Fairyhouse Easter Festival Fancies Day 1

With memories of Cheltenham still fresh in the mind we are in for a few more super days of national hunt racing in County Meath this Easter weekend. The Grand National is the main event on Easter Monday and with the ground likely to ease significantly it will bring all the mudlarks into the equation.

Earlier on today Midnight Jazz rewarded each way support for us at Haydock with a decent 2nd, though it was disappointing that she couldn't get a bit closer to the winner. After a couple of places recently I feel we are due a winner, and hopefully it will come at Fairyhouse tomorrow. Below are my thoughts for Day 1 of what should be a fantastic few days of racing.

RACE 1- 2.00 MAIDEN HURDLE 

A pretty modest affair to get proceedings under way and it is 3/1 the field with Tayto Park for Tony Martin at the head of the market. closely followed by Beau Mome for Mullins/Ricci/Walsh. Neither of those have looked anything special so far in their short careers and it wouldn't be the biggest surprise to see one at juicier odds making the frame.

At 14/1 Enzani is a very interesting runner for John McConnell and this well bred 5yo son of Cape Cross is having only his second start over timber. The deteriorating ground should hold no fears as he ran a lovely race on his flat debut at Navan (13f soft), staying on well for 4th up the hill. He put in a massively eye catching run at Dundalk at a huge price (10.5f) on his penultimate start, and to say he was handled tenderly is a huge understatement. He stayed on really well in the home straight to grab 4th, and he was sent off a well backed favourite upped to 12f at the same venue next time.

He couldn't justify support, finishing 4th again and doing all his best work late on, and though his backers did their money he was far from disgraced and he again showed that he has a fair bit of ability. He is bred to be a good horse and his half sister Eshera won an 8f listed race last season for Dermot Weld. Enzani looks a touch overpriced at 14/1 given the limitations of the opposition, and it would be no surprise to see a market move for him. He is the each way suggestion in a maiden that won't take a whole lot of winning.

STEVOS' SELECTION- ENZANI (E/W) 14/1

RACE 2-2.35 HANDICAP HURDLE

This looks a pretty hot handicap and a case can be made for any amount of them. Next Bend for Thomas Gibney was mightily impressive when breaking his duck back in a maiden last time and kept to the same trip and similar ground he could run a big race. However, the one I fancy here is Pakman, for shrewd Westmeath handler Adrian Murray.

I was at Fairyhouse the day he was 3rd back in November at 100/1 and he really looked a nice type in the parade ring. He tried to make all that day on his first run back of the season, and he only faded after jumping the last. He ran to a similar level of form on his next three runs, all in maidens, and he makes his handicap debut off a mark of 112.

Quality claimer Ger Fox will take off a very handy 3lb, and  the return to Fairyhouse has to be seen as a positive given his excellent run here back in November. His half brother Hurricane Alley won two hurdle races on heavy ground and I think this fella has a great chance of getting off the mark tomorrow. He is the each way suggestion at odds of 20/1 and hopefully he makes a bold bid from the front in a wide open race.

STEVOS' SELECTION: PAKMAN (E/W) 20/1 (nb)

RACE 3-3.05 FILLIES AND MARES GRADE 1 

Jer's Girl is a filly that did us a big favour when landing a monster gamble on her first start over hurdles at Limerick (16f soft) and she showed that was no fluke by landing a Listed heat at Aintree (17f soft) by 10L on her next run. She came within a whisker of beating subsequent Triumph Hurdle runner up Apple's Jade on her first run in Grade 2 company at Leopardstown at Xmas (16f heavy) and she surely would have won with a better jump at the last.

She wasn't quite as good when she stepped into Grade 1 company for the first time at Leopardstown last time out, but that run was too bad to be true and she is a better filly than she showed that day. JP McManus has got the chequebook out and added Jer's Girl to his army of horses, and Gavin Cromwell will be delighted that the rain has arrived as this daughter of Jeremy loves to get her toe in. Barry Geraghty rides her for the first time, but she is an uncomplicated type who loves to get on with things out in front so he shouldn't have too many problems. Gavin Cromwell would love to get a win with his first runner for JP and at odds of 4/1 I think she has every chance of delivering the goods.

