Walsh back in winner’s enclosure

Dec 15 2008 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

RUBY WALSH had his first winner since coming back from injury aboard Willie Mullins’s Scotsirish in the O’Connell Logistics Hilly Way Chase at Cork yesterday.

Walsh ruptured his spleen in a fall at Cheltenham last month and only returned at the same track on Friday.

Scotsirish stormed to a 16-length victory in the Grade Two honours.

Mullins’s charge was cut to 66-1 from 100-1 by sponsors Stan James for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. Walsh said: “He didn’t get three miles the last day in Thurles.

“The Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas might come a bit soon, but we’ll see how he comes out of this first.

“There are plenty of options in two-mile races like the Norman Groves Chase at Fairyhouse in January and the Woodlands Chase at Navan.”

Meanwhile Paul Nicholls has taken out seven of his 10 entries for for the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on December 27.

Nicholls, who has won the race with Silver Birch (2004) and L’Aventure (2005), still has Cornish Sett, Nozic and Officier De Reserve.