Ruby Walsh back on familiar ground after US triumph

Ruby Walsh certainly isn't resting on the laurels of his victory in Saturday night's American Grand National and is at Roscommon on Monday to team up with a couple of promising Gordon Elliott-trained novice hurdlers.

Both Death Duty and Theatre Wine carry Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown Stud colours and Death Duty in particular looks a potentially smart prospect that can help the champion jockey make light of his hectic schedule in recent days.

Walsh won the $350,000 United States National on the ex-Irish trained Rawnaq at the Far Hills track in New Jersey and got back to Cork a day later to continue his recent link with the powerful Elliott yard.

It's ironic then that the one blot on Walsh's Roscommon card might wind up being the sole runner sent by his boss, Willie Mullins, while he makes hay on horses trained by the champion trainer's great rival.

Exciting prospect

Elliott has already identified Gigginstown’s point to point winner Monbeg Worldwide as an exciting prospect for the future and he can bring up a short-odds treble for the trainer in the bumper while Walsh could also have his own hat-trick prospects with Call It Magic in the Beginners Chase.

Rawnaq’s victory provided Walsh with another “National” victory to go with wins in England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Australia and also Japan’s Nakayama Grand Jump.

“Unfortunately his usual jockey, Jack Doyle, suffered some bad injuries a few weeks ago and that’s why I’m here,” Walsh told local media afterwards.

“He’d run over fences in Ireland. I was confident in his ability to jump and jump racing is about being able to jump.”