Cork and Fairyhouse tips: Back to Brussels makes plenty of appeal
Trainer Johnny Murtagh can take the Follow @corkracecourse on Twitter Handicap with Mirann. Picture: PA Wire
There is an extremely busy weekend ahead, with mainly big fields for the four meetings spread between Cork and Fairyhouse. The listed Sean Barrett Bloodstock Stakes is one of the features on today’s card in Mallow and Back To Brussels makes plenty of appeal at early quotes of around 16-1.
Fozzy Stack’s runner wasn’t at her best when last seen, in Dundalk, but will appreciate the return to the turf, to a softer surface, and to a track where she has won and finished runner-up in a listed race.
She also goes well fresh, is from a stable which has made a customary fast start to the season, and looks assured of putting in a big run. Lustown Baba, who is also a course and distance winner, was progressing nicely when last seen and rates another obvious player, along with Make A Challenge, in a good race.
Mirann can take the Follow @corkracecourse on Twitter Handicap for Johnny Murtagh. The five-year-old made his seasonal debut in the Lincoln and, over a trip too sharp, ran well to be beaten less than three lengths into eighth place. With that run under his belt, and the step up to ten furlongs a big help, he can carry top weight to victory.
Aesop, who is also owned by O T I Racing, is open to plenty of improvement and can give the selection most to think about.
Claonadh looked an exciting sort on her only start of last season and can belie her inexperience in the Cork Racecourse Handicap, while Princess Zoe and Flor De La Luna look the two to concentrate on in the listed Noblesse Stakes.
In Fairyhouse, Folcano is one of the most interesting runners on the card. He steps up to three miles for the first time, and it should suit the Cullentra runner. He was heavily backed for the Martin Pipe Handicap at the Cheltenham Festival but was badly hampered and fell at the first flight. A mark of 127 seems sure to underestimate his ability. At likely much bigger odds, Meticulous can go well.
Tomorrow in Cork, the nap goes to Go Another One, who can take the Grade 3 Baroneracing.com Chase for John McConnell and Ben Harvey. He ran better than his finishing position might suggest when sixth behind Mount Ida in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival.
His best form of last year came at this course, in a three-mile hurdle on similar ground to that expected tomorrow, and the unexposed chaser can once again show his liking for the course.
There are two Grade 1s on tomorrow’s card in Fairyhouse and Royal Illusion makes appeal at double-figure odds in the first of them, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Novice Hurdle Championship Final. A smart flat horse, she was good on her most recent start, at Leopardstown, and remains unexposed as a hurdler. Having not been to Cheltenham can be an advantage against many of her rivals, and she can land the spoils for Bryan Cooper and Willie Mullins.
1:25 Chimeric
2:00 Southwood 2
2:35 Back To Brussels (nap)
3:10 Cool And Clever
3:45 Claonadh
4.20 Princess Zoe
4:55 Mirann (nb)
5:30 Modus Operandi
1:25 Musalsal
2:00 Drombeg Duke
2:35 Lustown Baba
3:10 Cadamosto
3:45 Bell I Am
4:20 Flor De La Luna
4:55 Aesop
5:30 Mitigated Risk
1:15 Teescomponentsyess
1:45 Stand Up And Fight
2:20 Elimay
2:55 Spades Are Trumps
3:30 Folcano (nb)
4:05 Lignou
4:40 Brooklynn Glory
5:15 Letsbeclearaboutit
1:15 Banks Boy
1:45 Jury Duty
2:20 Mount Ida
2:55 Kavanaghs Corner
3:30 Meticulous
4:05 Uradel
4:40 Shuil Valentine
5:15 Flame Bearer
1:30 Hisnameis Mrdevitt
2:00 The West Awaits
2:30 Petit Mouchoir
3:00 Madison To Monroe
3:30 Go Another One (nap)
4:05 Crossed My Mind
4:35 Bronson In Blue
5:10 Largy Fix
1:30 Knight Of Malta
2:00 Monas Melody
2:30 Bapaume
3:00 Port Stanley
3:30 Castlebrook
4:05 Coqolino
4:35 Kellyiscool
5:10 Given Wings
1:50 El Barra
2:20 Shakespeare’s Word
2:50 Thedevilscoachman
3:20 Royal Illusion
3:50 Grand Paradis
4:25 Whatsnotoknow
5:00 Andy Dufresne
5:30 Dark Raven
1:50 Buddy Rich
2:20 Viscount Gort
2:50 Echoes In Rain
3:20 Atlantic Share
3:50 Get My Drift
4:25 Steer Clear
5:00 Asterion Forlonge
5:30 Pats Choice
