Weekend tips: Royal Kahala can complete a four-timer at Fairyhouse
Royal Kahala: Can concede weight to all bar one of her rivals at Fairyhouse. Picture: Healy Racing.
When a first inspection of the Fairyhouse track took place yesterday afternoon at 3pm, a second was called for this morning at 7:30am, with management not too optimistic about the prospects of racing going ahead today.
Should it manage to defy the odds, Royal Kahala can complete a four-timer in the Grade 3 Race Displays Mares’ Novice Hurdle. Peter Fahey’s mare made the breakthrough in bumpers at the third time of asking but made an impact at first time over hurdles with an impressive display.
She took on impressive maiden winner Hook Up next time and travelled stylishly and stretched away close home to win in great style. She must concede weight to all bar one of her rivals this afternoon but that isn’t a major concern. She is potentially a class apart and can notch up a fourth consecutive win at this track.
The unbeaten Gauloise rates an obvious danger. She still looked somewhat green when winning last time at Thurles and has plenty of scope for improvement.
Tomorrow in Naas, Eklat De Rire can take the step up to Grade 3 in his stride when he contests the Naas Racecourse Business Club Novice Chase. Winner of his only point to point, he won the second of his two hurdles, and as he was rising seven, he then had his focused quickly switched to chasing in early December.
Taking on decent company, he jumped well in the main and showed great stamina to come clear of School Boy Hours in the closing stages. He should certainly be better for that run and his staying power can prove too much for Pencilfulloflead.
The latter was runner-up to Colreevy in the Grade 1 novice in Limerick, though the departure of Asterion Forlonge left it a race with little depth and it is difficult to gauge its true worth, even if the winner followed up earlier this week at Thurles.
His previous form, when beating Coko Beach in a beginners’ chase in Galway, also received a boost when the runner-up won the Thyestes Chase on Thursday and it is hard to argue he is not a deserving favourite, but he must give 8lbs to Eklat De Rire and that won’ t be easy.
The Naas Hunters’ Chase has attracted a maximum field with plenty of depth, but last year’s winner, Billaway, can follow up for Willie and Patrick Mullins. Still only nine, he was clearly in need of the run when runner-up at Fairyhouse on his return and stepped up from that to win at Down Royal. He will need to be even better today but can be expected to be so and will be hard to beat once more.
It Came To Pass, who beat him in the Foxhunters’ Chase at Cheltenham, was behind him at Fairyhouse but sure to be much better this time. He is surely being trained with the defence of his Cheltenham crown in mind and even if no match for Billaway today, he will be better suited by the Cotswolds test. On The Sod is another interesting runner, the nine-year-old having won all five outings to date.
12:20 Braeside
12:50 Chief Of Police
1:23 Fox Le Bel
1:58 Royal Kahala (nap)
2:33 M C Muldoon (nb)
3:08 Micro Manage
3:43 Direct Fire
4:18 Regina Dracones
12:20 Choungaya
12:50 The Chapel Field
1:23 Robin Deuz Pois
1:58 Gauloise
2:33 Alko Rouge
3:08 Excelcius
3:43 Macs Charm
4:18 Young Dev
12:45 Showbusiness
1:15 Grand Roi
1:45 El Barra
2:15 Glens Of Antrim
2:45 Baltimore Bucko
3:15 Eklat De Rire (nap)
3:45 Punitive
4:15 Billaway (nb)
12:45 Coltor
1:15 Beacon Edge
1:45 Limestone Rock
2:15 Mr Incredible
2:45 Aarons Day
3:15 Mocowsowhat
3:45 Escaria Ten
4:15 On The Sod
