The Ruby Walsh column: Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins are making Irish jump racing stronger

Racing UK ambassador Ruby Walsh gives his views on Irish title rivals Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins, plus his reflections on the Easter meeting at Fairyhouse.

Runners trained by Elliott and Mullins fought out a thrilling Irish Grand National on Monday (Racingfotos)

The dominance of Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins:

I’m involved in Willie Mullins’ camp and so I’m probably biased in this discussion, but I can remember ten, 12 or 14 years ago when Aidan O’Brien was apparently going to be the ruination of Flat racing in Ireland.

People were saying he was going to have so much control that he was going to kill Flat racing in Ireland. In fact, all he did was make it even stronger.

The great people who are in Irish Flat racing, like Dermot Weld, John Oxx and Jim Bolger, all had to up their game to get to Aidan’s level and then he brought a whole generation of younger trainers with him.

Someone as talented as Aidan made Flat racing stronger in Ireland and I think Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott are only going to make jump racing stronger too.

Pointing the finger at brilliance and giving out about it? I don’t admire that. To me, you should always be aiming at the top and trying to make yourself better to catch up, not try to figure out a way to slow them down.

I tend to look forwards, not back, but my opinion as a jockey was that I always had to try to keep improving to try get somewhere close to Tony McCoy because he was at the top and setting the standard.

I think that’s the way everything in society works. There’s no point turning up as a tennis player and saying ‘I’ll just go to the competitions where Federer and Nadal are not playing; there’s no point taking them on’.

Surely you want to take them on, improve yourself and be as good as these guys. That’s what Gordon Elliott has done and what the rest should do too.

Getabird:

Getabird got back to winning ways by 12 lengths at Fairyhouse (Racingfotos)

The really slow ground and going right-handed suited him and he won the Grade Two Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Novice Hurdle really well.

It was a much lesser race than the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, plus a more relaxed environment, and he settled much better than he did at Cheltenham.

Certain horses can’t cope with the crowds and atmosphere at the Cheltenham Festival, and in particular novices can boil over.

Petite Mouchoir, Apples Shakira and Getabird all got worked up and didn’t run their races - but it wasn’t the track, just the occasion.

That said, when the race did quicken up going to two out on Sunday he did jump a good bit out to his right. Going slow he was straight but the faster he was going the more pronounced his jumping to the right was.

It was a good performance and he will now go to Punchestown.

Un De Sceaux:

Un De Sceaux jumps the last on his way to winning at Fairyhouse (PA)

I wasn’t sure watching the Devenish Chase live whether he was going to win or not but I think watching the replays maybe Doctor Phoenix was running out petrol and that’s probably why he didn’t make the jump two out that Davy Russell asked for.

He might have just been getting tired and feeling the pinch. I’d say it was a good performance from Un De Sceaux.

He’s still quite keen at home but in his races he’s definitely calmed down. I guess, like everybody else, horses get more relaxed and slower as they get older.

Gripping Irish National:

It was a great race to watch. With five horses covered by length and a half at the finish it could have been the Royal Hunt Cup.

I know there were only eight finishers but six went to the last with a chance and it was incredible to watch - from start to finish there were thrills, spills and excitement.

To me, it was fascinating and really entertaining.

Al Boum Photo:

Al Boum Photo showed a good attitude to win on Sunday (PA)

He was novicey in the RSA but he’s got a lot of ability. He jumped only OK on Sunday when winning the Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase but he ground it out well and battled.

He stays quite well - two-and-a-half miles would be as sharp as he wants - and it was a good performance to give 7lb to Shattered Love.

Overall, I think this season’s novice chasers are very good. The RSA rode a really strong race and Presenting Percy, who won it, can be a huge force next year in open chases.

Laurina:

Laurina won despite perhaps not being at her best (Racingfotos)

She was good on Sunday, although perhaps not in quite so good a form as in Cheltenham.

Once or twice in the race I thought Paul looked to be going only alright. She looked more like a galloper, whereas she looked to have plenty of gears in Cheltenham.

All the very good horses, even when not sparking, still manage to win.

She won quite easily at Cheltenham but you have to add all that the travelling and staying over for a couple of nights into the equation for the Irish horses and even those from the north of England.

It’s not an ordeal, but a fair effort for them.

Would she have won the Supreme? I don’t know - only time will tell.

Fitness update:

My right leg remains in a boot. Time is the best healer of all and hopefully I have enough of it to be back in time for Punchestown three weeks today.

I’ll probably have an X-ray in two weeks and see what the story is. I’m hoping they tell me it’s 100 per cent but I’m an optimist.

The gym would not be my favourite place but you do what you can do for strength and conditioning.