Walsh hopes wasting will pay off

Ruby Walsh is confident he can waste down to close to the minimum weight in order to give Granit Jack his optimum chance in Saturday's Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Paul Nicholls' grey had luck on his side to sneak into the big Cheltenham handicap right at the bottom of the 20-horse field on 10st.

It will be a first start over British fences for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle runner-up, although he is a multiple chase winner in his native France.

Punters have not been put off though, and Granit Jack is set to be sent off favourite.

"I won't be too far away from the weight, although I'd say the first time I'll have a full Irish breakfast will be Sunday morning," said Walsh, who is still looking for a first Paddy Power victory.

"He's been working and schooling very well and Paul says he has him in great nick.

"This is his first run over these fences and he's back over two and a half miles, but he's won over the trip in France so you'd have to be hopeful he'll stay.

"He's streetwise too, but of course it's a tough race."

Nigel Twiston-Davies is confident about his pair, Knowhere and Patman Du Charmil, with the former boasting a recent course and distance victory.

"Knowhere is a lovely horse, a very similar type to my horse Imperial Commander and I am expecting a huge run from him," reported the Gloucestershire handler.

"Patman is in great nick too, and it will take a good horse to beat us."

Richard Johnson would like to see a change of fortune for Private Be, who returns to Cheltenham after being brought down at the course last month.

Philip Hobbs' progressive sort was in the hands of amateur Josh Guerriero when he came to grief at the second last in the race won by Knowhere.

Johnson is back in the plate for the first time since winning on him at Bangor in March and said: "He looked unlucky when he was brought down the last day as he seemed to be travelling well.

"He was improving all of last season and hopefully there might be a little more to come."

Jonjo O'Neill saw his main hope Don't Push It ruled out at the 11th hour after being discovered lame and now relies on Bob Hall.

The six-year-old finished a close third on his seasonal reappearance in Knowhere's race and was also second to L'Antartique in the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase at the Festival.

"He's in very good order. We're looking forward to running him and hopefully he'll win," said the master of Jackdaws Castle, successful 12 months ago with Exotic Dancer.

Ferdy Murphy, third last year with New Alco, has a strong hand in L'Antartique and Three Mirrors who have both had the benefit of a run this autumn.

"L'Antartique has been really good since his race at Carlisle. We've been very happy with him and everything's gone well," he said.

"He seemed to handle the hurly burly of the Festival (when winning the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase) all right.

"It will probably be more testing for him tomorrow but then again he's had another run under his belt, which will help."

The West Witton trainer decided to re-route Three Mirrors from Sunday's paddypower.com Handicap Chase after top-weight and two-mile Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Voy Por Ustedes stood his ground.

"We were aiming him at the Boylesports next month and were going to run him in the two-miler on Sunday, but with Voy Por Ustedes staying in there, we were too far down the handicap," he added.

"We thought we'd let him take his chance in the Paddy Power and get some experience into him. He's a very good horse in his own right and he's entitled to an entry." he added.

Henry Daly also has two runners, top-weight Billyvoddan and Palarshan, who are having their first outings since the spring.

Billyvoddan has not been seen since pulling up in the Grand National, while Palarshan has been off the course since finishing second in the Racing Post Plate at the Festival.

"I'm happy with Billyvoddan. It's a lot of weight, but we've got to start off somewhere and he did run well in the Ryanair (third to Taranis)," Daly said.

"Palarshan ran well first time out last year at the Festival. If he can repeat that sort of run I'd be very pleased," he said.

Ian Williams is hoping his runner Bambi de L'Orme will last out the distance.

"He is in great form. He's come out of his preparation for the Paddy Power in top form," said Williams.

"The step up to two and a half miles is a slight concern, but I'm sure he does stay the trip.

"Hopefully the ground will be decent and we are looking to see a big run from him."

Noel Meade sends over Ballyagran, second in the Galway Plate back in August.

"He likes good ground. He ran well in the Kerry National but he made a mistake, which kind of knocked him out of it," said Meade.

"He ran too free in the Munster National. Paul (Carberry) jumped him off quick and he was running too free with him the whole way. That was why he was slightly disappointing the last day.

"I'm not worried about coming back in trip because it will take a bit of getting as they'll go flat out."

Paddy Power Gold Cup betting:

Totesport: 7-2 Granit Jack, 11-2 L'Antartique, 7-1 Vodka Bleu, 9-1 Copsale Lad, 10-1 Bob Hall, Private Be, 12-1 Crozan, Knowhere, 16-1 Idole First, 20-1 Palarshan, Three Mirrors, 25-1 Ponmeoath, 40-1 bar.