16:12 Fairyhouse

Sunday 6 April 2025

All14:0014:3515:0715:3716:1216:4717:22

Whistlin' Donkeys At Fairyhouse Easter Saturday Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:13 | Winning time: 6m 7.7s

Redstone¹⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-2| J: Sean Flanagan| T: H Rogers| OR: 124| C

28/1

Course winner on hurdles debut. First run for yard after disappointing over fences on final start for Gavin Cromwell. Work to do on his return to hurdles.

Form: F/16F0-8

Slanagaibhgoleir⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Finn Brickley⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 122

8/1

Inconsistent type was on a going day when fourth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (19.8f, heavy, 16/1) 50 days ago. Chance if in the same mood stepping back up in trip.

Form: 4P-4P04

Topgun Simmy⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: P Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 122

5/1

Punchestown maiden winner (23.3f) last season and showed best form to date when back up in trip and returned to handicap company last time, second of 12 at Punchestown (24.8f, heavy) 41 days ago. One for the shortlist.

Form: 146F42

Notkeepinyagoing^t¹⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Alex Harvey⁽⁵⁾| T: J C McConnell| OR: 117| D

22/1

Off the mark at Leopardstown (20f) in March and produced best effort to date (after 4 months off) good second of 14 in handicap hurdle at this course (23.5f, good) 145 days ago, though he was well-positioned the way the race panned out. One to be interested in again.

Form: 416-5F2

Now Where Or When^p,t²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: J J Slevin| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 116| C| D

22/1

Course winner cashed in on a falling mark at Down Royal (24f) over fences in January. Out of his depth when pulled up in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham (26f, good to soft) 24 days ago. Needs to bounce back now switched to hurdles.

Form: 496-71P

Crossing The Bar^p,t³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Tiernan Power Roche⁽⁵⁾| T: C Collins| OR: 114

10/1

Career best when winning 8-runner handicap hurdle at Catterick (25.3f, good to soft, 4/1) on penultimate start but was friendless in the betting when let down by his jumping next time, fourth of 7 in handicap hurdle at Thurles (22.2f, good to soft) 31 days ago. Bit to find in this company.

Form: 424214

Doctor Churchill^p⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Cian Cullinan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Hayes| OR: 113

12/1

Made successful stable debut when landing 17-runner handicap hurdle at Naas (18.9f, heavy, 28/1) in January. Travelled with less zest when seventh of 11 in handicap hurdle at Naas (15.7f, good to soft) 57 days ago but shaped as though still in good form. Could be suited by return to 3m. Respected.

Form: 7/084-17

Born Bright²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: J Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: C O'Connell| OR: 112| C| D

8/1

Winner in maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse in October and off the mark in handicap company when landing 15-runner handicap hurdle (10/1) at Thurles (22.2f, good) 22 days ago. Merits respect back at 3m.

Form: 143501

West Is Awake^h,t⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: E Walsh| T: E Cawley| OR: 110| CD

18/1

C&D winner. Eleven runs since last win in 2023. Tongue strap on for first time when sixteenth of 19 in handicap hurdle at Naas (23.1f, heavy, 33/1) 42 days ago. Difficult to fancy on recent evidence.

Form: 668000

Young Lucy^t⁹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Conor Stone-Walsh⁽³⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 104

5/1

Unlucky not record her first hurdles success at Cheltenham earlier this season. Remained in form since, third of 12 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (19.8f, good, 5/1) 98 days ago. Her run style suggests she's worth a go at this longer trip. Merits consideration.

Form: 607-253

John Storey³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Danny Gilligan| T: L P Cusack| OR: 101| CD

7/1

C&D winner here in January (soft) but struggled from a higher mark back under less testing conditions when seventh of 16 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (24f, good to soft) 34 days ago. Needs to find a bit more improvement.

Form: P5U717

The Miracle Man³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Donagh Meyler| T: A L T Moore| OR: 101

11/2

Winner of a handicap hurdle at Sligo (20.3f) in October. Performed admirably upped in trip when second of 16 in handicap hurdle (20/1) at Leopardstown (24f, good to soft) 34 days ago, having met trouble in running at a crucial stage. Solid claims.

Form: P17FU2

Brave Adam^t⁹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: T Joseph Kelly⁽⁷⁾| T: T Cooper| OR: 97

12/1

Promise on latest hurdles effort when fifth of 17 at Punchestown (23.8f). Finished respectable fourth of 12 back over fences (13/2) at Limerick (22.6f, soft) 98 days ago. Lower in the weights over hurdles but has his work cut out in a stronger race.

Form: P01954

Non-Runners

Arion Soldier¹⁶¹

Weight: 12-1| Age: 7

T: Eamon Courtney J: Ricky Doyle

Forecasts

Topgun Simmy (5/1), Young Lucy (5/1), The Miracle Man (11/2), John Storey (7/1), Born Bright (8/1), Slanagaibhgoleir (8/1), Crossing The Bar (10/1), Doctor Churchill (12/1), Brave Adam (12/1), West Is Awake (18/1), Notkeepinyagoing (22/1), Now Where Or When (22/1), Arion Soldier (25/1), Redstone (28/1)

THE MIRACLE MAN enjoyed a luckless passage when runner-up at Leopardstown last month and this would be deserved compensation. Doctor Churchill may well have more to offer back over this longer trip, while Young Lucy looks interesting now tried over 3m.