TRIPLE GRADE 1 ACTION: It’s a star-studded December day at Fairyhouse with three Grade 1 races on the card.
A superb day of sport at Fairyhouse on Sunday afternoon with three Grade 1’s on the seven race card. The ground is good to yielding.
1:10 Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+, Class 1, 2m, 7 runners)
All three of the Grade 1’s have attracted the ‘dead’ seven runners so it reduces the appeal of place bets with just the two places up for grabs.
Willie Mullins has won the last two runnings of the Royal Bond and makes a bold bid for the hat-trick by saddling three but he might be thwarted by Peace News.
The Henry de Bromhead trained runner was a winner on the flat in France and looked very useful when making a winning jumping debut at Cork. Bryan Hughes partners him in preference to the Gigginstown owned Le Martalin.
The Willie Mullins trained Saturnas was also an impressive debut winner. His win came in a big field at Naas but Ruby Walsh prefers Penhill who landed a Grade 3 at Tipperary last time out.
1:40 Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+, Class 1, 2m 4f, 7 runners)
Another trio of Willie Mullins trained runners and it’s hard to get beyond Vroum Vroum Mag who is 10 from 10 since arriving from France. She started off over the larger obstacles but has proven equally adept over hurdles winning the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and the BETDAQ Punchestown Champion Hurdle last time out.
Despite all the wins, she remains hard to quantify in terms of just how good she is – given her style of winning, which is usually economical.
Apple’s Jade will be a big rival but she hasn’t had long to recover from a tough race when a close second in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle eight days ago.
2:40 Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase (Grade 1) (4yo+, Class 1, 2m 4f, 7 runners)
I like A Toi Phil here. He was a Grade two winner over hurdles but the early signs are that he might be even better over fences. He won on his fencing debut at Down Royal and followed up with a seven length victory in the Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Punchestown last time out.
The Tony Martin trained Anibale Fly looks a big danger. He made a winning chase debut at Navan and was a Grade 1 winner over the smaller obstacles.
SHAMROCK’S BETS:
NAP: Peace News (1.10 Fairyhouse)
NEXT BEST: Vroum Vroum Mag (1.40 Fairyhouse)
TREBLE: A Toi Phil (2.40 Fairyhouse)
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