Grade One races in Ireland

Easter Sunday sees jumps racing at 4 tracks, with easily the best sport coming from Ireland, where the going is still very soft/ heavy, while it is drying out rapidly in the U.K. The best races are at Fairyhouse, where the Irish Grand National Meeting starts off with two Grade One races and two more lesser graded events. The main feature is the Ryanair Gold Cup, a novice chase over 2 1/2 miles at 17.20 CET.

Some of the protagonists ran at Cheltenham, where Apache Stronghold (Noel Meade/ Paul Carberry) and Valseur Lido (Willie Mullins/ Paul Townend) were second and third in the JLT; they have met several times this season and on balance of form the Mullins runner probably just has the edge, but the one to beat is Mullins´ other runner Gitane du Berlais (Ruby Walsh), an easy winner over hurdles last time at Auteuil. She is unbeaten over fences- admittedly she has only run twice and in lesser company- but as a 5yo mare receives no less than 15 lbs from all the other runners, so is easily the best in at the weights.

Mullins is also well represented in the other top races, no surprise there.In the mares novice hurdle at 16.20 he has 3 runners, with Ruby riding Petite Parisienne, 5th last time in the Triumph Hurdle. However it could well be that Jessica Harrington has the best Irish hope here with Rock on the Moor (Robbie Power), but we expect this prize to go to England, with Harry Fry saddling two very strong candidates, Bitofapuzzle (Noel Fehily) and Desert Queen (Nick Scholfield). The latter should not be underestimated, having won her last 4 races and is an improving front-runner, but Bitofapuzzle´s Cheltenham form, when she was a very close third, is by far the best in the field and she has to be the selection.

Mullins also has 3 runners in the Grade Two novice hurdle at 16.50, with Ruby on Shaneshill, an excellent second to stable companion Douvan in the Supreme. However Outlander (Paul Townend ) should be sell suited by the ground here, while Prince of Scars (Sandra Hughes/ AP McCoy), one of 3 Gigginstown runners, must also be respected.

Mullins also sends runners to the other Irish Meeting at Cork and can take the main Event there, a Grade Three chase over 3 miles at 17.35, with On His Own (David Casey), a close runner-up in last year´s Gold Cup although well ll breaten at Cheltenham this time. The only serious opponennt in theory is the strong front-runner Roi du Mee (Gordon Elliott/ Davy Condon).

Fairyhouse - betting forecast:
1. Race: Cest Notre Gris - Voices Of Spring - Elusive Ivy
2. Race: Marchese Marconi - Inesperate - Greatness
3. Race: Bitofapuzzle - Rock On The Moor - Petite Parisienne
4. Race: Shaneshill - Outlander - Snow Falcon
5. Race: Gitane Du Berlais - Valseur Lido - Apache Stronghold
6. Race: Mister Hotelier - Benemeade - Ballyadam Approach
7. Race: Castello Sforza - Death Duty - Bel Ami De Sivola