14:20 Fairyhouse

Sunday 2 April 2017

All13:5014:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:10

Normans Grove Chase (Grade 2)

Off time: 14:20 | Winning time: 4m 29.0s

Flemenstar³⁶⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: B M Cash| T: Anthony Curran| OR: 150

20/1

A top-class chaser over this sort of trip in his prime, now 12-years-old and not seen since finishing 23L fourth of six in this contest 12 months ago. Up against it now surely.

Form: 41264-3

Ball D'Arc²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: B J Cooper| T: G Elliott| OR: 151

6/5

Previous C&D winner and has been in rude health winning all three starts this year so far, the latest a pair of Grade 2 contests that make him the one to beat on current form.

Form: 311123

Ballycasey⁴³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 160

15/8

Very smart chaser, forged clear to land Grade 2 at Gowran Park over 2m5f in February, drops in trip here and may find it sharp enough.

Form: 513115-

The Game Changer^t¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 147

12/1

Tends to find winning hard enough and hasn't scored since October 2015. Some excellent efforts in defeat but last month's run in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham was bitterly disappointing.

Form: 24P0PP

Devils Bride^t¹⁶²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: D J Mullins| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 157

12/1

Would have a fair claim on the pick of his form but hasn't really shown anything like that in two starts since switching from Willie Mullins' yard and off the track since October.

Form: 1U395F-

Nearly Nama'd¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: R Loughran| T: M S Sandra Hughes| OR: 141

10/1

Good second behind A Toi Phil in Navan Grade 2 over 2m4f last month on first start for over a year. Needs more but is respected and has winning form at this trip.

Form: 6113/26-

Realt Mor¹⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 11-4| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott| OR: 137

25/1

Credible effort behind Douvan at Punchestown in February but very disappointing when pulled up in Veterans Chase at Wexford on St Patrick's Day, likely to struggle in this field.

Form: 123P46

Non-Runners

Tell Us More¹⁶

Weight: 11-7| Age: 8

T: G Elliott J: D N Russell

Forecasts

Ball D'Arc (6/5), Ballycasey (15/8), Tell Us More (8/1), Nearly Nama'd (10/1), Devils Bride (12/1), The Game Changer (12/1), Flemenstar (20/1), Realt Mor (25/1)

The champion trainer has an excellent record in this contest, winning five of the previous seven renewals, and he should have leading claims again with Ballycasey. He is a proven performer but might just find this trip shorter than ideal. Instead, it is the champion trainer-elect that may prevail with the improving BALL D'ARC, who is shaping up to be a smart chaser and has won back-to-back Grade 3 contests in good style suggesting there should be more to come from him. Nearly Nama'd ran a fine race on his comeback at Navan last month and is capable of building on that while Tell Us More can put a disappointing Cheltenham spin over hurdles behind him now in blinkers for the first time.