Equinties - Easter special

Gm Equinauts

With such quality racing on today, we thought we’d knock out an Easter special previewing all the best horses at Fairyhouse. Happy Easter and enjoy.

Let’s dive in.

BIG RACE PREVIEW

14.35 GRADE 1 HONEYSUCKLE MARES’ NOVICE HURDLE 

BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD was a surprising omission from this race at the declaration stage, but her lack of presence means JADE DE GRUGY heads the market at a generous 2’s given her pre-festival hype.

Her claims are obvious having finished fourth at Cheltenham in what was a hot renewal of the Grade 2 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (GOLDEN ACE is a proper mare). The question is whether she stays, though she did win over the trip at Leopardstown at Christmas(see below) and Cheltenham turned into a sprint test that she didn’t win. 

There’ll be a big question mark over just how much Cheltenham has taken out of her.

JETARA, like a few this weekend, has been saved for this race rather than going for Cheltenham. This second-season novice is classy and she beat A PENNY A HUNDRED by a similar distance to what JADE DE GRUGY did at Punchestown in December, but the form of her last run hasn’t exactly worked out that well. 

FUN FUN FUN is respected. We tipped her for the Champion bumper where she flopped but has since done not much wrong over hurdles and would be unbeaten over sticks if she did didn’t sprawl on landing against BIRDIE OR BUST in the Grade 2 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle third at Thurles. Live contender.

BIOLUMINESCENCE is the horse coming into the race with less form in the book and more promise based on two consecutive victories. The most recent came in a Grade 3 where she put eight lengths between herself and A PENNY A HUNDRED, so that collateral form has her as a potential to hit the frame. She’ll definitely be one for fences as she’s huge.

Representing the Brits is SPRINGTIME PROMISE for Fergal O’Brien with Connor Brace taking the ride. Fergal hasn’t hidden the fact she is very ground dependent and when she does get her favoured heavy, he’d happily put her up against anything - that’s bullish for today.

Verdict: We’d be keen to find an ew play versus the hot fave in JADE DE GRUGY here due to the Cheltenham tax - we just don’t know how much was taken. The solid ew play looks FUN FUN FUN who has a profile you wouldn’t be too fast to back against. We’ll be cheering on our own raider SPRINGTIME PROMISE for Fergal!

15.10 GRADE 2 NOVICE HURDLE 

NO FLIES ON HIM skipped Cheltenham after his second to TULLYHILL at Punchestown to come here.

TULLYHILL has since disappointed in the Supreme and JIGORO pulled up in the Coral Cup, so the form of that race hasn’t worked out too well. That being said, NO FLIES ON HIM drifted like a barge on the exchanges before the off. 

DEE CAPO has been a nice improver for Gordon Elliott and he beat an established horse in ASHDALE BOB lto – ASHDALE BOB has four years and much more experience in the locker compared to DEE CAPO, so this run can be marked up. He won snugly that day, and although ASHDALE BOB isn’t the horse he once was, he can continue to improve as a five-year-old. 

The big money in the race has been for ANOTHERWAY for that man Willie Mullins. Paul Townend takes the ride on this former Flat recruit (who finished third to the 115-rated SIMCA MILLE at Angers in May 2022) and he bolted up at Punchestown lto. He’s had just the two runs over hurdles for Mullins and arguably beaten absolutely nothing so today will really be his first test.

RUSHMOUNT, like NO FLIES ON HIM, is unexposed having raced twice under rules and twice in point-to-points. His second to LECKY WATSON, a horse who finished second to SLADE STEEL in a Grade 2 at Navan on debut is good form and he then destroyed the field at Thurles last month. He is interesting here despite the drift.

At the bigger prices, LOUGHGLYNN beat STELLAR STORY – the Albert Bartlett winner – at Limerick two starts ago before his poor effort at Leopardstown. If you can forgive a horse a run, his form when beating FIREFOX in a bumper is also sharp and he is a solid type in this field.

GOLD DANCER is interesting too. Very well bred and has had some time to acclimatise since coming over from France. He’s a gorgeous looking horse but does lack size so he’ll no doubt stay over hurdles or in town perhaps become another little TIGER ROLL?

Verdict: DEE CAPO looks to be progressive and going right handed a positive. Ground no issue. He’s the win bet.

The horse who you’d think can’t be knocked is RUSHMOUNT but the market doesn’t like him at all - 7’s out to 10’s. Is that because he isn’t trained by Mullins? We’ll hang our hat on him for the hedge regardless.

Note: Keep a look at for little GOLD DANCER on better ground as his blood says he’ll be a super little horse.

15.45 GRADE 2 NOVICE HURDLE

The Grade 2 two-mile novice hurdle is a muddling picture, though the money has been for Willie Mullins’ TOUNSIVATOR. Purchased from the Flat in France, his jumping let him down when it mattered on his first start for Closutton but his Flat speed got his head back in front. RAINBOW TRAIL, the second, has won since so he must have a good chance here if his jumping is better.

