12:00 Fairyhouse

Saturday 16 January 2021

All12:0012:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:2516:00

ITM Virtual Stallion Trail Hurdle

Off time: 12:00 | Winning time: 4m 19.40s

Alexei Vronsky⁵³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: J S McGarvey| T: P Roche

80/1

Fair Flat winner. Came good at third time of asking over hurdles in 8-runner juvenile at Punchestown (16.7f, heavy) 53 days ago, driven out. This demands a good deal more.

Form: 461

Autumn Evening²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: Mrs J Harrington| D

11/1

Winning start over hurdles at Cork in November. 6½ lengths fifth of 7 to Zanahiyr in Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle (16/1) at Leopardstown since. Likely he has more to offer.

Form: 15

Druid's Altar²¹

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

11/1

Fairly useful winner at on Flat. Also won over hurdles in November. 8¼ lengths sixth of 7 to Zanahiyr in Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown (2m, good to soft) 21 days ago.

Form: 136

Josh D'id⁶⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Mark Walsh| T: G P Cromwell| D

16/1

Made a winning debut in France in November. Very interesting runner for new connections. Fascinating to see how he goes in the betting.

Form: 1

Teahupoo⁹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: R M Power| T: G Elliott

4/1

10/1, won 12-runner newcomers race at Auteuil in October by 1¼ lengths from Good Ball who has since gone on to make a winning start for Paul Nicholls at Newbury. Could be very useful.

Form: 1

Youmdor⁵⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| D

4/9

Dual Flat winner in France for Freddy Head. Looked potentially very smart when cruising clear on Gowran hurdle debut for new connections in November. The one to beat.

Form: 1

Awkwafina²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Phillip Enright| T: S Curling| D

25/1

Failed to win in 6 attempts on the Flat but struck at the first time of asking over hurdles in 2m Limerick juvenile 3 weeks ago. Open to improvement but this does demand a good deal more.

Form: 1

Merry Poppins¹⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: J Motherway| D

33/1

Made a winning debut in 14-runner juvenile hurdle (16/1) at Tipperary (2m, heavy) in August but the form has taken a few knocks since.

Form: 1

Forecasts

Youmdor (4/9), Teahupoo (4/1), Druid's Altar (11/1), Autumn Evening (11/1), Josh D'id (16/1), Awkwafina (25/1), Merry Poppins (33/1), Alexei Vronsky (80/1)

There are a few nice prospects in this line-up, but none more so than YOUMDOR who bolted up on his Gowran hurdle debut in November and can make it 2-2 in this sphere. Teahupoo and Josh D'id also arrive on the back of opening wins over hurdles, in their case in France, and can give the selection most to think about.