Tag: Fairyhouse

Katie Walsh wins Irish National on Thunder And Roses

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Punters will be hoping that the Aintree Grand National is a lot easier to solve than the Irish equivalent after Thunder And Roses took the Easter Monday feature at Fairyhouse at 20-1. He was followed home by Rule The World (20-1), Sizing Coal (40-1) and Band Of Blood (50-1). Tony McCoy finished sixth on Cantlow on his final ride in the race.

Thunder And Roses was an emotional success for Sandra Hughes who only took over the stables of her late father Dessie in November. He races in the colours of Gigginstown House Stud who had the first three jumping the last with only Sizing Coal’s late run preventing a 1,2,3. Katie Walsh has not ridden the horse previously and would not have taken much encouragement from his last run at Cheltenham where he unseated Jonny King.

Walsh came close to winning the Grand National on Seabass in 2012 when finishing third to Neptune Collonges but now faces an anxious wait to see if she has a ride this year. She has been provisionally booked to ride Broadway Buffalo for David Pipe but the gelding still needs five more horses to drop out. He is one of three David Pipe entries among the 65 left in with only Soll guaranteed a run. Cheltenham winner The Package is just one place above Broadway Buffalo and both could be re-routed to the Topham Chase if they do not make the cut.

It seems likely that Nina Carberry will be the only female rider in the race this year when she partners First Lieutenant for Mouse Morris. The stable will be full of hope after saddling the runner-up and the fourth on Monday, although naturally disappointed that neither could cling on for the victory. First Lieutenant is a high class performer and he will carry the hopes of a famous National double for Gigginstown in the National.

Sandra Hughes is another left anxiously waiting for the final cut with her entry, Raz De Maree. He needs just three runners to come out in order to sneak into the starting line up on Saturday. First Lieutenant is a top price 33-1 with Paddy Power while Broadway Buffalo is a general 50-1 chance. Most firms are now offering non-runner – no bet terms on the race. For the best each-way value, BetVictor are also paying out on the first six home at Aintree!

Fairyhouse Monday Preview

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We opened the Fairyhouse Sunday card with two winners but our treble was thwarted when Apache Stronghold unseated his rider in the Ryanair Gold Cup. Still, four winners out of six selections over the weekend is not a bad return.

We previewed the Irish Grand National last week and have two selections in Grand Jesture and Los Amigos. The former is entitled to run well after his fine run at the Cheltenham festival while Los Amigos has been trained for this race all season. It’s impossible to be confident in a race such as this but hopefully one of them can sneak into the money.

There is a good supporting card, kicking off at 2.45 with a four-year-old hurdle. Dicosimo is likely to start favourite here on the strength of his eighth place in the Triumph Hurdle. He led for a long way before being passed by the Henderson trio and Ruby Walsh was easy on him once his chance had gone. It is too early to say whether it was a vintage renewal of the Triumph so I’d prefer to take a chance on stable companion Whiteout at 10-1.

She has won her only start since joining Mullins from France where she was the winner of a modest claimer on the level. She had Sam Red back in third on her debut and that rival has won easily since. She has to be worth an each-way bet against the favourite.

Dedigout has won his last two races at Grade 2 level but missed Cheltenham as he did not get his favoured soft ground. He could probably do with a downpour before racing on Monday but he has won on yielding ground and should not be inconvenienced by the current conditions. Thousand Stars has not raced since the summer and could be vulnerable and I am more wary of Cheltenham runner-up Noble Endeavour. He moved well in the Martin Pipe Hurdle and was just beaten on the nod.

Tony McCoy treated his legion of followers to another fine display on Gilgamboa on Sunday and can chalk up another victory on Blair Perrone in the 4.25. He is trained by Mouse Morris and won last time without coming off the bridle. Connections considered a tilt at the Betfair Hurdle earlier in the season and he could be the value bet against some exposed Mullins-trained runners. There was little between Max Dynamite and Sempre Medici in the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle and Ruby Walsh has switched from one to the other here.

Whiteout 2.45 @10-1 Paddy Power (each-way)

Dedigout 3.20 @9-4 Ladbrokes

Blair Perrone 4.25 @4-1 Bet365

Grand Jesture 5.00 @20-1 Betdaq (each-way)

Los Amigos 5.00 @ 14-1 Paddy Power (each-way)

Fairyhouse Sunday Preview

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Speculative Bid (4-1) and Lady Dutch (7-2) gave us a tidy profit at Kempton on Saturday. Unfortunately Made Of Love denied us a treble when fading tamely in the closing stages. One lucky punter collected a three-quarters of a million pounds on the Scoop6 and can take it over the million if they win the bonus next weekend. Unfortunately, most of us were knocked out by a 33-1 shocker in the first race at Haydock.

