Festival winners in waiting? The Irish novices battling for Grade 1 glory at Fairyhouse this weekend
Irish horses dominate the jumps scene at present and Fairyhouse takes centre stage there this weekend with a whole host of top-class names in action, particularly on Hatton's Grace Hurdle day on Sunday. Impaire Et Passe is a hot favourite for that, but the two Grade 1 novice events, the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle and Drinmore Novice Chase, both look extremely open.
Both races boast rich rolls of honour packed with future stars who have gone on to major success at the spring festivals at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown. Which names are in contention this year to emulate some great champions of the past and be established as forces to be reckoned with for the rest of the season?
Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle
1.25 Sunday, Fairyhouse, 2m
Champions produced in the Royal Bond
The Royal Bond has been a great harbinger of success over the years, most recently 12 months ago when Barry Connell's Marine Nationale triumphed before winning the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham on his next start.
Envoi Allen completed a Royal Bond-Ballymore double in 2019-20 but it's not always the winner you need to keep an eye on as Penhill proved when finishing fourth in this race in 2016 before winning the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle later that season and then the Stayers' Hurdle a year later.
Legendary trio Istabraq, Hardy Eustace and Hurricane Fly – winners of seven Champion Hurdles between them along with plenty other major festival successes – all earned their first Grade 1s over hurdles in this race. Future Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown festivals winners Nichols Canyon, Jezki and the supreme Moscow Flyer are also on the honour roll.
This year's main contenders
An Tobar
The Henry de Bromhead-trained six-year-old made an eyecatching debut when storming to a four-and-a-half length success over course and distance earlier this month. Owned by Robcour, the gelding beat a progressive rival in Champagne Admiral, who has subsequently boosted the form when easily winning a Limerick maiden on his sole start since. He is inexperienced but looks to have a big future.
Encanto Bruno
The five-year-old, who won three times in five starts when trained by John McConnell, made a successful start to life with Gavin Cromwell when bolting up at Cheltenham in October. That win was over 2m4f, so it will be interesting to see how he fares back down in trip, but he'll likely be one to keep a close eye on during the spring.
Slade Steel
De Bromhead holds a strong hand in the Grade 1 contest as he also trains this five-year-old, who made the perfect start to his hurdling career when running out a five-and-a-half length winner at Naas. He was a bumper winner last season and the expected soft ground would suit him well. Like Encanto Bruno and An Tobar Slade Steel is a point-to-point winner over three miles so stamina shouldn't be an issue if it turned into a slog.
Farren Glory
Gordon Elliott has won this race three times since 2017 and will fancy his chances again with Farren Glory, who was well beaten when thrown into Grade 2 company on his hurdles debut at the end of last season but came on massively for that when running away with a maiden at Clonmel on his seasonal return. He could be a real threat.
Royal Bond betting
Sky Bet: 9-4 An Tobar, Encanto Bruno, 3 Slade Steel, 9-3 Farren Glory, 13-2 What's Up Darling, 7 Fascile Mode, 10 Bialystok, King Of Kingsfield, 16 Horantzau D'Airy
Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase
2.00 Sunday, Fairyhouse, 2m4f
Champions produced in the Drinmore
Gaillard Du Mesnil and Banbridge were second and third behind the ill-fated Mighty Potter last year before going on to win at Cheltenham and Aintree in the spring.
Envoi Allen completed a Fairyhouse double when returning to win the Drinmore in 2020. He fell when odds-on for the Turners Novices' Chase at Cheltenham but did win the Ryanair Chase in March, his eighth Grade 1 victory and third at the Cheltenham Festival.
2019 winner Fakir D'Oudairies came close to completing a Fairyhouse-Cheltenham double, but was second to Put The Kettle On in the Arkle. However, Delta Work successfully used this race on the way to winning the Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown by an impressive 12 lengths that season.
Don Cossack (2013) won here before running at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown in the spring. He was unable to strike in either of those three festivals, but ended his career with five further Grade 1 victories, which included the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in 2016.
This year's main contenders
Letsbeclearaboutit
The Gavin Cromwell-trained eight-year-old could not have begun his chasing career any more impressively after winning both his two starts by a combined 15 lengths. His most recent victory produced his highest Racing Post Rating when he stepped up to land a Grade 3 at Cork and he is the bookies' favourite here. Both of his wins this term have come on testing ground, so he should have no issues with conditions.
Sharjah
Willie Mullins, who, particularly recently, has not aimed his top novices at this meeting, last won the Drinmore in 2014. However, he has a serious opportunity to end that drought with the classy Sharjah, who had a peak rating of 165 in his hugely successful hurdling career. Since switching to fences, the ten-year-old has won his two races by a combined 23 lengths, including in a Grade 3 at Tipperary in October. The only horse older than seven to have won the Drinmore since it changed conditions and became a Grade 1 in 1994 is Le Coudray, who triumphed aged eight in 2002.
Found A Fifty
The six-year-old made a successful start over obstacles when landing a 2m maiden hurdle at this track in January. He then failed to win for the remainder of the season and finished fourth of five behind Facile Vega at Punchestown. The switch to fences seems to have done the trick as he beat Colonel Mustard by a striking eight lengths on his seasonal return at Down Royal and he should come on for that run.
I Am Maximus
Has progressed massively since joining Willie Mullins in 2022, culminating in a brilliant victory in the Irish Grand National in April. That was only his fifth attempt over fences and he retains novice status for now. Has class but this much shorter trip does not look optimal and he is the only one of the seven entrants to not have already run this season.
Drinmore betting
Paddy Power: 7-4 Letsbeclearaboutit, 9-4 Sharjah, 11-4 Found A Fifty, 9-2 I Am Maximus, 8 American Mike, 10 Favori De Champdou, 12 Perceval legallois
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