A good afternoon for Ruby and Ted *

Zaarito jumps the last ahead of Seabass image: irishtimes.com

IT was Cheltenham Trials Day at Naas on Sunday but Seabass was on trial for Aintree and he passed his test with flying colours. His determined victory in the Grade 2 paddypower.com Chase earned him a tilt at the Aintree Grand National on April.

Seabass continued a remarkable winning sequence on Sunday. His victory was the seventh on the bounce for Ted Walsh since he won at Punchestown in January 2010.

His six previous wins had all been over further and the drop back to the minimum trip on Sunday presented a different test to the one he will be faced with in six weeks. Seabass made most of the running with Saludos but galloping up the home straight the rejuvenated Zaarito posed a major threat to Seabass’s ambitions.

Zaarito went past Seabass between the last two fences and when he jumped the final fence much better than the market leader it looked like the end of the winning streak for Seabass. However he showed class and courage, essential qualities for Aintree, to battle back bravely for Ruby Walsh on the run to the line to win by a length.

Afterwards Ted Walsh was thrilled with Seabass’s battling performance over an inadequate trip. “Seabass got under the last but was gutsy. He was probably out of his comfort zone over two miles and they were probably going a bit faster than he wanted to but he battled well,” he said.

Seabass (left) and Saludos (right) image: independent.ie

The Kill trainer confirmed that Aintree is the next stop for Seabass if he starys fit and healthy but that there are no guarantees when it comes to that race.

“If he stays sound we will go to Aintree for the National. There is no ideal type of horse for that trip and you won’t know until you get there. Nobody knows if he will get the trip, he’s never been beyond three miles. I’d imagine looking at him he is the right type. However the biggest problem is keeping him sound – he’s been on the scrapheap three times already,” he added!

Ruby Walsh will have a choice of rides for the National but Ted has already lined up a replacement. His daughter, Katie, has won on Seabass twice this season, and she will take over the reins at Aintree if Ruby is claimed by either of his two trainers.

“The choice will be Ruby`s and he rides for Willie (Mullins) or Paul (Nicholls) but if for some reason they went by the wayside he might decide to ride this fellow. If he doesn't, I have a very able substitute in Katie,” Ted explained.

Seabass is set to carry 10 – 12 in the National and his brave performance meant that bookmakers slashed his odds for the Aintree marathon. He is just 16/1 with both Boylesports and Paddy Power to give Ted Walsh his second winner in the legendary race, twelve years after Papillion’s famous triumph. Maybe there’s an omen of things to come for Seabass because Papillion finished fourth in this race before going on to Aintree glory.

Felix Yonger gets over the last image: irishracing.com

Ruby Walsh had just two rides at Naas yesterday and he went home with a perfect record. His other winner was in another of the day’s Grade Two contests – the paddypower.com novice hurdle. Felix Yonger is one of the Wylie horses transferred to Willie Mullins after Howard Johnson’s ban and subsequent retirement.

Felix Yonger was sent off the 2/1 favourite but had to work hard for his victory. His hurdling wasn’t very slick throughout the race. He made a mistake at the second last flight but took over the lead on the run to the last.  A far from fluid jump at the last appeared to put him under pressure. However he showed his class to recover well from that mistake and win by three lengths from the staying on Dressedtothenines.

Afterwards Willie Mullins confirmed that Felix Yonger’s performance showed he would be good enough to go to Cheltenham and that better ground would enable him to show his true class.

“He is a super mover and I don’t think he is a winter horse. I think he will be better on better ground in the spring. Ruby always thought he would have no problem staying but he is well able to compete over two miles on better ground. He shows me plenty of gears at home and I think he will improve again,’ he said.

Felix Yonger is entered in all three novice hurdles at the Festival and his trainer will discuss which race he runs in with Graham Wylie

Davy Russell was victorious in the day’s other Grade Two but Ruby’s double means that there is now just 13 between the pair in the race to be crowned champion jockey.

Rathlin comes home alone image: irishracing.com

Rathlin was an impressive winner of the Grade Two Woodlands Park 100 Club Nas na Riogh Chase for Russell and Mouse Morris but he will not be making the trip to Prestbury Park in two weeks. Instead he will probably wait for the Powers’ Gold Cup in Fairyhouse at Easter.

One winner yesterday who did book his Cheltenham ticket was Idarah. The topweight put up a battling performance in the hands of newly wed Nina Carberry to land the handicap hurdle over two miles. Nina had the grey in the vanguard all the way round and he showed courage and determination to fight all the way from the back of the last to the line. He has multiple Cheltenham entries but trainer Paul Cashman is leaning towards the Grand Annual for the grey.

“That was great but a bit unexpected. I thought he’d need the run badly. He did a nice bit of work during the week but it is four months since he ran,” said the happy and surprised trainer.

“He hates that ground and hopefully he will get nicer ground at Cheltenham. He is entered in the County hurdle, the Grand Annual and the conditional jockeys’ hurdle and we are leaning towards the Grand Annual," he added.

* This article first appeared in The Nationalist 28 February 2012