15:50 Fairyhouse

Monday 18 April 2022

All14:0514:4015:1515:5016:2017:0017:4018:10

Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle (Grade 2)

Off time: 15:51 | Winning time: 5m 5.30s

Darasso^b,t⁵⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: L P Dempsey| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 153| D

7/2

Smart chaser. Six wins from 23 NH runs. 9/2, fair second of 7 to Teahupoo in Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran (16f, heavy) 58 days ago. Back up in trip and ought to be competitive.

Form: 821412

Grand Roi^p³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 145

10/1

Smart hurdler. 12/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (21f, soft) 33 days ago. Sort to bounce back.

Form: 20-344P

Darver Star^b,t⁵⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 147| D

11/1

Smart hurdler. Seven wins from 27 NH runs. 18½ lengths fifth of 6 to Botox Has in National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell (19.2f, soft, 11/2) 50 days ago, going in snatches. Others are preferred.

Form: F2P125

Hollow Sound⁶⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Ricky Doyle| T: L Comer| OR: 120

80/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Very good second of 7 in novice hurdle (7/2) at this course (16f, soft) 68 days ago. Up in trip. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 330/042

Jon Snow⁶⁰⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 146

8/1

Useful hurdler. Career best when winning 5-runner novice hurdle at Killarney (22.8f, soft, 8/15), easily. Off 20 months so he needs to hit the ground running.

Form: 3321/11-

Whiskey Sour^t⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 145

7/2

Smart hurdler who landed 6-runner minor event at Leopardstown (18.3f, good to soft, 4/7) 43 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 42/4-531

Heaven Help Us³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Danny Mullins| T: P Hennessy| OR: 139| C

5/1

Useful hurdler. Respectable 8 lengths sixth of 12 to Marie's Rock in David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle (22/1) at Cheltenham (19.9f, good) 34 days ago. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 0-64256

Santa Rossa²²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: R M Power| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 133| C

3/1

Useful hurdler. 85/40, career best when impressively winning 7-runner minor event at Limerick (16f, good to soft) 22 days ago. Up in trip and open to more progress.

Form: 1353/1-1

Non-Runners

Flame Bearer¹⁵

Weight: 11-8| Age: 7

T: P M J Doyle J: J J Doyle

Thedevilscoachman⁵⁵

Weight: 11-8| Age: 6

T: N Meade J: Mark Walsh

Gars De Sceaux¹²⁸

Weight: 11-3| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Forecasts

Thedevilscoachman (9/4), Santa Rossa (3/1), Darasso (7/2), Whiskey Sour (7/2), Flame Bearer (9/2), Heaven Help Us (5/1), Jon Snow (8/1), Grand Roi (10/1), Darver Star (11/1), Gars De Sceaux (25/1), Hollow Sound (80/1)

HEAVEN HELP US wasn't disgraced when sixth in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham and holds leading claims at these weights so gets the nod in a very open contest. Whiskey Sour heads the list of dangers on the back of his Leopardstown success, although fellow recent scorers Flame Bearer and Santa Rossa both seem sure to have a say too.