The Ruby Walsh column: Stamina and a weight under 11st ideal for Grand National

If Grand National top-weight Bristol De Mai runs in the Gold Cup and then lines up at Aintree, we will then know what the weights are, but until you know what is going to be on top you don’t really know.

The handicapper has dropped Bristol De Mai 5lbs and that is an incentive to run, though it is a huge task to win the race.

Auvergnat probably got treated harshly on his mark after being given 10st 8lbs. Who knows, maybe the handicapper has done the right thing, but he would look the one that came out worse off for being raised on his cross-country form.

However, Silver Birch did the same and came from cross country races. Over 11st, every pound becomes harder to carry, so I understand handicappers dropping a horse back at the very top of the weights, but I can’t see why you’d raise horses towards the middle or the bottom. Either put up their mark officially or just leave them where they are.

Ideally, I think you would be looking for a horse with 11st, or just below, to ride in the Grand National.

I suppose, with the modifications of the fences, the race doesn’t slow as much as it used to, so there is more emphasis on stamina.

I think you need a horse that is proven over at least three and a half miles whereas, in the past, you could have gone with a speedier horse who was more of a dubious stayer.

On the two-and-a-half-mile chaser that had that bit more boot, you could get into a position where you’d be removing the risk of being brought down and get in front of the slow ones.

You were always slowing down then and, with the bigger fences, the race wasn’t as relentless, but the two-and-a-half miler doesn’t get home any more.

I thought City Island was very good last weekend. He was very good in his maiden hurdle at Leopardstown at Christmas and this race was well picked out being one of the auction novice hurdles that he qualified for.

That sets him up nicely for the Ballymore and his owner sponsors the race, so I imagine that’s where he’ll go.

Pravalaguna won well in the Opera Hat Mares Chase at Naas. With 10st 7lbs on her back over two miles, she was always going to have too much pace for Teachers Pet and Baie Des Iles and was entitled to win the way she did.

She made a mistake at the fifth-last but recovered well from that and I imagine Willie will be keen enough to go to Cheltenham with her for either the Arkle or the JLT.

Sinoria won comfortably in the Listed novice hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday. I thought runner-up Chosen Mate was very good in his maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse and Sinoria battled well to beat him.

She has the same connections as Honeysuckle, and both are qualified for the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, but I’d imagine they would split them and one might go for the Ballymore, or even the Supreme.

I just think Honeysuckle’s form could be a bit stronger. She was very good at the last meeting at Fairyhouse and she might just be the pick of the two.

Dounikos won well at Punchestown and he improved a good bit from the Thyestes Chase where he tipped up at the second-last.

With that run under his belt, he came forward a long way. He quickened nicely from the top of the home straight to put the race to bed in impressive fashion and it was a very good performance.

He was a high-class novice last year so it was a performance you would have been expecting to see from him at some stage.

The Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran Park on Saturday looks weak, but the Red Mills Chase looks extremely strong with Presenting Percy and Monalee set to run, while Willie has Killultagh Vic and Bachasson.

This is a good race in the programme being 27 days before the Cheltenham Gold Cup. It would suit Presenting Percy and, to be fair, he will attract a good crowd to Gowran on Saturday.

It’s great racing wherever you look between Ascot, Wincanton, Haydock and Gowran – there are terrific meetings.