Sunday 28th November 2021
Author: Jordan Yates
“A warm welcome to what is rare Sunday Preview on the site. It’s a major day of racing over in Ireland at Fairyhouse with the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle taking centre stage. It’s graded race galore though throughout the card and I’ll be taking a look at all of them and sharing my opinions on each one.
As ever, enjoy!”
– Jordan
The first race I’ll be taking a look at is the 12:35 which is the Grade 3 Juvenile Hurdle over two miles. This is all about Fil Dor for Gordon Elliott and Davy Russell who heads the betting at a short price. This three-year-old grey made a mighty impression on his debut for the yard last month at Down Royal when bolting up by the best part of twelve lengths, he looks likely to be a leading juvenile this term and he’ll take a lot of beating here. His main danger looks to come in the form of Lunar Power for Noel Meade.
Moving onto the 1:05 and it’s the first Grade 1 of the afternoon with the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle over two miles. My Mate Mozzie is a warm favourite here and is the one they all have to beat, I’ve tried to take him on though and I’ve done that with the mare Impervious for the combination of Murphy and Hayes. She was last seen when winning a Grade 3 Mares Novice Hurdle at Down Royal impressively by five lengths, and I think there’s a lot more to come from her. Two miles and good ground won’t be an issue at all for her and she gets a handy allowance off the boys here. It was a toss up between her and Three Stripe Life for me here, who I also think has a massive future ahead of him.
It’s more Grade 1 action at 1:35 in the form of the Drinmore Novice Chase, which is contested over two miles and four furlongs. I’ve taken a chance on Beacon Edge here for Noel Meade and Denis O’Regan. The seven-year-old was very smart over hurdles having won a Grade 2 last term when getting the better of Fury Road, he went off favourite for his chase debut last month at Down Royal but was firmly put in his place by Lifetime Ambition who he faces once again here. That form will be pretty tough to turn around, however, I think he’ll almost definitely come on for that outing and if transferring some of his hurdling ability to the bigger objects he’s got to be considered as a huge player here.
We move move into handicap company at 2:05 with the Porterstown Handicap Chase over a marathon trip of three miles and five furlongs. Coko Beach looks the most likely one here for Gordon Elliott and is probably the worth favourite, I am taking him on though and I’ve done that with Eurobot for Noel Meade and Bryan Cooper. This horse hasn’t quite managed to put his best foot forward following his chase debut win, however, he posted a respectable effort on his seasonal reappearance last month where he finished fourth of twelve at Cork. That was probably his best run in a considerable amount of time, and if building on it here I do think there is ability in him which if put to use could see him play a part.
The feature race of the day comes at 2:40 which is the Grade 1 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle over two miles and four furlongs. I find it almost impossible to oppose the unbeaten and frankly outstanding mare Honeysuckle here who currently heads the betting for Henry De Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore. She won back to back Champion Hurdle’s last season at Cheltenham and Punchestown and has become one of the stars of National Hunt racing. When she won this race last year she had to work for it, and ended up prevailing by half of a length to Ronald Pump. She won’t need to be at her best to win this again though and it would come as a shock if she was turned over. Saldier and Abacadabras would be her main threats.
Concluding my preview and the graded action for the day is the 3:10 which is a Handicap Hurdle over two miles. As to be expected, this is an extremely competitive affair of which a case could be made for most. I’ve taken a chance on Glens Of Antrim taking the spoils though for Willie Mullins and Jody McGarvery at around the 9/1 mark. She’s a talented mare who ran solid races at Cheltenham in the Mares Novice and then in the Grade 1 at Fairyhouse where she finished sixth and fourth respectively. I think she could well prove to be a lot better than her mark of 128 which she’ll contest this assignment off, a big run here would come as no surprise.
Everything Racing 