The Ruby Walsh Column: Irish National will suit Burrows Saint and C’est Jersey

Things have been going well and there are around two and a half weeks of the season left, so hopefully it will keep going that way, and I am looking forward to Fairyhouse.

Ladbrokes Trophy winner Total Recall is in good form at home is likely to re-oppose Tout Est Permis, who he finished third behind in a Grade Two Chase at Thurles in January, in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National on Monday.

Tout Est Permis looks like he will carry top weight in that contest. He is an improving horse, but it will be a huge performance for him to win carrying top weight.

Traditionally, you are looking for a novice in the Irish National and that would point you towards Burrows Saint and C’est Jersey for Willie.

They were third and fourth behind Duc Des Genievres in the same beginners' chase at Gowran Park in February and that form is pretty strong.

I thought Burrows Saint won well at Limerick last month and he stayed on really well. He’s improved with every run this year and is going in the right direction. He has only had three runs over fences in Ireland, but he had two in France before he joined Willie, so he has plenty of experience.

C’est Jersey is still a maiden over fences but has produced a couple of really good runs. He and Burrows Saint are two who could be really suited by the race as they have shaped like they want a trip, although 3m5f is a completely different ball game.

Good ground will make it easier for them, but it will also help horses carrying more weight, so it probably brings the horses at the head of the handicap into the reckoning too.

Isleofhopeanddreams was second in the race last year and has shown consistent form over extreme distances.

Pairofbrowneyes was very good in the Leinster National, but he has got to carry a 10lb penalty. Isleofhopendreams and Bellow Mome, who were second and third in that race, are likely to take their chances.

Pairofbrowneyes will probably have to carry 11-8, and the novices will have to carry 10-8 or 10-11, so I don’t know who to ride to tell you the truth!

I rode work on Getabird on Tuesday and he worked really well. He has the option of running in the Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase or the one of the two Grade One novice chases at Punchestown over two miles and three miles.

I definitely think he wants to go right-handed as he jumps a good bit to his right. He obviously picked up an injury at Christmas which has held him up since then but it would be great to get him back out on Sunday, or at Punchestown.

Duc Des Genievres was brilliant on soft ground in the Arkle, and it will all depend on the going for him, Getabird and Chacun Pour Soi, who is also entered.

They all have options at Punchestown ten or 11 days later. I am sure Willie will have a look at what the ground is like at Fairyhouse and decide on Friday which ones are going to take their chance.

It would look a natural step for a lot of the mares we have entered in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares' Novice Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

The likes of Salsaretta, Elfile, Eglantine Du Seuil, Buildmeupbuttercup, Robin De Carlow and obviously Henry De Bromhead’s mare Honeysuckle who didn’t make it to Cheltenham but looked the leading novice mare are all in there.

However, it is set to be 20 odd degrees here on Thursday and Friday, and on Saturday as well. What effect that has on the ground will have a big effect on what runs on Sunday and it is a concern.

Fairyhouse is watering to try and maintain the good to yielding ground. I have a funny feeling it is going to take a lot of water to stay at that though this weekend.

It’s a 2m4f Grade One novice hurdle, but the one factor we have to consider now is the forecast weather in Ireland this weekend.

There is a Grade Three race they can run in at Punchestown instead and they could, of course, run in the open novice hurdle races.

It was a good performance from Ontheropes at Tramore on Sunday. He jumped really well and I think sending him over hurdles helped, as did stepping up in trip.

He also enjoyed the soft ground, although he is by Presenting, so you would imagine he would go on good ground but the drop of rain that fell slowed the race down and that definitely helped. He’s a strong stayer, so I am not sure he has the pace for quick ground.

He ended up winning by ten lengths and we were 40-odd lengths clear of the remainder. I think he is a horse who will definitely pay his way over fences.

He’s a good jumper and I would say he will have a bright future when he goes over the larger obstacles. I think you will see a different horse when he goes over fences over a further trip.

I’m not sure if he will go to Punchestown. He probably wants a bit more experience before he runs at Punchestown, but he has run in a point-to-point so Willie might be willing to go there.

Class Conti was also very good when winning at Tramore on Sunday. He lost his way in France for some reason; I don’t know why.

We have had him for a while, and it took him a while to get going for the first circuit and a half. He got a bit outpaced, but when Pylonthepressure fell with a circuit to go, the race got going and Class Conti picked up the bridle and won as he liked.

He had a huge reputation in France at one stage and he looks as though he may live up to that now.

He is unexposed as a chaser and I am not sure how you would rate him. The handicapper will have a fair job trying to figure that one out!

He is not entered in any of the Graded races at Punchestown and I don’t know if he will get into any of the handicaps. Maybe Willie will bring him back to France in early May. It was a pleasing start to his career here and hopefully he can build on it.

Pylonthepressure was travelling and jumping really well before he fell. I was happy with how we were going at the time anyway.

Augustin didn’t perform and he was disappointing.

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