Paul Jacobs: My picks for a manic Monday at Fairyhouse

The heavy ground at Fairyhouse is going to make even the two-mile events real slugfests and in the opening novice handicap hurdle at 14:10, the Joseph O’Brien trained Play With The Wind could be chucked in off a mark of 114 on his handicap debut.

He was a huge eye-catcher on his final qualifying run last time out at Navan and looks the value each-way call against the likes of Cori Lindo (may be worth a saver) and Black Key.

It goes without saying that if Getabird manages to settle in the Grade Two Rathbarry and Glenview novice hurdle at 14:45 he should prove hard to beat and a better value bet could come in the form of Space Cadet in the staying handicap hurdle at 15:15.

This son of Fleminsfirth hasn’t been running that badly over fences, but the shrewd Gordon Elliott is trying to excavate a 10lbs lower mark over hurdles and he could be the each-way play at a double figure price over Coral Cup failure C’est Jersey.

The Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle (15:50) could see Augusta Kate run well. She was still travelling well between the final two flights of the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham before falling in a hole and this trip will suit her so much better.

I reckon the Grade Two Devenish Chase at 16:25 could turn into a right slog with the likelihood that Champagne West will try and run his rivals into the ground dropped in distance, but that could merely set the race up for Un De Sceaux who doesn’t need to lead nowadays.

However, one of the best bets on the card could come in the staying handicap chase at 17:45 where Paper Lantern can finally come good after promising so much more in recent outings.

This big gallop of a course will be right up his street and I shall be hugely disappointed if his bottomless reserves of stamina aren’t deployed to good use in a very winnable event.