SHAMROCK Sat: Fairyhouse is our destination this Saturday for a seven-race card.
⭕ Only three line up for the opening 2m5½f beginners chase (12:26pm) and it’s difficult to look beyond Bronn on his second chase start. Willie Mullins’ son of Notnowcato bumped into subsequent Grade 1 winner Gerri Colombe on his first start over this course and distance, and with a clear round should be hard to beat here. Point-to-Point winner Clondaw Hollow might be the one for the forecast.
⭕ Next up is a 2m1f handicap chase (1:01pm), which could be fought out by two impressive last-time out winners, Shakeytry and Union Park. Philip Rothwell’s seven-year-old got off the mark at the 11th attempt over fences at Clonmel last time, keeping on strongly to win by a widening margin at the line. This will be harder now five pounds higher, but he still gets in here off a light weight of 10st 6lbs and Paddy O’Hanlon’s claim means he effectively runs off the same mark as last time.
⭕ Race three is a handicap chase (1:36pm) over 3m1½f. This trip in the conditions is likely to require significant reserves of stamina. Tyre Kicker, a son of Network who has plenty of stamina in his pedigree, was a hurdle winner over 3 miles and looked to stay strongly when winning on chase debut at Tramore most recently. That didn’t look a strong race, but there is likely to be more to come on only his second start over fences.
⭕ The Grade 3 Solerina Mares’ Novice Hurdle (2:11pm) over 2m2½f is the feature on the card and looks a clash between the top two in the market. Gordon Elliott’s Halka Du Tabert is potentially a top-class mare, but Ashroe Diamond represents the best novice hurdling form this season, after finishing highly respectable thirds behind Marine Nationale, and then Facile Vega most recently. This is easier back against her own sex, and it’s worth keeping faith with her.
⭕ It’s tough to be confident with 25 runners set to go to post for the 2-mile maiden at 2:46pm. Willie Mullins’ Parmenion was a good third on debut and is likely to go off favourite, so looks the one to beat, but it could be worth taking a chance each way on Barry Connell’s Tony’s Pet. He was sent off the odds-on favourite for a Limerick maiden in November, but weakened tamely once in the home straight there, eventually finishing a disappointing eighth. Judging by the market, that was well below expectations and he may well be capable of better now.
⭕ Another maiden hurdle (3:21pm), this time over 2m4½f, looks equally hard to weigh up. Eddie & Patrick Harty’s Harvard Guy ran well on his second start over hurdles, when staying on well to finish fifth over 2 miles at Naas earlier this month, but might be one for handicaps later down the line. Instead take a chance on Gavin Cromwell’s mare Soldaro, who ran to a moderate level in four bumpers, but might be capable of better now tackling hurdles and stepping up in trip.
⭕ A 3-mile opportunity handicap hurdle (3:56pm) is the concluding race on the card. Dermot Anthony McLoughlin’s Ottoman Style is more lightly raced than most of his opponents, on just his second handicap start, and looked to be ready for a return to this trip when third over 2m4f last time. That was his first run since July, so it’s likely he’ll come on for it and should be capable of going close.
