11:55 – Malina Girl
12:25 – Comfort Zone
12:55 – Punitive
13:25 – Champ Kiely
13:55 – Banbridge
14:30 – Honeysuckle
15:05 – Pinkerton
15:35 – Better Days Ahead
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
11:55 – Malina Girl
Malina Girl got off the mark over fences in a mares’ beginners’ chase at Roscommon in September and has run well to finish placed on both starts since, finding a much-improved rival too strong at Limerick before putting up arguably her best effort yet when third at Cheltenham last time. Malina Girl is clearly in fine fettle at present and ought to give another good account.
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12:25 – Comfort Zone
This looks like a strong renewal of this Grade 3 juvenile hurdle and there are plenty of promising types among the 11 runners, including recent Navan winner Comfort Zone. That juvenile at Navan looked like an above-average affair, featuring representatives from most of the leading yards, but Comfort Zone was well on top at the finish after quickening up nicely. That six-length success marked Comfort Zone down as one to follow, and he has the Timeform Large P to highlight he’s capable of much better.
12:55 – Punitive
Punitive unseated at the fifth in the Troytown last week but he had been in good form beforehand and looks the one to side with here. Punitive ran well on his reappearance and first start for Gordon Elliott when finishing runner-up in a two-and-a-quarter mile novice chase at Galway in October, despite finding it too sharp a test, and he produced an even better effort in defeat when runner-up over a more suitable 25-furlong trip at Cheltenham on his next outing. He’s still on a fair mark and is completely unexposed over marathon distances, so makes most appeal.
13:25 – Champ Kiely
Champ Kiely, a winner on his only start in bumpers, looked like an exciting prospect when powering 21 lengths clear on his hurdling debut at Galway in July, and he built on that positive impression at Tipperary last time. Champ Kiely, who had won a 21-furlong maiden at Galway, was up in class and down in trip in a two-mile Grade 3 at Tipperary, but that proved no problem and he readily quickened four and a half lengths clear of Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle winner Brazil. That form has been given a boost by the runner-up winning next time, and Champ Kiely still has more to offer after only a couple of starts over hurdles.
13:55 – Banbridge
Banbridge enjoyed a productive campaign over hurdles last season, winning on four occasions, most notably in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and he has made an excellent start to his chasing career. Banbridge jumped soundly on his way to a comfortable success in a two-and-a-half-mile beginners’ chase at Gowran Park in October and he put in another accurate round when landing a Grade 2 novice at Cheltenham last month, coping well with the drop back to two miles on his way to an impressive success. That was a smart performance from Banbridge, who is progressing well and remains capable of better over fences, and he looks the one to beat.
14:30 – Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle has won all 16 starts under Rules, including 12 Grade 1s, and she will be difficult to beat as she goes in search of a fourth Hatton’s Grace Hurdle. Honeysuckle is at least 11 lb clear of her rivals on Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings, highlighting the huge class edge she enjoys over these rivals. Klassical Dream, who was last seen finishing runner-up in a Grade 1 at Auteuil in May after winning the Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown, can chase Honeysuckle home.
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15:05 – Pinkerton
Pinkerton has made a promising start to his career and he shaped well when a close-up third on his handicap debut and reappearance at Down Royal last month. Pinkerton travelled strongly at Down Royal, moving like a well-handicapped horse, and he looked set to win only to make a mistake at the final flight which cost him crucial momentum. That error probably proved the difference between victory and defeat but it would be no surprise were the lightly-raced Pinkerton to make amends here.
15:35 – Better Days Ahead
Better Days Ahead, a £350,000 purchase after winning his only start in an Irish point, met with a short-price defeat on his Bumper debut at Down Royal last month, but he was up against a rival who had already shown some fairly useful form and put that experience to good use. Better Days Ahead should be better with that outing under his belt and, clearly thought capable of better, he gets the nod.
Timeform’s best bets at Fairyhouse:
11:55 – Malina Girl
12:25 – Comfort Zone
12:55 – Punitive
13:25 – Champ Kiely
13:55 – Banbridge
14:30 – Honeysuckle
15:05 – Pinkerton
15:35 – Better Days Ahead
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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