14:05 Fairyhouse

Monday 21 April 2025

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

Farmhouse Foods Novice Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 4m 20.80s

Arch Empire¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Josh Williamson⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 120

10/1

Thrice-raced winner over hurdles. 3/1, won 15-runner novice hurdle at Ballinrobe (16.8f, good) 10 days ago, doing better under change of tactics. More needed now handicapping but as an unexposed 5-y-o from a leading yard he has to enter calculations.

Form: FS-641

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Whimsy²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: O R Brown⁽⁵⁾| T: A McCann| OR: 120| D

11/2

Creditable third of 18 in handicap (5/1) at the Curragh (12f, soft) 23 days ago, not ideally placed. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Winner of a Gowran maiden on latest start in this sphere last month.

Form: 2-23321

Major Barry²²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: N F Houlihan| T: P Kiely| OR: 118

50/1

Ninth of 11 in handicap hurdle (9/1) at Kilbeggan (16f, good to soft) when last seen 7 months ago. Entitled to come on for this run.

Form: 013179

Wonleg¹⁶²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 118| D

11/1

Twice-raced winner over hurdles. 4/1, third of 4 in novice hurdle at Naas (16f, good to soft) 162 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 513

Kool One⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Ivan Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: Conor Maxwell| OR: 120

9/2

Lightly-raced maiden over hurdles. Unseated rider in juvenile hurdle at Cheltenham (16.4f, good to soft, 33/1) 41 days ago. Improvement needed.

Form: 322U

Stuntman Steve⁹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 111| D

18/1

Lightly-raced winner under Rules. Fell in handicap hurdle at Thurles (15.5f, good, 14/1) 92 days ago looking sure to play hand in finish. Each-way chance.

Form: P1178F

Last Kingdom⁶⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 115

10/1

Seventh of 21 in novice hurdle (7/2) at Punchestown (19.1f, soft) 60 days ago, not knocked about. Likely improver now handicapping and confidence behind him in the betting would look significant.

Form: 1477

King In Love^h¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: S Aherne| OR: 105| BF| D

11/2

Winner in hurdle at Naas in March. 4/1, good second of 18 in handicap hurdle at Naas (18.8f, good to soft) 18 days ago. Couldn't rule out.

Form: 880312

Chosen Diamond^p⁵¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Philip Byrnes| T: E Cawley| OR: 101| C

5/1

Latest win in hurdle here in February. 12/1, good second of 15 in handicap hurdle at Navan (20f, heavy) 51 days ago. Has to be taken seriously.

Form: 2P5-012

Duty Bound¹⁹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Alex Harvey⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Flavin| OR: 101

33/1

Winner in chase at Wexford in August. 7/1, bit below form tenth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (20.2f, good to soft). Off 6 months and opposable down in trip here.

Form: 064510

Catchabird^h³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁵⁾| T: Ms S J Connell| OR: 99

10/1

12/1, good third of 13 in handicap hurdle at Navan (16f, soft) 30 days ago, faring best of those held up. Very much of interest on the back of that eye-catching effort.

Form: 0/07-453

Aboy Joey^p⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Simon Torrens| T: E McCarthy| OR: 96

22/1

Below form seventh of 20 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (16.1f, heavy, 7/1) 44 days ago and likely to find one or two too good.

Form: 948347

Teds Corner^t²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Daniel King| T: A J Martin| OR: 93

25/1

Lightly-raced maiden under Rules. Below form sixth of 17 in novice hurdle at Limerick (19f, soft, 125/1) 29 days ago. May well improve now handicapping.

Form: 9966

Weston^t³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: C P McNamara| T: H Rogers| OR: 93

14/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Rejoined yard after leaving H.Rogers. Tongue strap on for 1st time in this code. 11/20 on last hurdle outing. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: P000

Non-Runners

Putapoundinthejar⁵¹

Weight: 11-9| Age: 5

T: A J Martin J: Conor Stone-Walsh

Solsbury Hill³⁵

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: C O'Dwyer J: C G O'Dwyer

Aurea Fortuna¹⁵

Weight: 10-8| Age: 6

T: A J Martin J: Kevin Sexton

Kaptain Bay⁹

Weight: 10-7| Age: 4

T: N Meade J: Donagh Meyler

Read To Return¹¹

Weight: 10-4| Age: 8

T: A J Martin J: Daniel King

Forecasts

Kool One (9/2), Chosen Diamond (5/1), Whimsy (11/2), King In Love (11/2), Last Kingdom (10/1), Catchabird (10/1), Solsbury Hill (10/1), Arch Empire (10/1), Wonleg (11/1), Weston (14/1), Kaptain Bay (14/1), Aurea Fortuna (16/1), Stuntman Steve (18/1), Putapoundinthejar (20/1), Read To Return (20/1), Aboy Joey (22/1), Teds Corner (25/1), Duty Bound (33/1), Major Barry (50/1)

CATCHABIRD could be the answer on the back of an eye-catching effort at Navan last month. She shaped as though in need of a stiffer test that day and while she remains at 2m, the combination of this testing track and the likely strong end-to-end gallop may amount to an ideal scenario. Chosen Diamond looks a big threat, while Last Kingdom is respected now handicapping for his top connections and Arch Empire is also appealing.