15:45 Fairyhouse

Sunday 31 March 2024

All13:2514:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

Donohue Marquees Novice Hurdle (Grade 2)

Off time: 15:45 | Winning time: 4m 22.5s

Angostura²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 124| D

11/1

Twice-raced winner over hurdles. 2/5, won 15-runner novice hurdle at Gowran (16f, heavy) 22 days ago. This is a steep rise in class but he's clearly promising.

Form: 6-321

Ataboycharlie⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Keith Donoghue| T: E Cawley| OR: 123| D

12/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. Successful at Leopardstown in December. 11/2, fell in handicap hurdle there (16f, soft) 56 days ago. May well do better.

Form: 2771F

Fascile Mode⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D E Mullins| T: T Mullins| OR: 132| D

11/2

Fairly useful hurdler. 40 lengths eighth of 10 to Ballyburn in Brave Inca Novices' Hurdle (40/1) at Leopardstown (16f, soft) 56 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 04-1648

Mirazur West^h²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins| BF| CD

9/4

Promising type. 4/6 and hooded for 1st time, respectable 8½ lengths third of 6 to Fun Fun Fun in Kingsfurze Novices' Hurdle at Naas (15.5f, heavy) 21 days ago, needing stronger gallop. Solid claims. Yard also fields Tounsivator and Western Diego.

Form: F1-213

Sporting Glory³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: P A Fahy| CD

28/1

Thrice-raced winner in bumpers. Won 5-runner bumper here (2m, heavy, 3/1) 36 days ago, digging deep. Makes hurdles debut.

Form: 221

Tounsivator³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| D

3/1

Highly promising type. First run since leaving J. Reynier when winning 25-runner novice hurdle at Naas (15.6f, heavy, 7/2) on NH debut 35 days ago, cosily. Open to significant progress.

Form: 1

Western Diego^h⁶⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| CD

7/2

Promising type. 1 win from 2 runs this season. Career best when winning 11-runner C&D novice hurdle (11/8) (heavy) 64 days ago, pushed out. Has to be feared.

Form: 1/178-51

Kilbarry Saint^t⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Danny Gilligan| T: C O'Keeffe| OR: 105| D

80/1

Fair hurdler. Career best when winning 16-runner handicap hurdle at Clonmel (16f, heavy, 10/3) 45 days ago, easily. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 856521

Forecasts

Mirazur West (9/4), Tounsivator (3/1), Western Diego (7/2), Fascile Mode (11/2), Angostura (11/1), Ataboycharlie (12/1), Sporting Glory (28/1), Kilbarry Saint (80/1)

Willis Mullins boasts a terrific record in this race and saddles three strong candidates in TOUNSIVATOR, Mirazur West and Western Diego this time round. Preference is for the first-named, who was successful twice on the Flat in France and he looked good when getting the better of next-time-out winner Rainbow Trail and 23 others on his hurdles debut at Naas. Mirazur West is better than he was able to show when failing to land the odds last time and is second choice ahead of Western Diego.