Tony Keenan looks ahead to today's action from Cork and Fairyhouse.
Irish racing tips: Sunday April 6
0.5pt win Mr Percy in 2.35 Fairyhouse at 10/1 (General)
Willie Mullins ruled the jumps racing world (again) at Aintree, and there is a fair chance that continues this afternoon at Fairyhouse for a meeting where three good races have been brought forward from Easter, presumably to avoid them being too close to Punchestown and allow some of the horses that run today to back up at the final spring festival.
He has a particularly strong hand in the Donohue Marquees Novice Hurdle at 3:37 where Karniquet looks a strong favourite after his Supreme fourth, the only real concern how he will handle this speed test having looked a strong staying type at two miles the last twice, the races today on the tighter inner track.
Irancy was well behind him at Cheltenham but his preparation for that race was unideal and should come forward plenty for that run.
The Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Novice Hurdle at 2:35 is more open. Visually, the best performance of Wingmen’s career came at in a bumper at Punchestown last May and he goes right-handed for just the second time now, something of a surprise as he often adjusts that way. There is a decent chance this will suit him though he has had a busy season.
Fleur In The Park has repeatedly looked stretched by this trip but if he is ever to get away with it, it will be around here on the inner track on good ground, but at the prices preference is for a small play on MR PERCY.
He took well to hurdling in the autumn, albeit amidst jumping errors, and should have finished a close second to Bleu De Vassy in the For Auction at Navan in November, badly positioned relative to the winner turning in and running up the back of rivals two out, from where he came home very well to pull clear nine lengths of the third despite a steady pace.
Connections then went for a valuable handicap at Leopardstown over Christmas, but it was too much for him, finding himself in rear and making mistakes in a race where those ridden forward dominated, but still making a move halfway down the back and getting caught wide on the bend, essentially having little chance from where he raced.
He’s been off since, which leave him fresher than just about all his rivals, while the first-time cheekpieces have likely been added to sharpen his jumping.
There is also some interesting flat racing at Cork. King Cuan returns from a long absence in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cork Stakes at 3:25 but there are strong non-form book signals in his favour; Billy Lee seems to have chosen him ahead of Vespertilio who has had her last five runs at Group 1 level, he has a Group 3 entry at York and Paddy Twomey would hardly bring him back if he didn’t think he could win races.
He may only have won sales races to this point, but the form of his Goffs Sportsman's Challenge at Naas worked out well, the second and third rating as high as 105 and 110 afterwards.
Twomey also has a decent chance in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Noblesse Stakes at 3:57 with Bubble Gum whose Prix Diane sixth is strong form. There are a few in this that might be aiming at later targets, and something like Ameerat Jumaira may be able to spring a surprise. She shaped better than the result in a couple of Listed races last autumn and has a joined a yard that tends to have their early runners ready.
Published at 0842 BST on 06/04/25
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