Sunday’s main action comes from Fairyhouse ahead of Monday’s Irish Grand National. There are two Grade 1 races and a Grade 2 featuring several horses that ran well at last month’s Cheltenham festival.

Harry Fry’s Bitofapuzzle ran a fine race to finish a close third behind Glen’s Melody in the Mares’ Hurdle. That was the race which saved the bookmakers a small fortune when Annie Power crashed out at the final hurdle. Bitofapuzzle had no chance of catching that brilliant mare but it was still a fine run and she will have conditions more in her favour on Sunday.

She has shown her best form on soft or heavy ground and this two and a half-mile trip looks perfect. The Pirate Queen was not far behind her that day while Petite Parisienne was not disgraced when fifth in the Triumph Hurdle. This is a stiff task for a four-year-old and a bigger threat may come from Rock On The Moor who missed Cheltenham and will be fresher than most.

It is hard to argue with the form of Shaneshill in the Grade 2 Novice Hurdle at 3.50. He chased home stable companion Douvan in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and had already shown that he stays this trip. It will be interesting to see how the Supreme form matches up with the Neptune, represented here by the fifth and sixth.

Snow Falcon finished ahead of Outlander that day but the latter could turn the tables here. He was not fluent at his hurdles and had nothing left for the dash to the line.

The Ryanair Gold Cup at 4.20 puts the JLT Novices’ Chase form to the test with second and third in action, Apache Stronghold and Valseur Lido. They were separated by only a short-head that day, albeit 15 lengths adrift of the impressive Vatour. Bryan Cooper dropped his whip on Valseur Lido but it’s hard to say how much difference that may have made.

They both face a tricky opponent in Gitane Du Berlais, an impressive winner of the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown. Willie Mullins elected to send him to France next for a valuable prize over hurdles and he is almost certain to set the pace under Ruby Walsh. I just wonder if he can keep it up in these conditions and prefer the claims of Apache Stronghold.

Bitofapuzzle 3.20 @3-1 Bet365

Shaneshill 3.50 @8-11 Ladbrokes

Apache Stronghold 4.20 @9-2 Paddy Power

Irish Grand National Preview

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Forty-five horses remain in contention for the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday. They include ante-post favourite Gallant Oscar, although connections are still hoping that the nine-year-old sneaks into the Aintree line-up.

Tony Martin’s gelding is currently down at number 57 in the entries so needs another 17 to drop out. He is favourite on the basis of a fine staying-on third behind The Druids Nephew at the Cheltenham festival last month. The winner is now a leading fancy for Aintree so Gallant Oscar will have plenty of supporters if he runs in Ireland.

He had previously finished fourth in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park behind Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam and is only slightly higher in the handicap. The going is expected to be soft and those conditions suit him perfectly. If you’re backing him, make sure that your bookmaker is offering Non-runner – no bet terms.

Grand Jesture, just ahead of Gallant Oscar at Cheltenham, is also a leading fancy for Henry De Bromhead. He finished down the field in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown in December but put in a fine display of jumping at the festival. He has finished fourth, second and first here on his previous visits and could still be improving at the age of seven.

Embracing Change has won his last four races including the Grand National Trial at Punchestown. He was eased in the closing stages when accounting for Portrait King by a length and a half but the handicapper has put him up 13lbs.

Los Amigos beat Grand Jesture here in 2013 and is better off at the weights on Monday. This looks to have been the target all season for the son of Overbury who beat Lion Na Bearnai here in January. He was trying to give Gallant Oscar 11lbs when beaten three and a quarter lengths at Naas in the Leinster National last March. An 8lbs pull should bring them closer together.

Tony McCoy will be riding in Ireland for the last time and could partner the novice If In Doubt. McCoy had to be at his best to steer this one home in the Great Yorkshire Chase and he ran respectably in the RSA Chase behind Don Poli. He still does not look the most natural of jumpers and that cannot be a good thing in such a large field.

There has been plenty of ante-post support for Vics Canvas despite his advancing years. The 12-year-old son of Old Vic was a fine third to Living Next Door in the Paddy Power Chase in December but he has been well beaten on both previous visits to Fairyhouse. Wounded Warrior looks set to carry top weight after finishing third to Don Poli at Cheltenham but this looks a difficult task for a six-year-old.

Gallant Oscar @10-1 Boylesports* Non-runner – No bet

Grand Jesture @14-1 Bet365

Los Amigos @16-1 Bet365

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4