Ruby Walsh enjoys a profitable 24 hours, home and away

Ruby Walsh’s flying visit to Far Hills to ride in Saturday’s American Grand National reaped rich reward, and the rush home also earned dividend as he recorded a near 35-1 double at Mallow racecourse.

Walsh produced the Eric McNamara-trained The Fitz Lady with a strong late rush to take the Christmas Party Package Handicap Hurdle, but rode New Kid In Town prominently to take the Irish Stallions Farms EBF Novice Chase for trainer Willie Mullins.

Of his experience in New Jersey, where he partnered Rawnaq to victory, Walsh said: “It was a great experience, an amazing day out. You’d have to wonder, looking at it, did our summer tracks miss a trick - the way they do it, with all the cars in the middle, and the picnics.