Paul Townend giving off all the right signals about Al Boum Photo, says Ruby Walsh

Ruby Walsh was talking on the Irish Examiner Cheltenham preview event with racing correspondent Tommy Lyons and ITV pundit Mick Fitzgerald

Al Boum Photo and Paul Townend win The Savills New Year's Chase for the third time in January. Champion jockey Townend is “very confident” the horse will complete a Gold Cup hat-trick at Cheltenham next Friday, said Ruby Walsh

Champion jockey Paul Townend is “very confident” Al Boum Photo will complete a Gold Cup hat-trick at Cheltenham next Friday.

So said Ruby Walsh during tonight’s virtual Irish Examiner Cheltenham preview event with racing correspondent Tommy Lyons and ITV pundit Mick Fitzgerald.

Asked if Al Boum Photo was on course to add to his blue riband successes of 2019 and 2020, Walsh replied: “I think he is, I know Paul Townend thinks he is as well. He’s very confident and you’ve got to love it when your jockey is confident.

“He has new opposition in Champ and A Plus Tard but I think Al Boum Photo has it all. Looking at it right now, he’s the only one in the top three or four in the betting guaranteed to get the trip. He has form at three miles, two furlongs and 70 yards and the rest of them (the new contenders) don’t.

Referring to A Plus Tard, Fitzgerald said: “He’s a very good horse, of that there’s no doubt. He’s a winner at the Festival already but you are just guessing with his stamina. With Al Boum Photo, there’s no guessing, there’s no guessing required.”

On the prospects of leading British hope Champ, Fitzgerald added: “The only question mark I’d have about Champ is that you won’t be able to ride him like they rode him in the Game Spirit. My worry with Champ will be how will he react when he’s in among the pack in a race like the Gold Cup. You can’t dictate where you go when you’re in a pack.”

Both Walsh and Fitzgerald agreed that Monkfish looks bombproof in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

“He does everything right,” Walsh said. “Good traveller, good jumper, good mentality, and you know he stays. He’s ridiculously short. I think the novice races, they’ve three really short-priced favourites, and I think this fella is rock solid.

Ruby Walsh, Mick Fitzgerald, and Tommy Lyons pick their best bets of the week for the #CheltenhamFestival from tonight's @irish_examiner #CheltenhamPreview. @ruby_walsh @mickfitzg @Lyonser pic.twitter.com/8nXBI5TGQl

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) March 12, 2021

“It’s like looking at Shishkin and looking at Envoi Allen — pick the horse to beat them. I can’t pick a horse in any of the three races to beat the favourite. They all should be shorter than they are in the races they’re running in.”

“This horse is a monster, he’s huge,” Fitzgerald added of Monkfish. “If this horse ran in the Gold Cup this year he’d win, I think he’s that good.”

The pair were also of the same mind with Arkle favourite Shishkin. 

“He’s got the wow factor,” Fitzgerald said.

“We’ve seen that with the time he put up when he won at Kempton, his jumping was flawless, and he stays really well over two miles. They’re the type of horses you love at Cheltenham, the ones that are strong stayers. I think he’ll win.”

Walsh added: “I’d agree with Fitzy, I think Shishkin is by far the best horse and, as ridiculous as it sounds, I think 4-7 is value about him for this race.

Mick Fitzgerald and Ruby Walsh name the horse with the greatest unfulfilled potential they ever rode.#CheltenhamFestival #CheltenhamPreview #Cheltenham2021 #CheltFest @mickfitzg @Ruby_Walsh @Lyonser pic.twitter.com/ae4xoYflPF

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) March 12, 2021

“I love everything about him. He won a Supreme last year when he shouldn’t have. Everything went pear-shaped for him and he still found a way to win and that’s what good horses do.”

Walsh was speaking on the same day Energumene and Thyme Hill were ruled out of their respective Festival engagements.

“There is disappointment obviously (about Energumene) but when you look at it rationally it’s a much bigger blow for Philip Hobbs,” Walsh said.

“Willie Mullins is in the lucky position of having Appreciate It and Concertista on the same day that are favourites, let alone everything else he has at the meeting.

“If you look at Philip Hobbs yard, Thyme Hill is their flagship horse, it’s a much bigger blow for them — and for Richard Johnson and my heart goes out to them.

“To have a horse like Thyme Hill who has been so progressive through the season, and for it go wrong this close to the race, I feel for them.”