3 Grade One races at Fairyhouse

Some excellent racing is in store today at Fairyhouse, where the meeting has survived an early morning inspection. One can only hope that conditions are better than yesterday, when visibility was very poor indeed, as several major Irish hopes for Cheltenham will be on view. Main feature is the Hatton Grace hurdle at 15.10 CET, where the field includes two previous winners of the Champion Hurdle in Hardy Eustace (Dessie Hughes/ Paddy Flood), back to form recently, and Brave Inca (Colm Murphy/ Davy Russell) who won both this race and the champion in 2006 but has been off the track now for 19 months. German-bred Catch Me (Edward O´Grady/ Andrew McNamara), won mpressively last time out, while another German-bred Aitmatov (Noel Meade/ Niall Madden), who won this last year, would appear to be the stable´s second string behind Muirhead (Paul Carberry). Willie Mullins holds a strong hand in the novice hurdle at 14.05, where he saddles 2 runners, Cousin Vinny (Paddy Mullins), last yea r´s top bumper horse who is making his hurdles debut in a Grade One race (!) and Hurricane Fly (Paul Townend), an impressive form of only Irish start and also with smart French form to this credit. The other Grade One race is the novice chase at 14.40, where all 8 runners have good recent form. Tranquil Sea (O´Grady/ McNamara) defeated Trafford Lad (Eamonn Sheehy/ Tom Doyle) over hurdles last year, but there is very little between this duo and Forpadytheplasterer (Thomas Cooper/ Davy Russell).

Betting forecast:
1.Race: Tharawaat - Yield For No One - Admiral Barry
2.Race: Cousin Vinny - Donnas Palm - Fisher Bridge
3.Race: Tranquil Sea - Forpadydeplasterer - Trafford Lad
4.Race: Hardy Eustace - Catch Me - Kazal
5.Race: Freds Benefit - Irish Invader - Reisk Superman
6.Race: Patsy Hall - Sonnium - Drive On Jim
7.Race: Quempton - Cranky Corner - Blown By The Wind