell how good.
At the moment he's won a JLT impressively.
May well be off to Ascot on Saturday, I can see for myself how he looks.
Looking forward to it,bl00dy hope he turns up.!!
We all know he's a good horse,time will tell how good.
At the moment he's won a JLT impressively.
May well be off to Ascot on Saturday, I can see for myself how he looks.
Looking forward to it,bl00dy hope he turns up.!!
Yes, I'd say Ruby likes Vautour. One thing is for certain though, Coneygree doesn't stop in front and Vautour will need to go faster and faster!
Personally I don't see Vautour staying the gold cup trip....king George is another matter and has obviously a better chance there, as with listening to the jockeys we know we take a lot of it with a pinch of salt, however there are times when I sit up and take more notice than usual and I got that impression from Walsh's reaction post race from the JLT, I swear he was about to come out with some sort of favourable comparison with Kauto Star, but pulled himself back from it.
Again, I don't think he will stay but if he does it will take something better than we already have to beat him IMO.
Again, I don't think he will stay but if he does it will take something better than we already have to beat him IMO.
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