UK Horse Racing Tips: Fairyhouse

FLAMBOROUGH and Canal End were only separated by a length when filling the places behind Western Comandor at Down Royal last month. The selection stayed well on the Flat for Mark and Charlie Johnston winning over 1m6f at Catterick last autumn and is entitled to progress from his hurdle debut over this longer trip. Canal End has an experience advantage with three hurdle runs now under his belt. Point-to-point winner Zaidi easily landed a Thurles bumper last month and looks the pick of Gordon Elliott's three runners, while Gold Bullion won a Warwick bumper for Paul Nicholls but now reappears after an absence of over two years.
Prediction : 1st Flamborough 2nd Zaidi 3rd Canal End

FERNS LOCK is an exciting sort and can stretch his unbeaten record to seven in point-to-points and hunter chases. The David Christie-trained gelding decisively beat Its On The Line (second at Cheltenham last month) here earlier this season, with Er Dancer back in third, and was equally impressive when slamming Billaway at Thurles. He coped with testing ground when long odds-on last time in the Tetratema Cup at Gowran where Annamix was well held when falling at the last. Billaway's eight wins under rules include the Cheltenham Festival last year and hopefully he's none the worse from a fall when bidding for a repeat last month. Er Dancer gained his sixth point-to-point win when beating Vis Ta Loi at Oldtown in February and appears best of the remainder.
Prediction : 1st Ferns Lock 2nd Billaway 3rd Er Dancer

ALLEGORIE DE VASSY has taken really well to fences this term and should regain the winning thread. The Willie Mullins-trained mare was a Grade 3 winner here last season over hurdles and was pitched in the deep end over fences winning her first two starts both at Grade 2 level in Limerick and Thurles. She lost little in defeat when runner-up to Impervious at the Cheltenham Festival last month. Limerick Lace looks the chief threat having progressed nicely over fences to win a valuable handicap at Naas before filling the runner-up spot behind Journey With Me in a Grade 3 at the same venue. Instit has a C&D win to her credit this year and is preferred to Sit Down Lucy and Motown Maggie.
Prediction : 1st Allegorie De Vassy 2nd Limerick Lace 3rd Instit

MARS HARPER never got involved in the Plate at Cheltenham last month but on overall form may prove the one to beat. The selection won twice over hurdles and, while a frustrating sort to follow over fences, has plenty of placed form including in a Grade 2 novice at Punchestown earlier this season. He was only headed close home by Lieutenant Command in a valuable handicap at Leopardstown on his penultimate start. Charlie Stout has turned back the clock this year finishing second to Stumptown at Thurles and gaining a sixth career win when beating Darver Star at Wexford last week. Routine Excellence also comes here in good form having scored over a similar trip at Thurles, while the JP McManus pair Fighting Fit and Gain De Cause are others to consider.
Prediction : 1st Mars Harper 2nd Charlie Stout 3rd Routine Excellence

VERDANT PLACE has really progressed since stepped up in trip and can complete a hat-trick. The Pat Foley-trained gelding overcame a mistake at the last to score at Punchestown and followed up at the same venue over an extended 2m7f. A 10lb rise makes life more difficult but the booking of a useful claimer helps to ease the burden. Favori De Champdou completed a hat-trick when taking a Grade 2 over this distance at the Limerick Christmas meeting, with Harry Des Ongrais back in third, but spoiled his chance by running too freely in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham. Seabank Bistro ran too bad to be true in the same Grade 1 and both could easily bounce back here. Western Walk scored in good style on his first start for Jonathan Sweeney after a nine-month break, while others to consider include Landrake and Hardy Bloke.
Prediction : 1st Verdant Place 2nd Seabank Bistro 3rd Favori De Champdou

RISK BELLE was a well-backed favourite for the mares' handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival but came down at halfway. She looked the likely winner of the Fred Winter at Cheltenham on her next start but was run out of things up the hill. A dual winner in France before joining Willie Mullins, she's clearly on a competitive mark. Fred Winter hero Jazzy Matty is reunited with Michael O'Sullivan and meets the selection on the same terms so has to enter calculations again. Ballybawn Belter got a 10lb hike for winning the aforementioned mares' handicap at Leopardstown but gets to race off a feather weight in this stronger contest with another in-form claimer in the saddle. Hey Johnny has been running well since winning at Thurles in January and all four of his wins have come at right-handed tracks.
Prediction : 1st Risk Belle 2nd Jazzy Matty 3rd Ballybawn Belter

Willie Mullins has three last-time-out winners and ARCTIC FLY is the apparent first-string according to jockey bookings. Out of a sister to the yard's County Hurdle winner Arctic Fire, she justified odds-on favouritism when scoring on debut at Leopardstown last month. Marie Philippe looked a nice prospect when winning over C&D on debut. She scoped wrong after dropping right out in a Grade 2 at Leopardstown and a line can be drawn through that run. Theatre Native, a half-sister to a couple of bumper winners who have gone on to be useful hurdlers, was well clear when falling at the last in her only point-to-point and has since joined the connections of Honeysuckle. She could be a danger to all on her Rules debut.
Prediction : 1st Arctic Fly 2nd Marie Philippe 3rd Theatre Native