Andrew Asquith has had winners at 11/2 and 9/2 in his last two Sunday columns and returns with two more bets at Fairyhouse.
Sunday View: Sunday April 5
1pt win Kiely's Place in the 15:15 Fairyhouse at 6/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair)
1pt e.w. Jalila Moriviere in the 16:25 Fairyhouse at 14/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4)
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook | Free bets Betfair Sportsbook
There’s some quality racing at Fairyhouse with a couple of Grade 2s and Grade 1s and a sprinkle of some competitive handicaps. The ground will likely be on the soft side and there’s plenty of potential to delve into.
The Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Novice Hurdle is a race in which Willie Mullins has an excellent record in (not really surprising), winning five of the last 10 renewals, with some eye-catching names, too.
Dual Gold Cup winner Al Boun Photo won in 2017, last year’s Grand National winner Nick Rockett was successful in 2023, and Scottish Grand National winner Captain Cody came out on top in 2024.
It is therefore a breeding ground for future staying chasers and Mullins has no less than six runners in this year’s renewal. Paul Townend has seemingly chosen to ride He’s On Fire, who completed a simple task at Carlisle on his stable debut in February, but for me, it is KIELY’S PLACE who is the one to beat.
You couldn’t help but be impressed by the manner in which he won on his Rules debut – he was successful on his second start in points – at Clonmel in February, given an uncomplicated ride from the front, but still tanking early in the straight when his odds-on stablemate came under pressure.
He went on to draw clear between the final two flights, his rider just having to give him a tap down the neck and he displayed signs of inexperience when clear on his own, and he crossed the line with plenty left in the tank.
Kiely’s Place hasn’t been rushed since, but Patrick Mullins (he ran in his colours that day) was full of praise in a post-race interview and did say he was for sale to stay in the yard. Tony Bloom doesn’t get much wrong, so it is very interesting that he has purchased him since with the equally shrewd Ian McAleavy.
Kiely’s Place future will be over fences, but as mentioned previously, this race is a perfect stepping stone for such types, and there should be any amount of improvement in him now.
The Boyle Sports Novice Handicap Chase looks competitive and Shuffle The Deck looks very interesting now making his handicap debut. He’s been brought along gradually over fences it seems and based on his hurdles form an opening mark of 133 could be very lenient.
The market hasn’t missed him, however, and I think another J. P. McManus-owned runner looks overpriced at the time of writing. The horse in question is JALILA MORIVIERE, who I think will relish the return to two miles.
She reached a similar level of form over hurdles as Shuffle The Deck, but has already achieved more over fences. It wasn’t much of a race she won on her debut in this sphere at Sligo, but she did it easily by 24 lengths, going with plenty of zest from the front in a good time and her rivals couldn’t lay a glove on her.
Jalila Moriviere didn’t improve as expected in a Grade 2 at Cork next time, but that was a hot race, won by Kala Conti who has since finished runner-up in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles at Sandown against the boys, while the runner-up, Kargese, has subsequently won the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival.
She was just nine lengths behind that rival, so you can’t crab that performance too much, and Jalila Moriviere wasn’t suited by a significant step up in trip in a Grade 3 at Thurles last month.
She did too much on that occasion, pulling herself to the front around halfway and having nothing left to give when headed coming down to the last. Jalila Moriviere will be much happier back at the minimum distance and, given she hit the frame in a competitive handicap hurdle at the Punchestown Festival last year from a mark of 136, while also taking into account the figure she ran to on chase debut, she makes appeal off 132 here.
Preview posted at 15.30 BST on 04/04/2026
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