'He looks the pick of ours' - who does Willie Mullins fancy in classy heat?

Monday: 4.20 Fairyhouse
Devenish Chase (Grade 2) | 2m4f | 5yo+ | RTV/RTE 2/ITV4

No Allaho should mean no problem for Janidil. The eight-year-old could not lay a finger on his sublime stablemate in the Ryanair, but there is absolutely no shame in that and he was best of the rest. It was a similar sort of story earlier in the season when he was runner-up to him in the John Durkan at Punchestown.

Janidil received a Racing Post Rating of 166 for both those defeats and should he reach that same level here this ought to be a foregone conclusion.

This is the same course and distance as when he had his finest hour as a novice in the BoyleSports Gold Cup last season. Everything suggests he is an out-and-out two-and-a-half-miler and this looks a golden opportunity to register a sixth career win. The only real concern is the effect Cheltenham may have had on him. He had a hard race there, although he has had 32 days to recover from it.

Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, said: "Hopefully this could be a nice opportunity for him. We were delighted with his run last time in the Ryanair. It looks like he might be at his best around mid-range trips and Willie [Mullins] seems to be happy with him."

Mullins is responsible for two-thirds of the field and last year's winner Easy Game bids for a repeat. He was very busy for a lot of 2021 but comes here fresh having been off since finishing third of four to Fakir D'Oudairies in the Clonmel Oil Chase in November.

This is a better race than the one he won last year, though, and beating Castlegrace Paddy by three-quarters of a length may not be good enough this time.

Blackbow enjoyed a confidence booster at Clonmel last time when always in splendid isolation and winning by 36 lengths from Spyglass Hill. It was hard to know what he achieved there given he got a freebie in front but he is a talented performer on his day. Stamina is the question mark hanging over him here.

Castlegrace Paddy is always dangerous in this sort of event, but is rated 11lb inferior to Janidil and gets only 2lb. Cilaos Emery and Hardline have both lost their form and look up against it.
Analysis by David Jennings

What they say

Willie Mullins, trainer of Janidil, Easy Game, Cilaos Emery and Blackbow
Janidil has a much easier task here than when trying to take on Allaho. He ran a great race at Cheltenham and has won a Grade 1 on this track. The conditions of the race suit him and if Cheltenham hasn’t taken its toll then he looks the pick of ours. Easy Game won this last year but lost his form afterwards and we gave him a break. It’s a big question to ask him to come back and win this against fit horses. He’s possibly best watched. Cilaos Emery has lost his form lately and if he was placed here I’d be very pleased. Blackbow is up to this level and might give Janidil most to do. He had a good run over this course when second behind Dunvegan in January so we know he likes the place.

Pat Fahy, trainer of Castlegrace Paddy
It's still a competitive race even though there's a small field. There are plenty of smart horses, but we're very happy with our horse and he was just touched off in this race last year when he hit the last. I'm hoping a reproduction of that run should leave him bang there again.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Hardline
It didn't happen for him in the Plate at Cheltenham but he's got some decent form in Graded races. He's got a bit to find on ratings.

Read more Fairyhouse previews:

2.40 - Triumph Hurdle fourth Icare Allen puts Vauban form to the test in Grade 2

3.50 - Flame Bearer bids for Grade 2 hat-trick at beloved Fairyhouse

5.00 - Paul Townend, Rachael Blackmore and Davy Russell chasing first Irish National

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