14:30 Fairyhouse

Saturday 1 December 2018

All12:1512:5013:2513:5514:3015:0515:40

Christmas Party Race Day December 15th Rated Novice Hurdle

Off time: 14:30 | Winning time: 4m 47.9s

Devil's Glen¹²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Donagh Meyler| T: A Fleming

14/1

Winner of a Tipperary maiden hurdle on good ground in May before a heavy defeat stepping in to novice company when last seen in July. Improvement needed but strong place claims.

Form: 8-15

Eclat Des Mottes¹¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins

5/4

Finished a close third in a 1m6f bumper at Argentan on good-to-soft on sole start in France last October. Won a Downpatrick maiden hurdle in good style in August on debut. Likely to improve once again for powerful connections.

Form: 3-1

Jack Dillinger^h³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 119

4/1

Off the mark over hurdles at the 12th time of asking for connections landing a Clonmel maiden last month. Likely to improve once again and worth considering.

Form: 080-921

Jack Fiasco^p1¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: P D Kennedy| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 117| D

9/1

Winner on good ground and over this trip and ran well in defeat last month when second of 15 beaten ½L in a Punchestown handicap hurdle. Worth a market check in first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 071062

Lord In Red^t¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 115| D

9/1

Landed a 17-runner novice hurdle at Roscommon over 2m4f on good ground in October. Beaten at Navan and here over 2m5f since but the gelding is a solid and consistent sort who should go well again.

Form: 403153

Les Arceaux^p1³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: H Morgan⁽⁷⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 118| C

25/1

First-time cheekpieces are reached for following a number of below-par efforts this year. Hard to construct much of a case for the gelding here.

Form: 224P-P9

Court Tycoon²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: R Loughran| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 111| D

11/2

Distance winner who appears to be coming back in to form following runs at Punchestown and Carlisle last month. Capable of a big run in the mood.

Form: 316032

Room To Roam^b³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Paul Townend| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 117

12/1

Well held on his two starts in October following several creditable efforts over hurdles, including when third to Cheltenham winner Pearl of The West at Bellewstown in July. Looks opposable in current form.

Form: 33-2357

Non-Runners

Inca Gold⁷

Weight: 11-6| Age: 4

T: J P O'Brien J: J J Slevin

Forecasts

Eclat Des Mottes (5/4), Jack Dillinger (4/1), Inca Gold (5/1), Court Tycoon (11/2), Jack Fiasco (9/1), Lord In Red (9/1), Room To Roam (12/1), Devil's Glen (14/1), Les Arceaux (25/1)

Downpatrick winner, ECLAT DES MOTTES can follow-up his triumph in August by landing this novice hurdle seeing off the attentions of potential improver, Inca Gold from the Joseph O'Brien yard. Devils Glen could go well for the talented Donagh Meyler, while the Jessica Harrington-trained Jack Fiasco could be of interest in first-time cheekpieces.