UK Horse Racing Tips: Fairyhouse

INSTIT has made plenty of mistakes in her first two outings over fences but has been found a winnable contest. She is by far the best of these over hurdles and has kept good company in her first two chases including when beaten by a Cheltenham festival winner at Naas last time. If she sharpens up her jumping, she should be too pacy for these. Stablemate Pont Aval is a bumper and hurdles winner. Never a factor before pulling up behind the selection on chase debut at Naas, she should at least be fitter for that first run in the best part of two years. Rock On Cassie is a point-to-point and hurdles winner who was taken out of an engagement at Leopardstown on Sunday and starts over racecourse fences here. Emily Roebling is also a winning pointer and has been very consistent in maiden hurdles without managing to win one.
Prediction : 1st Instit 2nd Pont Aval 3rd Rock On Cassie

SOLOMAN LANE got off the mark with a hard-fought success over a furlong shorter at Punchestown last month. Ridden by an in-form claimer on that occasion, he is now partnered by dual Grade One-winning jockey Michael O'Sullivan. The latter's allowance negates most of the 7lb hike that the Sakhee gelding got for that breakthrough victory over a horse which was runner-up again next time. Arctic Ambition ran a stinker over Christmas but that was too bad to be true and he still looks well handicapped after winning his previous chase start at Thurles. All of his best form is going this way around so that might explain his blip at Leopardstown. Halsafari is being kept busy and, although disappointing last time, his previous two placed efforts read well. Extreme Cacao is a lurker down the bottom who steps up in trip after a fair chase debut at Clonmel while Priory Park gets headgear and is well-handicapped compared to his hurdles mark.
Prediction : 1st Soloman Lane 2nd Arctic Ambition 3rd Halsafari

MINELLA CROONER can gain his second win over fences. Touched off by a very experienced mare in a Grade Two on chase debut, he got off the mark in first-time headgear here in December before being a well-beaten third in a hot contest at Punchestown. Stepping up in trip will suit and, although he may be a hard horse to place in the future with a mark in the 140s already, this is a good opportunity. Agusta Gold meets the selection on handicap terms but is without a win in over two years and is struggling to recapture her form. Thus far, she is a rare case of a horse that hasn't improved for joining the champion trainer. Sixth in the Irish National last year, Velvet Elvis has been bitterly disappointing this term but has a chance of minor honours if showing any bit of spark. Cape Gentleman is heading for Aintree but is far from a natural over fences while 2020 Kim Muir winner Milan Native has had plenty of issues since then.
Prediction : 1st Minella Crooner 2nd Agusta Gold 3rd Velvet Elvis

ONE LAST TANGO can regain the winning thread after finishing third in a competitive Christmas handicap at Leopardstown. Eoin Griffin's charge recorded back-to-back victories at Punchestown and Wexford in October and Aidan Kelly's 7lb claim could prove decisive here. Cillians Charm, from a stable enjoying a good spell, did his small bit for the somewhat tarnished Cheltenham Champion Bumper form when winning a Clonmel maiden last month. Raised 4lb for that, he looks very much the main threat to the selection. Henning has disappointed since winning a maiden over three furlongs farther in the autumn but dual Flat winner Your Honor has been running quite creditably in juvenile contests and can give a good account of himself.
Prediction : 1st One Last Tango 2nd Cillians Charm 3rd Your Honor

PARADISE LOST has shown plenty of ability in both of his hurdle runs and gets the vote. Fourth in a back-end Curragh maiden in October, he had a couple of subsequent winners behind when second on hurdling bow at Limerick over Christmas and wasn't far off the useful placed horses when fourth to leading Triumph contender Blood Destiny here last time. Gordons Aura has a mark of 109 and is an obvious danger. He was beaten over eight lengths when third to Byker at Naas though, with that winner having previously finished behind the selection at Limerick, so on collateral form the Elliott runner looks up against it. In a maiden lacking depth, the 94-rated Circus Act has place claims while He Picked Us looks the more fancied of Gavin Cromwell's newcomers based on jockey bookings but stablemate Brush Roscoe is of interest as a half-brother to useful jumper The Very Man.
Prediction : 1st Paradise Lost 2nd Gordons Aura 3rd Circus Act

Willie Mullins had some 'shorties' turned over at the weekend, albeit by stable companions, but it's hard to envisage defeat, barring accidents, for LOT OF JOY. Very capable on the level, the daughter of Camelot has been a beaten favourite in big fields on her first two hurdling starts but has shown a high level of form. The gelding that narrowly beat her at Leopardstown over Christmas was beaten less than five lengths in a Grade One at that track on Saturday. The selection drops back half a mile in trip which should be no problem and this mares-only contest looks a lot easier. Littel Flour was beaten a country mile when second to a classy sort at Tramore in December but ran creditably either side of that and can place again. Useful in bumpers, Cash The Cheque scoped wrong after disappointing on her hurdling debut at Thurles and has been given time to get over that.
Prediction : 1st Lot of Joy 2nd Littel Flour 3rd Cash The Cheque

VIVA DEVITO might be another one for Willie Mullins with the sharp two miles of the inside track promising to suit this keen-going sort. A bumper winner last term, he was second to a smart type on the main track here on his seasonal and hurdling debut in December. He wasn't as effective at Leopardstown later that month but should be able to see out his race better on this occasion. Stuzzikini caught the eye of the stewards two starts back before showing much improved form when second to a stable companion in a big field at Punchestown. He's clearly going the right way and Sam Ewing takes over from a 5lb claimer. Transmission could be fancied against the selection on collateral form based on a fine run at Wexford in the autumn and maybe he didn't stay 2m4f last time. Park of Kings ran well in a couple of bumpers but looks one for handicaps in this sphere after being beaten a long way here on hurdling debut.
Prediction : 1st Viva Devito 2nd Stuzzikini 3rd Transmission

Handicap debutant QUITE INCREDIBLE looks interesting for local trainer Dermot McLoughlin. He had useful bumper form for another yard and his sixth at Navan on seasonal debut was quite a promising start over hurdles. He could well be fairly treated on a mark of 106 although it's fair to say the stable has been unusually quiet for some time. A Mere Bagatelle is a very consistent performer and split two subsequent winners when runner-up at Limerick over Christmas. He's edging up the ratings without winning but another bold bid looks likely. Gali Flight is another that is proving hard to win with but the form of his latest two runs in competitive events at Leopardstown and Punchestown gives him every chance. The ground may not be testing enough for Premier Queen who ploughed through the mud to win by a wide margin at Clonmel and she's 12lb higher into the bargain.
Prediction : 1st Quite Incredible 2nd A Mere Bagatelle 3rd Gali Flight