Ruby will enjoy Blues

Naas Preview: Ruby Walsh will be at Naas tomorrow for three rides, and the champion jockey should safely come through the eve…

Naas Preview:Ruby Walsh will be at Naas tomorrow for three rides, and the champion jockey should safely come through the eve-of-Cheltenham card with another winner on board Heavenly Blues.

The five-year-old returns to the course and distance of his maiden success a fortnight ago in the two-mile novice hurdle, and looks to have a pair of worthy opponents in Bad Day Bad Day and Barcardero.

But there was plenty to like about the way Heavenly Blues scored here on similarly testing ground as Walsh's mount shot clear of Arctic Bear and Arbor Supreme.

Walsh will also have a spin over fences in the conditions chase transferred from Thurles last Thursday on board the veteran Mossy Green.

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But the ratings suggest Mossy Green will have a tough task against the topweight Mansony, a winner on this card last year, who has a lot of ground in hand of his rival from Gowran form behind Watson Lake.

Possibly the most interesting race is the novice chase. The two-and-a-half-mile trip will take some getting in the forecast heavy ground, which should suit Charlie Swan's Fairyhouse winner Offshore Account.

But the West Cork-trained Preists Leap progressed from a narrow defeat to Khetaam to then winning well at Gowran on his last start. Tom O'Leary's horse looks the one to be on.

Niall Madden steps in to replace the still-sidelined Paul Carberry on board Judge Deed in the maiden hurdle, and after defeats to the high-class pair of Druids Castle and Arrive Sir Clive, this three-mile race looks a much easier opportunity.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column