STEVOS' SELECTION: JER'S GIRL 4/1

3.40 GRADE 2 NOVICE HURDLE

Acapella Bourgeois is highly rated by connections and he is expected to run a big race tomorrow for Sandra Hughes. This 6yo son of Network has been a revelation this season and he built on the promise of his seasonal return here with a commanding 6L maiden hurdle win at Leopardstown. The bubble looked like it had been burst when he could only finish 2nd next time on his first run in a Grade 2, but he showed that was merely a blip with a decisive 5L win in another Grade 2 at Thurles last month.

He is another that will appreciate all the rain that is falling around these parts and the softer it is the more it will help his chances. Just like Jer's Girl he is another uncomplicated type and he will look to gallop them into submission from the front. If Burke is allowed to dictate the tempo and get an easy lead it could spell trouble for his rivals, and at odds of 13/2 he should go very close in a Grade 2 that lacks strength in depth.

STEVOS' SELECTION: ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS 13/2

4.15 RYANAIR GOLD CUP NOVICE CHASE

The feature race of the opening day looks a cracking contest on paper and it is no surprise to see Michael O'Leary firing three bullets in his attempt to win the race he sponsors. However, Tony Martin's horses have been showing clear signs of hitting form in the last couple of weeks and I think Blair Perrone is a massive price at 25/1.

This 7yo son of Rudimentary has yet to get his head in front over fences but he has shown some very decent form in defeat. He won two hurdle races, beating Silver Concorde in a maiden at Leopardstown (20f soft) and also lowering the colours of Domesday Book in a novice hurdle at Gowran (16f yielding/soft). He found Grade 1 and 2 company too hot on his last two runs over timber but he has shown that he can cut it at this level over the bigger obstacles.

He was narrowly beaten by Killultagh Vic on his penultimate run, but in fairness he was flattered to get so close given that horse's shuddering mistake at the last. Previous to that effort he chased home the luckless Zabana (19f heavy) at Leopardstown and the way he stayed on that day would suggest that 20f could prove to be his optimum trip. His last run was too bad to be true behind Outlander and it could have come a bit too soon after his previous run. I think he has a real chance of closing the gap to that rival and at odds of 25/1 Blair Perrone is the each way selection.

STEVOS' SELECTION: BLAIR PERRONE (E/W) 25/1

4.50 NOVICE HANDICAP CHASE

Balnagon Boy is another horse that regular readers of this blog will be familiar with and this handsome 8yo son of Hernando loves it around here. His three runs at the track have yielded form figures of 112 and his sole defeat came over 20f last time behind Marlbrook back in January.

His previous wins here have come over 16f and he loves to get his toe in, so all the rain that is falling will be a welcome sight to connections. He drops back to 17f after two runs at 20f on his last two starts and he has been handed a mark of 126 for his chase handicap debut. Topper Thornton, who was over 30L behind Balnagon the day of his win here, has since won a handicap chase easily off 116 and the 2nd home was subsequently 2nd in a Listed Chase.

Young Jonathan Moore has been booked for the ride and he has shown that he is well worth his valuable 5lb claim with some composed rides this season. The return to Fairyhouse and the drop in trip are huge positives for Balnagon Boy and he has had a nice little break so he will be fresh and ready to go. Tom Gibney sent out Next Bend to win last week so his horses are coming back to form, and at odds of 6/1 I think Balnagon Boy has a great chance of going very close at a track he clearly loves.

STEVOS' SELECTION: BALNAGON BOY 6/1 (NAP)

5.25 BUMPER

I have no strong opinion on this race as there is a host of unraced horses and only the trainers and owners know how they have been working at home. Boreham Bill is an interesting English raider from the Ben Pauling yard and this 4yo son of Tikkanen has plenty of jumps winners in his pedigree. Pauling has sent out quite a few bumper winners this season and at odds of 14/1 Boreham Bill is a token each way selection in a race where literally any horse could win.

STEVOS' SELECTION: BOREHAM BILL (E/W) 14/1