Fairyhouse Monday Racing Tips by Dave Stevos
Fairyhouse Monday Racing Tips
The Irish Grand National is the big race today and I have already posted two tips, check them out here. Apart from the main event, there is a trio of Grade 2s for punters to get stuck into, as well as a couple of quality handicaps. Dave Stevos’ had a good day on Sunday with winners at 13/2 and 16/1 and a couple of places at 33/1 and 22/1. Hopefully his good form continues, check out his Fairyhouse Monday Racing Tips below.
2.05 – Novice Handicap Hurdle (4yo+)
A nice and easy start to the day at Fairyhouse with this 19 runner novice handicap hurdle. The ground should be very similar to yesterday after another dry night. One horse that should appreciate the conditions is handicap debutant Excelcius. This 5yo son of Exceed and Excel has shaped pretty promisingly in a trio of maiden hurdles at Leopardstown and Naas (x2). The ground was soft on all three occasions for those runs. On his flat form, today’s ground should suit him much better.
This former flat performer was rated in the 80s when trained by Ger Lyons. His sole win came on the all-weather over 7f at Dundalk but he has plenty of decent efforts on good ground. The form of his maiden hurdle runs isn’t overly strong but given the ability he showed on the flat, an opening mark of 109 might underestimate him. Danny Mullins takes over from Sean O’Keefe in the plate and he is 5/40 with 8 top 4 finishes when riding for Tom Mullins. His last run on ground with no soft in the description resulted in a fine 2nd off 75 at the Curragh (10f gd) and at odds of 33/1 a small e/w interest is advised.
Fairyhouse Monday Racing Tips: Excelcius e/w @ 33/1 (5 places)
2.40 – Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2)
The defection of Zoffanien means only 7 will go to post in this Juvenile Hurdle. Cheltenham winner Jeff Kidder is sure to be popular but the odds on favourite is Teahupoo for Sneezy Foster and Robbie Power. This 4yo is rated 138 and he is unbeaten after three starts. He hacked up in a G3 the last day over C&D and he is 2/2 at this track. However, he has yet to race on ground as quick as this and that is a worry. His dam won twice on very soft ground in France but her sole start on good to soft resulted in defeat. He may well handle it but I wouldn’t be lumping on at skinny odds.
Jeff Kidder will definitely handle the ground, as will last time out winner Coventry. Nazine is another fascinating runner for Mick McDonagh after his eye-catching win at Navan. Joseph O’Brien’s horses are struggling for form so it is hard to be confident in either of his two runners. Behind The Wall won on heavy last time and his pedigree suggests good ground could suit even better. However, with just two places on offer this is not a betting heat for me. It is well worth watching with a view to the future though.
Fairyhouse Monday Racing Tips: No Bet
3.15 – Handicap Hurdle (0-140)
All the talk in this race has been about Lynwood Gold for Power and Harrington. The son of Mastercraftsman is a top class flat performer and he finished a creditable 8th in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket last season. He shaped reasonably well on his return to action at Punchestown last month (24f sft). This slight drop back in trip to 22f should suit him. He won his maiden hurdle on heavy ground, beating a classy type in Blackbow. Harrington’s charge was also a solid 4th behind Exit Poll in another maiden over today’s course previously. This ground suits fine and he looks potentially well handicapped off 130.
However, odds of around 7/2 make no appeal and I would much rather take a chance on Bold Emperor at bigger odds. Trained by local handler Tom Gibney, this son of Galileo will love today’s ground. He has been running well on ground softer than ideal this season. His last start on yielding came over 16f here off 105 back in October and he was beat just 1L into 2nd. He races off a 4lb higher mark here (2lb wrong at weights) but he was a solid 3rd off 108 at Navan in November. So, he is not handicapped out of this.
That Navan race was his only start at today’s 22f trip and he only ran out of steam in the closing stages. That effort came on soft ground and it is a long way home up that Navan hill. He should have a better chance of lasting home on this track, especially on this better ground. He has the assistance of a top class pilot in Darragh O’Keefe and he carries less than 10 stone. With 5 places on offer, Bold Emperor is the e/w pick at 22/1.
Fairyhouse Monday Racing Tips: Bold Emperor e/w @ 22/1 (5 places)
3.50 – Underwriting Exchange Hurdle (Grade 2)
Although only 7 horses go to post here, I think Scarpeta is worth backing e/w. This 8yo son of Soldier Of Fortune has generally disappointed this season. However, he has been running on bottomless ground and the return to a sounder surface is going to suit him. His last run on nice ground resulted in an easy win at Thurles (23f gd) where he beat a decent type in Peregrine Run. His sole run on yielding was also a winning one, an 8L romp over 24f at Clonmel.
He has won once on heavy, a maiden hurdle, but by far his best from on the flat and over jumps has come on better ground. His 3rd on good ground behind Bachasson over this distance at Punchestown would give him a squeak here and he hasn’t got a whole lot to find at the figures. French Dynamite and The Bosses Oscar look the ones to beat but if they don’t produce their best Scarpeta could sneak into the frame at odds of 16/1.
Fairyhouse Monday Racing Tips: Scarpeta e/w @ 16/1
4.20 – Devenish Chase (Grade 2)
With trip and most importantly ground to suit, I am going to take a punt on Snow Falcon at a price here. Noel Meade’s charge loves yielding ground and this is probably his best trip. He comes into this race a far fresher horse than most of his rivals. He has had just two starts and he was far from disgraced behind The Storyteller in the Irish Champion Chase at Down Royal back in October (24f yld).
It wasn’t Jonathon Moore’s greatest ride that day and he could have finished much closer than the 6L he was beaten. He was only a couple of lengths off a place and this is arguably an easier race. This 11yo hasn’t won since October 2019, the last time he raced over 20f on yielding ground. He was coming back from a 109 day break that day and he usually goes best when fresh.
As I mentioned earlier, yielding ground is perfect for this son of Presenting. His career form figures on yielding read 2115311416. When returning from a break of 100+ days or more he has form figures of 13114416. Noel Meade has likely had this race in mind for a while and he gets the ground he would have hoped for. If he can repeat his Down Royal run Snow Falcon won’t be far away here. At odds of 22/1, he is the e/w selection.
Fairyhouse Monday Racing Tips: Snow Falcon e/w @ 22/1 NAP
5.40 – Handicap Chase (5yo+)
The last race at Fairyhouse on Monday is a 13 runner, 24f handicap chase. Jessica Harrington has her string in excellent shape and Rapid Response could run big for her here. This mare is the mount of Robbie Power and he is riding out of his skin. She is in off a mark of 126 today and there could be room to manoeuvre off that rating. Yes, she disappointed in a massive field at Leopardstown on her chase handicap debut off 128 last time but she is better than that.
Her sole win over fences so far came in a Beginners Chase at Wexford (25f fsft). However, the run that suggests she could be well handicapped was her close 2nd to Popong at Listowel (20f sft). She was 0.5L behind that rival conceding 7lbs and Popong was bang in contention when falling at the last in a hot Xmas handicap at Leopardstown off a mark of 130.
Her 9L 2nd to Court Maid in a Novice Chase at this track was another encouraging effort (21f yld). That mare is now rated 152 and is fancied by a few to run a big race in the Irish National. I think today’s ground will play to her strengths and hopefully she will have gained plenty of experience from her runs in big fields at Leopardstown. This is a much easier race than the one she contested last time and at odds of 16/1 she is worth backing e/w.
