McInerney Properties Fairyhouse Chase (Grade 2)

Off time: 16:21 | Winning time: 5m 32.9s

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Selected odds by:

Saint Sam^h⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: P Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 163| C| D

6/5

High-class chaser. 10/11, won 5-runner Red Mills Chase at Gowran (20f, heavy) 44 days ago by 8½ lengths from Riviere D'etel, hard held. Major player.

Form: 01-11F1

Journey With Me^t³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: D J O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 151| BF| D

4/1

Smart chaser. 4/6 and tongue strap on for 1st time, 3¾ lengths third of 5 to Ash Tree Meadow in Webster Cup Chase at Navan (20.4f, heavy) 30 days ago. Merits respect.

Form: F121F-3

Rebel Gold^t³⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: P T Enright| T: P T Foley| OR: 147| C

50/1

Smart chaser. Course winner. 14/1, very good 5½ lengths second of 6 to Ferny Hollow in Newlands Chase at Naas (16f, heavy) 36 days ago, no match for winner. Back up in trip. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 51-0652

Appreciate It^t⁷¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 156| D

10/3

High-class hurdler. Eight wins from 18 NH runs. 24 lengths third of 4 to Allaho in Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles (20.2f, heavy, 11/4) 71 days ago. Paul Townend prefers Saint Sam.

Form: 432-253

Espanito Bello^v²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: B Connell| OR: 148| D

33/1

Smart chaser. Latest win in hurdle at Naas in November. Unseated rider in handicap chase at Naas (24.8f, heavy, 13/2) 22 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: P-1PU3U

Fil Dor¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 152| C

9/2

Very smart chaser. Five wins from 16 NH runs. 28/1, 19¾ lengths seventh of 11 to Protektorat in Ryanair Chase (Festival Trophy) at Cheltenham (20.6f, soft) 18 days ago. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 106-227

Forecasts

Saint Sam (6/5), Appreciate It (10/3), Journey With Me (4/1), Fil Dor (9/2), Espanito Bello (33/1), Rebel Gold (50/1)

Willie Mullins has landed four of the five previous running of this and SAINT SAM is taken to enhance that record. He barely broke sweat in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran last time and while the competition here is sterner, there could be better to come from this 7-y-o, who has won five of his seven completed starts over fences (the two defeats were in Grade 1 company). Stablemate Appreciate It is second choice ahead of Fil Dor and Journey With Me.