Foxhunters Chase: 3m 2f, Friday, March 18, 4:10pm
Key stat: The last 12 winners won on their previous start
The Foxhunters’ Chase is the leading hunter chase of the season where last time out winners have won 23 of the last 30 renewals.
The Irish are on a roll having won it for the last five years and reigning champ On the Fringe leads the Irish challenge again after needing his comeback race in the Raymond Smith Hunters’ Chase at Leopardstown (won by the ill-fated You Must Know Me) as he attempts to become the fifth horse to win back-to-back renewals since 1946.
Five of the last nine winners contested the Leopardstown race in February but on a slightly less positive note, contenders aged 11+ have won just twice in the last 25 contests despite being responsible for approximately 50 per cent of the field.
This age barrier could count against On The Fringe as Enda Bolger’s runner is now 11 years old.
Latching onto the youngest of the most-fancied horses is a simple line of thinking that would have found you eight winners since 1992.
Five of the last 10 winners contested the Punchestown Champion Hunters’ Chase in May won by On The Fringe from Noble Prince and Pearlysteps.
The previous year’s contest has proved a great guide with five of the last 12 winners having run in – but not necessarily won the race a year earlier bringing in the likes of Following Dreams, Paint the Clouds and Carsonstown Boy on last year’s form.