One Jockey, Trainer, Horse And Race To Follow This Weekend

This trainer and jockey needs very little introduction if any at all but we think Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh, although one of the leading jumps trainers and jockeys in the world, could seriously clean up this weekend having a lot of runners in some big Grade 1 contests.

Melon takes up the reigns for the trainer and jockey combination in the Irish Champion hurdle and even though taking on the super mare that is Apple's Jade, she is going back to two miles and he could cause an upset.

Min leads the field for the trainer in the Dublin Chase and this eight year old was really impressive on his seasonal debut and there are no signs to suggest she can't land this competitive race comfortably.

Tiger Tap Tap has a great chance to reverse the form of Sir Erec in the Juvenile Hurdle on Sunday whilst Mullins also has Klassical Dream in the Channelle Pharma Novices Hurdle.

The big one of the two day meeting is the Irish Gold Cup and Mullins has two possible chances to land the Grade 1 spoils with Al Boum Photo and our selection with Ruby on board in Bellshill.

Both of these have a great chance in this contests but we think with Walsh on board and Bellshill seriously looking to head to the Gold Cup in March he will need to perform well.

This takes us nicely onto our horse to follow this weekend and it does come on the Sunday in the biggest race of the week in the Grade 1 Irish Gold Cup and Bellshill for Walsh and Mullins is our one to beat.

This spectacle over 3 miles see's a possible 10 runners go to post with the majority of them going to the Cheltenham Festival to either race in the Magners Gold Cup or the Ryanair Chase and this contest will give better indications to the horses connections of what to do come March.

However, Bellshill looks set to go for the big one at Cheltenham but will need to go close in this to have any scope to progress in just over a months time.

He finished fourth on his seasonal debut in the Grade 1 Savills Chase at this track and that run was pleasing showing signs of ability whilst blowing the cobwebs away.

With having to overturn some of the form of that race on Sunday he will have to be right at it but with Walsh siding with the nine year old over Al Boum Photo from the same stable, it gives good indicators.

The race we think is worth following this weekend is the Scilly Isles Novices Chase and this was a tough decision with so many Grade 1 contests across England and Ireland this weekend that could determine what happens in the betting for the Cheltenham Festival.

The Grade 1 contest at Sandown see's just a five runner field but will well and truly tell us what the markets will look like for potentially the JLT Novices Chase and the RSA with all five runners looking to be heading into those races.

Vinndication for Kim Bailey leads the field at 7/4 favourite and will be looking to make it seven in a row in his career.

House hold names like Defi Du Seuil and Lostintranslation also do battle again after such a fierce battle last time out up the hill at Cheltenham.

Dell Oro and Mulcahys Hill make up the rest of the field but a lot of apprehension has been built around this race and it will truly tell us the answers to the questions surrounding three of these horses that need answering before the festival.