Fairyhouse Grand National Day Selections

It is always great to get a festival off to a good start on the opening day, and though Enzani was a let down in the first race Pakman made up for it with an excellent 3rd advised at 20/1 in the 2nd race. Jer's Girl went in for us again (adv 4/1) and her win was the most impressive performance of the day in my opinion. I was very worried when I saw the tactics but holding her up worked a treat and she sauntered to a commanding victory. 

Acapella Bourgeois (adv 13/2) then went on and won in an absolute thriller and he stuck his neck out when it really mattered most. The dream is still alive for his connections and they look to have a serious horse on their hands. Blair Perrone ran a cracking race to be 3rd but unfortunately non runners meant only 2 places got paid so we missed out on each way money. He was slightly unlucky too as he was done no favours by the loose horse and with a clearer run he might have got closer. Balnagon Boy ran a good race but he was obviously just a little short on fitness. He jumped really well though and Tom Gibney will be encouraged by that at least. 

Monday is the big day of the Easter Festival at Fairyhouse and I had my first ever experience of racing at the County Meath track. It was back in the days when there was a large common area you could go to free of charge, and there was plenty of bookies pitched there plying their trade. The first year I went was when Flashing Steel carried 12st+ to victory for Charlie Haughey and having backed him it was no surprise I was instantly hooked on racing. It is a race I look forward to every year and hopefully we can find the winner tomorrow. 

RACE 1-2.40 GRADE 2 JUVENILE HURDLE

Rashaan was really impressive when winning his Grade 3 here back in November but he was seemingly found out when upped in Grade at Leopardstown. However, the ground was absolutely boottomless for those two runs at grade 2 and grade 1 level and I think the return to less testing ground will work in his favour. Jer's Girl is unlikely to run after her heroics here on Sunday and I think Rashaan looks an absolutely massive price at 9/1 in this field. I think he is going to bounce back and deliver on the huge promise he  showed when slamming Missy Tata here back in November. 

STEVOS' SELECTION-RASHAAN 9/1 NAP

RACE 2-3.15 GRADE 2 NOVICE HURDLE

Eight will go to post for this competitive little grade 2 heat and a case can be made for most of them. The one I like at a price is Jett for Jessie Harrington and Robbie Power. I am a sucker for a nice pedigree and this fella's dam has produced Jenari, Jetson, Jered and Champion hurdle hero Jezki. Jett is the latest to come off the production line and while he hasn't looked anything too special in bumpers he showed huge improvement to get off the mark at the first time of asking over timber last time in a maiden at Leopardstown (20f soft).

The form of his maiden win has worked out very well and the 4th home that day, Stowaway Shark, has since gone on to win, while the second home Space Cadet has form with the likes of Acapella Bourgeois and Grade 2 winner Up For Review. Jett is entitled to improve for what was his first run over timber and though he is in deeper here he has the form and the pedigree to suggest he belongs at this higher level. The drop in trip should be fine and he has every chance of becoming the 5th in his family to earn some black type over jumps. 

STEVOS' SELECTION: JETT (E/W) 10/1

RACE 3-3.50 HANDICAP HURDLE

This race has been targeted by shrewd Meath handler Tony Martin in recent seasons and he has won 5 of the last 10 runnings. His entry Mydor is entitled to automatic respect coming from those quarters but I like the look of another local horse who put in a massively eye catching run on his last outing. Aengus is a 6yo son of Robin Des Champs in the care of Noel Meade and this bumper and maiden winner bounced back from a spell in the doldrums with a cracking run behind Total Recall at Naas last time (19f soft). 

That was a hugely encouraging run from the gelding and the way he finished off his race after getting outpaced as the race hotted up would suggest that the extra couple of furlongs here should suit him well. He was raised 2lb to a mark of 118 for that last run, but the extra distance and return to the track where he won his bumper (18f soft) should bring about another jolt of improvement. With useful 5lb claimer Jonathan Moore on board he can hopefully reward each way support at odds of 14/1. 

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

4.20 GRADE 2 HURDLE

I have no real strong opinion on this race. Dedigout would be conceding a lot more weight to most of these if it was a handicap and Tony Martin's horses are starting to finally come into form. He ought to come on massively for his seasonal reappearance last month and this former Grade 1 winner is a token choice to land the 5th Grade 2 of his career at a track where he has form figures of 12251. 

STEVOS' SELECTION-DEDIGOUT 3/1

5.00-IRISH GRAND NATIONAL

This looks to be a high quality renewal of the Grand National this season and both Cause of Causes amd Mala Beach are the class acts of the race. However, it would take a monumental effort for the former to come out and win here after his heroics at Cheltenham and the fact remains that no horse has carried more than 11st to victory since Commanche Court back in 2001. 

One horse that has long been talked about as a Grand National type by his trainer is Jarob for Andrew Lynch, and he deserves a change in fortune after the unfortunate incident at the start with Zabana in Cheltenham. Jarob's owner Chris Jones also runs Mala Beach and Futuramic, but history would suggest that Mala Beach will struggle to carry his welter burden to victory, and once the ground doesn't turn bottomless I think Jarob could run a massive race for Jones.

He will be ridden by Luke Dempsey, who has had a stellar season for Gordon Elliott, and his mark of 130 sees him with a lovely racing weight of just 10st 2lbs. His most recent win over timber came over hurdles off the same mark so he is potentially well in back over fences. He won his chase on good ground at Navan (20f), earning his mark of 130, and he was kept to hurdles afterwards to presumably mind his chase mark for this race. 

He looks certain to stay, the decent ground will be to his liking and hopefully his jumping will stand up to the test over this marathon trip of 3m 5f. I think his price of 33/1 is more than generous and if the rain stays away for the next 24 hours or so I think he is capable of running a huge race for his local yard. 

STEVOS' SELECTION-JAROB (E/W) 33/1 nb

As I have no strong fancies for the remaining races that is it for day 2. Hopefully all the horses and jockeys come back safe after the big one, and if we can find a winner or two throughout the day I'll be happy.