14:25 Fairyhouse

Tuesday 12 January 2021

All11:5012:2012:5013:2013:5514:2515:0015:30

Fairyhouse Racecourse Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 5m 59.6s

Julies Stowaway⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: D E Mullins| T: Ms M Mullins| BF

5/4

Fairly useful hurdler. Evens, creditable second of 18 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (16.7f, heavy) 49 days ago. More needed here though.

Form: 2217-32

Match My Fire¹⁸⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: I J Power| T: N Slevin

200/1

Modest Flat winner. 40/1, first run since leaving John McConnell when last of 17 in handicap at the Curragh (12f, good to soft). Off 6 months and faces no easy ask on hurdling bow.

Form:

Homme D'Un Soir³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

6/1

Lightly-raced bumper winner. Creditable third of 12 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (20f, heavy, 6/4) 35 days ago. Likely to improve but he needs to.

Form: 13-23

Ain't That A Shame³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead

5/1

Encouraging fifth of 18 in novice hurdle (6/1) at Navan (20f, heavy) on NH debut 38 days ago. Yard in good form and open to progress. Needs considering.

Form: 2/5

Buck's Billionaire³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins

14/1

Fairly useful hurdler who shaped with encouagement after two years off when fifth of 11 in novice hurdle at this course (23.5f, heavy, 7/2) 31 days ago, not knocked about. The one to beat.

Form: 53332/5

Coolbawn Lad⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade

33/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. 17/2 and tongue strap on for 1st time, respectable eighth of 13 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (21.7f, heavy) 49 days ago. Respected with yard having good spell.

Form: 79-38

Fun Light²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| BF

11/4

Thrice-raced maiden. 7/4, good second of 13 in novice hurdle at Down Royal (20f, heavy) 26 days ago. Sure to go well again.

Form: 72-2

Montrose Ave^t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: C D Maxwell| T: P Stafford

200/1

Twice-raced maiden under NH rules. 250/1 and tongue strap on for 1st time, fell second in novice hurdle at Leopardstown (20f, soft) on hurdles bow 14 days ago. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 0F

One Free Man³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: D P Holden⁽⁷⁾| T: H De Bromhead

200/1

28/1, seventh of 19 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (16.6f, heavy) 35 days ago. Up in trip but has plenty to find.

Form: 97

River Boy²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: P A Fahy

200/1

Tenth of 11 in bumper at Thurles (16f, heavy, 100/1) on NH debut 23 days ago. Makes hurdles debut with lots on his plate.

Form: P/F-P0

Salt Wind³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: P D Kennedy| T: M Kennedy

10/1

Promising third of 18 in novice hurdle (14/1) at Navan (20f, heavy) on hurdles bow 38 days ago. Winning pointer too so open to improvement and one to consider.

Form: 21-223

Ballydrummond^t1³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Brian Hayes| T: A McNamara

200/1

Valirann gelding. Dam modest 3¼m hurdle/chase winner. Pulled up in point. Wears tongue strap for hurdling bow and others preferred.

Form: P

Hymie Weiss⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: J M Moore| T: N Meade

150/1

Hinted at ability when sixth of 13 in bumper (9/1) at this course (16f, soft) on NH debut 44 days ago. Makes hurdles debut up in trip so no forlorn hope with trainer going well.

Form: 6

Forecasts

Julies Stowaway (5/4), Fun Light (11/4), Ain't That A Shame (5/1), Homme D'Un Soir (6/1), Salt Wind (10/1), Buck's Billionaire (14/1), Coolbawn Lad (33/1), Hymie Weiss (150/1), Match My Fire (200/1), One Free Man (200/1), Ballydrummond (200/1), River Boy (200/1), Montrose Ave (200/1)

Plenty with chances in an intriguing maiden hurdle but BUCK'S BILLIONAIRE made a pleasing return from a long absence when fifth here last month so gets the nod ahead of Fun Light who arrives on the back of an excellent reappearance second at Down Royal. Gordon Elliott holds a fine record in this contest so his progressive Homme d'Un Soir is not taken lightly either.