Ruby Walsh: Minella Indo to lay down Gold Cup marker at Leopardstown

Minella Indo and Rachael Blackmore winning at Navan last month. Picture: Healy Racing.

Paul Townend and Willie Mullins dominated day two at Leopardstown. Paul is riding at the top of his game, with great confidence, but he has long since mastered and realised how to do that and to keep it going.

I often doubted if people really believed me when I said during my riding career that the hardest part of being a jockey was actually getting and keeping the rides on horses, or that the physical act of riding is second nature to anyone who knows how to ride and that the tactical calls become easier with experience because that is just a common fact of life.

I meant it because a lean spell will dawn on everyone’s door, through injury or poor yard form, a lack of confidence or a falling out of fashion — and trainers do know when jockeys get away with poor rides and win, just like they can spot great losing rides.

The work ethic, the politics, and the honesty of owning up to and taking the responsibility for every mistake you make, even ones you might not have made, is the hardest part. Jockeys and sports people are just humans doing a job and, like every other boss, owners and trainers are most likely to forgive and be most loyal to the ones that work the hardest, apologise for errors and show loyalty.

Hard work, early mornings and putting everything into each ride is not as simple as it sounds but when people come around to figuring it out, their chances appear again because talent was the one phrase I omitted, and people just have that or don’t — but that alone is not enough.

Bryan Cooper is a classic example of figuring out the hard part and has worked his way back into a position where he is in line to get good spare rides again. And he made the most of his opportunity on Franco De Port on Saturday.

It was only half a chance, on almost the outsider of the field, but when you get the ride and are at the start then you have a chance. What you make of it then is in your hands and he made hay out of wet grass - not impossible but difficult.

And he is not the only one on that path because today Denis O’Regan gets a chance which comes off the back of another’s misfortune: Davy Russell’s injury.

But he is in the hot seat because of his work ethic, his ability and want to take any chance he now gets.

His mount, Presenting Percy, is second favourite in today’s belting renewal of the Savills Chase, behind only Minella Indo and in front of names likes Kemboy, Melon, Delta Work, Allaho, A Plus Tard and Samcro.

There are six more in there too and all names you have heard of, which, on paper, makes this race look like the stronger version of Saturday’s King George.

My heart will cheer for whichever of Willie’s five that appears at the last with its chance, but my head is telling me to go with what my eyes have seen and that is the performance of Minella Indo at Wexford on the October Bank Holiday Monday.

What I saw that day was a potential challenger to Al Boum Photo, and I haven’t seen another once since, so he gets my vote in today’s feature.

The second Grade 1 this afternoon sees what could be another belting clash, bringing together two strong form lines: those of last season’s Pertemps Final through Sire Du Berlais, and the Albert Bartlett, through Fury Road.

I am not a massive timing or clock man — I use this info to illustrate points for analysis more than believe in their credit — but those who are strongly believe in Sire Du Berlais and what his winning time at last season’s Cheltenham Festival suggests. I like him for what he achieved at Navan in the Lismullen over a trip short of what he needs, and he gets my vote too.

The rest of Leopardstown’s card, from my point of view, revolves around three Willie Mullins horses putting wrongs to right: Gaillard du Mesnil, The Big Getaway and Ramillies.

All were short-priced favourites the last time they ran, all were beaten, and all are now trying to prove they can be what we hoped they would, could and should be.