Gitane Du Berlais© Photo Healy Racing
Ruby Walsh is hopeful Gitane Du Berlais can get back on the winning trail in the BBA Ireland Limited Opera Hat Mares Chase at Naas today.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old claimed Grade One glory in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown on this weekend a year ago before winning at Auteuil and finishing a close-up fourth behind Gilgamboa in the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.
She has proved expensive to follow in three starts so far this season, suffering short-priced defeats at Punchestown, Carlisle and Sandown, but Walsh expects her to be hard to beat in this Listed event.
"Gitane Du Berlais will probably be the shortest-priced of my rides this weekend. She has been beaten favourite in all three races this season, but is in good form at home, and fences bring out the best in her," Walsh told the Irish Examiner.
"She won the Grade One Scilly Isles Novices' Chase this time last year and followed up at Auteuil, so hopefully this is her time of year."
Gitane Du Berlais faces just three opponents and perhaps has most to fear from Robert Tyner's Carrigmoorna Rock who was a good winner of a beginners chase at Thurles last week.
Mullins and Walsh also have good prospects with Babbling Stream in the opening Paddy Power Cheltenham Trial Sunday 21st February Maiden Hurdle, while the leading jockey is bullish about the chances of stable companion Haymount in the Follow Naas Racecourse On Facebook Maiden Hurdle.
He said: "There was a bit of to-ing and fro-ing this week, as Patrick (Mullins) wanted to run him (Babbling Stream) in a winners' bumper and I wanted to go for a maiden hurdle and, on this occasion, it fell in my favour.
"He has schooled well and is more than capable of winning a maiden hurdle in February.
"Haymount has finished second three times, which is frustrating for me as a jockey but even more so for his owners.
"He has run into some decent sorts, and I don't think there's a Mall Dini or an Edwulf in this race.
"Tomorrow (Sunday) will be Haymount's day." Rolling Rocket is a former course and distance winner who catches the eye at the bottom of the weights in the Hospitality At Naas Handicap Chase, while the lightly-raced Alisier D'Irlande appears the one to beat in the Book Online At naasracecourse.com Beginners Chase after falling when leading at Fairyhouse last month. Ballyroe Rambler might be ready to get his head in front in the Panoramic Restaurant Handicap Hurdle and Miss Me Now looks like another Mullins winner in waiting in the bumper.
