FESTIVAL BETTING: RUBY WALSH is scheduled to ride Denman at Kempton today, and his ammunition for Cheltenham next month is reflected in the champion jockey already being backed into 5 to 4 favourite to be the leading jockey at the festival.
Tony McCoy, in contrast, has drifted out to 100 to 30, with Barry Geraghty next best on 6 to 1.
In other festival news, Cork firm Cashmans have begun betting on the number of Irish-trained winners, and it is 7 to 2 for the visitors taking five, six or seven races.
It is 25 to 1 on equalling 2006’s record 10, but pessimists can get 100 to 1 for a blank.
In other news, Naas racecourse have announced a new, €50,000 trial for the Irish Grand National. A €50,000 bonus is on offer if the winner of the new Lucan Racing Leinster National can go on to win the Easter Monday highlight. The new race will be run on March 8th. “We identified a gap in the market for three-mile chasers,” said Naas manager Tom Ryan. “It should be a perfect prep for the spring targets many of them have, especially the Irish National.”