As for money going the other way, MIRAZUR WEST has been a bit of a drifter for the same stable and in silks that would worry you if the money didn’t come for it. He was a big talking horse coming into this season but he has slightly disappointed to date – his second to KING OF KINGSFIELD as a piece of a form has taken a bit of a beating as KING OF KINGFIELD was smashed by BALLYBURN at the DRF and he was unsighted in the County. 

WESTERN DIEGO won on his last start and put seven lengths between himself and SHOOT THE BLUES, a horse who got to within three lengths of TOUNSIVATOR on his latest start. UNDENIABLE ALIBI was back in third that day and he has won since, so the form of that race has worked and last year’s Champion Bumper form is pretty good. 

ANGOSTURA is the shortest-priced non-Willie Mullins-trained horse in the race after he made all at Gowran Park earlier this month. He did it with ease that day and sharper jumping would see him go even better – he comes from a decent family and could be interesting here. 

At the bigger prices, ATABOYCHARLIE was second to WATERFORD WHISPERS on debut who has since ran well in the Martin Pipe – the Martin Pipe usually works out as a decent piece of form, and Edward Cawley’s belief in him to send him into a Grade 2 with a mark of 123 could be a tip in itself. He is sired by MAKE BELIEVE meaning the ground will be well in his favour but naturally will bumper into types better bred for jumping.

Verdict: The fave’s didn’t oblige at Fairyhouse yesterday but TOUNSIVATOR has a great chance in this. He’ll love love love the mud and is the one to beat. The upset could be in the form of ATABOYCHARLIE who needs to forget about his nasty fall lto and might prove a useful small hedge.

16.55 GRADE 1 GOLD CUP

The final Grade 1 of the afternoon looks like a cracker between seven runners with SPILLANE’S TOWER heading the market. The top two in the market – him and BLOOD DESTINY – raced against each other on their last two starts and the score line is 1-1 between them. 

Today’s trip of 2m 4f is fine for both, in fact SPILLANES TOWER got the better of BLOOD DESTINY at his first attempt at the extended trip over fences.

BLOOD DESTINY has also won over two-and-a-half miles when dotting up on chase debut. He beat HEART WOOD that day who has since won a handicap chase by a distance at the DRF, so the form has worked out well.

Due to the strength of the top two in the market, TACTICAL MOVE has been on the drift. 6/1 out to 9/1 isn’t amazing and JUMPING JET, who he beat lto, was well-beaten yesterday in a Listed handicap chase. He did beat SAINT FELICIEN two starts ago who reopposes today. ZANAHIYR ran a good race at Cheltenham lto when fourth to GREY DAWNING in the Turners, though he was 12 lengths back. 

If Dan Skelton is to be believed, GREY DAWNING is a very good horse and the Turners form from this season looks strong on first viewing. He also has form with BOB OLINGER when behind him in the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle last season and he was third to CONSTITUTION HILL in the Aintree Hurdle, so he could run well at big odds.

Verdict: This will be between BLOOD DESTINY and SPILLANES TOWER. BLOOD DESTINY has the classier pedigree but he does come up small against the giant SPILLANES TOWER - is that why ST got the better of BD when over the longer trip? Potentially… so that basis we’ll side with SPILLANES TOWER.

THE BUMPER

Willie’s head the market, of course, the ‘just back Willie’s in the bumper’ thing didn’t come about for not reason! Pedigree is a superb French jumpers ped - nothing to dislike!

BUTCHERS BILL is next in line - the full brother to Champion bumper second ROMEO COOLIO. That’s the ped to beat.

Mad moves for SPINOLA BAY given price tag -went unsold as a 3yo for 12k yet is being backed in against horses that cost a quarter milli.

It’s good to see a few British raiders in this field!

JJ sends one over the water which is interesting as he has been cleaning up in British bumpers this year. We heard he quite likes this one but

Nige likes bumpers too and he’s sent CLAP OF THUNDER who has been squeezed from 20’s into 11’s. He wouldn’t be our pick for a normal week day bumper in Britain so we don’t think he has a chance here.

The rest of the field will struggle in this company.

Verdict: Naturally Willie’s as to be feared but 7/4 is boring and dangerous given some of the pedigrees in this race, BUTCHERS BILL a case in point. IF BB is anything like his brother - he wins! Big question is, whay are the books giving him away at 4’s?

JJ’ been purring over WE’RE RED AND BLUE and he has the best of chances of the British today. JJ will want to see him run well - he certainly won’t mind the ground. He’ll be our ew selection.

RISK ON

The above previews are to help you form your own opinions and we might have a few funny acca’s using the verdict horses however our main play is just one bet on:

13.55 FOUR TOWNS

Like NUMITOR, we backed this lad lto when he lost but we’re going in again trusting there is better horse to be revealed. He jumped like a bin but it was clear he has a good engine in him so if Pauling has schooled him… 13/8 a good bet.

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