Fox A Cute Booking For Bagins At Fairyhouse

Consider ran a massively disappointing race, blowing the start and never landing a blow. I still believe that he has more ability than he showed at Dundalk, but maybe we won’t see the best of him until he encounters turf. Saturday’s selection goes at Fairyhouse, and Bilbo Bagins could take a big step forward on handicap debut in the 2m 4f hurdle at 16.00.

Ger Fox takes over on Bilbo Bagins.

This lightly raced 8yo son of Golan is trained by one of the shrewdest handlers around in Adrian Murray, and he was given as strange a ride as you are likely to see last time at Navan. A quick glance at the result shows he was 6th, beaten 26L, but if you look at how he was ridden it was a much better run than his finishing position suggests.

Barry Cash dropped him right out the back in that 20f (soft) maiden hurdle, and for a long way it looked as though he would stay there. However, down the back straight Bilbo Bagins started to move stylishly through the field, and as they turned for home he looked as though he might even challenge for a place. Cash had other ideas though, and he was very easy on him in the closing stages.

He ended up in 6th, but if Cash had given him a more vigorous ride I have no doubt that he would have finished a lot closer than the 25L he was eventually beaten. He has been replaced by Ger Fox in the saddle, and he has a win and 4 places from 18 rides for Murray. Bilbo Bagins has been handed a mark of 100 for his handicap debut, and if he is trying at Fairyhouse he could well hit the frame at the juicy odds of 33/1.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 16.00 FAIRYHOUSE-BILBO BAGINS E/W 33/1