Hi all,
Another hectic day’s racing with Easter Sunday with seven meetings across Britain & Ireland. The best of the action is at Fairyhouse where the highlight are two Grade 1 races the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final (3:10) and the BoyleSports Gold Cup Novice Chase (4:55).
There’s also a decent jumps card at Cork with the Grade B BARONERACING.COM Easter Handicap Hurdle (4:05) looking the highlight of an eight-race card.
The best of the action this side of the Irish is a second day of racing at Newbury. The action isn’t as good as yesterday at the Berkshire track but the card does include three potentially competitive Class 2 handicaps at the end of the card. There’s a very valuable race on today’s Plumpton’s card with £50,000 in guaranteed prize money with £26,015 on offer to the winner of the Sussex Champion Hurdle Handicap Hurdle (4:35).
Fairyhouse
The headline act at Fairyhouse is Cheltenham Festival winner Galopin Des Champs in theBoyleSports Gold Cup Novice Chase (4:35).
There could be another Cheltenham Festival winner on the card if Love Envoi takes her place in theIrish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final.
Like yesterday, it’s the handicaps that interest me most from a betting perspective.
The 2m 4 ½ f Cawley Furniture Novice Handicap Hurdle (2:35) has attracted 25 runners and it looks one of the most competitive races on the card. Both Memory Of Youth’s career wins have come over C&D but she probably needs soft ground to be at her best and Sean Flanagan deserts her and rides Donnrua Dream who is another who will hope the forecast rain arrives. Womalko has looked a progressive handicap hurdler when going close at Cork before winning at Limerick in December. The 6-year-old returned from an 11-week absence with another improved effort when 4-length 2nd of 10 at Down Royal last month. Very much in the mix if the ground isn’t too quick. L’yser looked a much-improved hurdler for the step up to 2m 4f when winning C&D maiden last time. Looks on a competitive mark for his handicap debut and can win a race like this if he has improved his jumping since his last run. Clifftop returned from a winter break with a good effort on the flat at Leopardstown 11-days ago. He must be respected on his improved 1 ½ length 2nd of 15 at Bellewstown when last seen over hurdles in August. The step up to 2m 4f suited him that day and this will only be the 6-year-old’s second start in handicap company. He does, however likely require a decent surface to be seen at his best.
Ten have been declared for the 2m ½ f Grade B BoyleSports Novice Handicap Chase (4:20). The Gordon Elliott trained Buddy Rich is expected to go close. The 9-year-old was well fancied for the Grand Annual Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival but was forced to miss that due to the softening ground. He looks on a winnable mark but didn’t find as much at expected as when a 6 ¾ length 4th of 10 Dunvegan over C&D in November. A 141-day break will have freshened the 9-year-old. Connections will be hoping that the rain has stayed away as he doesn’t stay much beyond 2m. Mt Leinster a useful hurdler got off the mark at the fifth attempt over fences when comfortably winning a Leopardstown beginners chase last month. Needs to cut out the mistakes if he’s to win this off his present mark. A big danger to Buddy Rich looks to be Bold Emperor. The 9-year-olds sole success over fences came in a Sligo beginners chase (good) in September. He had looked set to go close in a Galway handicap the following month when falling two out and has remained in form on two subsequent starts. Returning from a 5-month absence he put in a good jumping display when a 5 -length 2nd of 13 here over 2m 5 ½ f. The drop back in trip shouldn’t be an inconvenience and if he comes on for his last run, he’s a big danger to the favourite.
Betting Advice:
Fairyhouse
2:35 – 1pt win – L’yser – 15/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes and 0.5pts each way – Clifftop – 40/1 @ Bet365 (paying 6 places 1/5 odds)
4:20 – Bold Emperor – 11/1 @ Bet365
Cheers
John