Betfair ambassador Gordon Elliott on his Fairyhouse runners

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11:30 Escaria Ten

He’s a lovely type of horse who looks as though he will be at his best as a staying chaser and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do this season. He showed a nice level of ability on his first four runs last season and I thought that he ran better than his final position would suggest in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham on his most recent start. He’s a little later starting off than some of our novice chasers and I think he will come on plenty for both this run and a longer trip but I’d still be expecting a solid showing from him. This does look a hot enough race though.

12:00 Braeside

After running to a solid level in his beginner’s chases we’ve decided to switch him to handicap company. He will probably be at his best when he tries three miles but I thought he showed up quite well over just short of two and a half miles when he was fifth to Asterion Forlonge at Punchestown a couple of weeks ago. His third to Pencilfulloflead at Galway looks a strong piece of form so even though he lacks previous handicap experience and has top weight to carry I think he will run well and Lisa (O’Neill) should get a good tune out of him.

12:30 Or Jaune De Somoza, Timoteo & Bel Ami De Sivola

Or Jaune De Somoza is having his first run for us having come from the sales a few months ago. On his day he was quite a useful handicap chaser over this trip for Henry De Bromhead and he won a useful handicap at Listowel last year while last season he also showed up well in a good race at the Dublin Racing Festival. I’d say he will come on for this run as he hasn’t run since July but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him show up well.

Timoteo ran a nice race on his first start for the yard at Down Royal last month when he finished fifth in a reasonably competitive handicap chase won by Bridge Native. I thought he got into a position to run a big race but his lack of a recent run told against him. He looks to have sharpened up and come on for that run and I could see him getting closely involved.

Bel Ami De Sivola was a very useful handicapper over this sort of trip for Noel Meade and he won a good race over this course and distance in April 2018. It’s well over a year since he was bought at the sales and he badly needed his comeback in a point-to-point a couple of weeks ago when he shaped up quite well before fitness and the trip found him out. This run is probably coming a couple of weeks too soon but he is showing me that he retains ability.

13:01 Queens Brook

I’m looking forward to running her again and I’m really interested to see how she gets on against some quality and more experienced mares. In terms of her season so far I was happy with her first run over hurdles when she only just won but needed that run badly. She then went to Down Royal a few weeks later when she showed that she had improved plenty from her comeback run but she was just touched off late on.

Ideally she would prefer further than two miles and ideally I’d prefer if I had a bit more time between her first and second runs so in hindsight I was pleased with her Down Royal run and I’m certain there is more to come from her, especially at this trip. She’s a lovely mare who is going well and I could see her showing up well despite her lack of experience.

13:36 Gars De Sceaux

Gars De Sceaux is a promising young horse who I hope will make up into a very nice jumper. He won a point-to-point on his debut at Borris House last March and produced a very nice performance that day to beat Magic Tricks who we also have in training. Magic Tricks showed up well in a Punchestown bumper on his debut which would give that form a solid look and I’m hoping this fellow will show up well despite his lack of experience and a previous run this season.

14:11 Indigo Breeze

Indigo Breeze has always worked like a nice horse since coming to us and I wasn’t surprised to see him do what he did in a Thurles bumper last month when he won well. He’s a lovely type but is still raw and still has plenty to learn so I’m expecting a nice run for him but I think he will improve plenty for this first run over hurdles. I’m happy with how he has been going since Thurles so hopefully he will represent us well.

14:46 Desire De Joie

He’s a grand horse who won his maiden over three miles at Sligo and he wasn’t disgraced on his first handicap run last time although he was still beaten just over 14 lengths. He showed that he liked nice ground when he won in Sligo so if it stays dry throughout the week it shouldn’t be a problem for him and I’m hoping he will come on a bit for his first handicap run. He is probably up against it though and a longer trip would suit him better but I’m hoping blinkers will sharpen him up.

15:21 Fiston Des Issards

I know he was a beaten favourite in a maiden hurdle here on his debut here a couple of weeks ago but I thought he ran well and if he was a bit sharper he might well have won. He seems to have come on plenty for that run and I was happy with his last piece of work which suggested to me that he could go close in a bumper. I’m expecting him to run well.

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