Getabird ride tempting Ruby Walsh to Limerick for rare Christmas visit

It's 22 years since Ruby Walsh rode at Limerick on St Stephen's Day but the prospect of partnering potential top-notcher Getabird in the inaugural running of the Grade 1 Matchbook Betting Exchange Novice Chase could be enough of a carrot to lure the 12-time champion jump jockey to the track this Christmas.

No rider has lit up the chock-a-block sporting afternoon quite like Walsh in recent years thanks to his heroics on legends like Kauto Star, but Kempton and Leopardstown's loss could potentially be Limerick's gain as the legendary rider gears up towards making his first St Stephen's Day appearance at the track since he turned professional.

"It's been a long time since I was riding at Limerick on St Stephen's Day but it looks as though I could be there this year," Walsh revealed at a press conference organised by Paddy Power on Wednesday morning.

He added: "We've a new Grade 1 at Limerick now and if you were looking at our novice chasers Voix Du Reve looks the obvious one for the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown while Getabird could be the one for Limerick.

"I thought he was very good at Punchestown and he'd look to have a strong chance at Limerick. He jumped super at Punchestown and going right-handed suits him as well.

Ruby Walsh: Getabird 'would look to have a strong chance' at LimerickCredit: Patrick McCann

"I think stepping up in trip will also suit and there's a lot to like about him. He did it for me at Punchestown and he showed great acceleration in the straight."

Walsh's last appearance at Limerick on St Stephen's Day came when he finished third as a 3lb claimer aboard Ashtale in the concluding bumper for his future ally Willie Mullins.

Limerick manager Patrick O'Callaghan admits the prospect of seeing Walsh partner Getabird in the track's first ever Grade 1 race would go some way in complementing the work put in by the board at the track.

O'Callaghan said: "It's been a great year for sport in general down in Limerick with the hurlers winning the All-Ireland and the upgrade of our Matchbook Betting Exchange Novice Chase to Grade 1 status is also something to be very proud of."

He added: "The board here at Limerick racecourse took a chance 20 years ago and built Limerick up from what was just a greenfield site and to stage a Grade 1 in such a short space of time is a huge achievement.

"We're quietly hopeful that some of the big jockeys will turn up here and if we were to have Ruby Walsh and Getabird running in the Grade 1 it would put the icing on top of a brilliant year for sport in Limerick."

Getabird, a dual Grade 2 winner over hurdles, has failed on each attempt at the highest level, including when a 7-4 favourite for last season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, which Walsh puts down to inexperience rather than any lack of ability.

Getabird is a distant figure in the background despite going off 7-4 favourite for the SupremeCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

"Cheltenham can do that to some horses," Walsh said. "He hadn't been to Cheltenham as a bumper horse and it was his first time there.

"You can get to the start at Cheltenham and you'd be looking at horses down at the start who'd been short in the betting and you'd be thinking to yourself 'that has no chance' because they'd have left their race behind them on the way down to the start.

"The great horses can take all that goes with a big meeting and some of them grow. Kauto Star and Hurricane Fly used to grow and they loved it because they always knew they were performing.

"But some of the young horses, in the Supreme Novices' or in the Champion Bumper, a lot of them have no chance by the time they get to the start and the occasion beats them."

Walsh is likely to be at Leopardstown for the rest of the Christmas action and predicts that the real Footpad will turn up at the Foxrock track on Friday week, warning against writing off last season's outstanding novice chaser after he fluffed his lines when falling on his reappearance at Naas last month.

Footpad, who was unbeaten in five starts over fences last season, runs in the Grade 1 Paddy's Rewards Club 'Sugar Paddy' Chase and Walsh remains confident the six-year-old can emerge as Mullins' chief threat to Altior this season.

"He’s back in full work and he looks to be in good order. He's schooled well since Naas and he seems to be in great nick," said Walsh of the four-time Grade 1 winner over fences.

Footpad and Ruby Walsh falling at the last fence at Naas last monthCredit: Caroline Norris

"One broken egg doesn't spoil the omelette and if you were to write every horse – or even every player – off on just one bad day out, there wouldn't be many left competing. Of course you'd forgive him one mishap and in fairness nothing went right that day at Naas."

He added: "From the third fence on he was on the back foot and I think he can leave it behind him at Leopardstown.

Paddy's Rewards Club 'Sugar Paddy' Chase

"When you go through his form, and consider how far ahead of Petit Mouchoir and Saint Calvados he was in the Arkle at Cheltenham and then what he went on to do at Punchestown, as well as his wins at Leopardstown last Christmas and at the Dublin Racing Festival, there's depth to his form and it usually adds up."

"Altior has beaten everything else we have, so you're looking for one horse who might be able to beat him. Logic tells you that Altior has beaten Min twice and he’s beaten Un De Sceaux. Great Field and Footpad are the only horses Altior hasn't beaten yet," he said.

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