'He looks a tremendous bet' - Keith Melrose has two fancies at Fairyhouse after a 9-2 winner on Saturday

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Frontal Assault
12.55 Fairyhouse
1pt each-way with firms paying five places

Encanto Bruno
1.25 Fairyhouse
1pt win

There are three Grade 1s at Fairyhouse on Sunday. As should be the case, all three have a recent history littered with genuine top-notchers. 

The most exciting race from a viewing perspective is likely to be the Hatton's Grace (2.35). Impaire Et Passe will test himself against fully-fledged Grade 1 horses for the first time. You could argue that should be 'horse', as defending champion Teahupoo is clearly the strongest challenger, but I expect Impaire Et Passe to be up to it and the race makes little appeal as a betting platform. 

The best betting race of the three Grade 1s is the Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (1.25). It is still early enough for Willie Mullins to be sending out his best novice hurdlers, at least at this level. The result is a competitive-looking market, with An Tobar at the top for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore. 

Although he was impressive in his point and on hurdling debut, he is favourite at least partly on vibes. I much prefer the profile of Encanto Bruno, who mixes tangible achievement with plenty of potential.

He was a good bumper horse, going off in the first half-dozen in the betting for the Champion Bumper when with John McConnell. It was on his debut for Gavin Cromwell last time that Encanto Bruno emerged as a proper Grade 1 prospect.

Sure, the 2m4f race he won at Cheltenham was steadily run and Keith Donoghue was doing a Paul Carberry impression up the run-in. The substance was there if you look a bit closer. It goes beyond the shape of the form in behind, which would be unusually solid for a novice hurdle in October. 

The 2m½f Grade 2 novice hurdle on the same card was similarly slow overall. In that race the all-the-way winner ran from two out to the line in around 41 seconds. Encanto Bruno was two seconds (about ten lengths) quicker for the same distance, on the bridle. That all-the-way winner was Lookaway, who finished second in the Greatwood next time off 132.

No other hurdler on that Cheltenham card finished as fast as Encanto Bruno. It did not escape my attention how slickly he hurdled, either. He was the same at Bellewstown on his hurdling debut for McConnell in July. He is a ready-made Grade 1 novice, while his rivals may still be learning the game.

The big handicap on the card is the Bar One Racing "Guaranteed Overnight Prices" Porterstown Handicap Chase (12.55), held over the Irish Grand National course and distance of 3m5½f. It is not quite the Troytown when it comes to Gordon Elliott stuffing the ballot, but he has still had a third of the runners over the last three years and saddles four of the 18 this year. 

It is an Elliott horse that appeals most to me. Frontal Assault has run the best two races of his life on his two visits to Fairyhouse over fences. That includes his second-placed finish in last year's Irish National, when he was a novice running off the same mark of 139 that he carries again.

Frontal Assault has not caught light to the same extent in 18 months since. He has spent much of the time running in the wrong races. For instance, after finishing fifth in last year's Troytown, he took on Gaillard Du Mesnil off level weights (he had finished in front of him in the Irish National, in receipt of 15lb) at Leopardstown's Christmas festival. 

This autumn, Frontal Assault has had the look of a horse building up to something. He was fifth in the Troytown again, doing best of those who took the wide route into the straight and staying on as others fell away around him. Back up in trip, at a course where he thrives, he looks a tremendous bet. The enhanced place terms on offer, typically a fifth of the odds for the first five, are a bit of a gift.

Read these next:

The Punt Acca: Liam Headd had two winners on Saturday - who does he fancy at Fairyhouse on Sunday? 

Sunday's free racing tips: six horses to consider putting in your multiples after 6-4, 9-2 and 16-1 Saturday winners 

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