Grade Two Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Novice Hurdle Fairyhouse Guide 2023

Joseph O’Brien sends one here for this contest with eight-year-old Castra Vetera making her fourth start over hurdles after a couple of runs here in graded company after second in Naas maiden in 2020.

Returns after 735 days off the track after finishing seventh in Grade One Mares’ Novice Hurdle Final here in April 2021 and it looks unlikely that she will win this contest after such a long break. Can probably be dismissed in this company.

In-form six-year-old who hasn’t finished outside of the top three his whole career. Winner of a couple of bumpers in Ireland before third of 11 at Cheltenham in class two race over 2m before being sent over hurdles.

Ran well to finish a head behind Willie Mullins’ Bialystok in maiden hurdle at Naas in February before winning 17-runner Navan maiden over 2m last time out last month at 7/4fav.

Arrives here at around 12/1, weighted at 125 and looks a good each-way play considering his form and ability to finish in the top three. Tougher test here but one he can stand up to.

Lily Du Berlais makes her third start over hurdles here after finishes of fourth and third over obstacles following four runs in bumpers at Perth, Leopardstown and Navan. Entered graded company for the second time last time out at Naas last month, with 1/4fav Irish Point edging out No Looking Back.

Her only previous run in this company came at Naas in February where she was behind some good horses in the form of Walk With Paul, Found A Fifty and Corbetts Cross and it is difficult to gauge her chances but Daryl Jacob is on board for this one. Cannot be discounted.

Willie Mullins’ Parmenion runs for the fourth time over hurdles after finishes of third, second and first on his first three outings. Won impressively last time out by 14 lengths to 80/1 Ostend at Leopardstown after losing by nine and a half lengths when 4/6 favourite in maiden hurdle at this C&D in January.

Enters graded company for the first time here and on the back of his last run, he can go well again here, and it would be surprising to not see him in the places at the very least.

Danny Mullins is booked to ride Nick Rockett here, with the six-year-old gelding showing promise to win Naas maiden over 2m 3f last time out last month, two and a half lengths to Rachael Blackmore on Lets Go Champ.

Previous winner of a bumper at Thurles over 1m 7f heads to Fairyhouse for the first time since his bumper debut here in December last year, and despite only having the one run over hurdles shouldn’t be discounted for Willie Mullins, who sends four for this race.

Another Willie Mullins runner in this race is The Gunner Yeats, the six-year-old gelding who has made a winning start to life over hurdles, winning a Thurles maiden over 2m by a massive 25 lengths to stablemate Feu Du Bresil after finishing third in Navan bumper again over 2m in February.

Less experienced over obstacles than a few here but possesses a lot of promise for a top yard and should step up again and go well here with Brian Hayes booked to ride.

Jonathan Sweeney sends one here in the shape of Western Walk, who won his first hurdle race last time out at Navan at the fourth time of asking following top four finishes at Ballinrobe (twice) and here over 2m 4f. Was priced at 13/8 last time out with promising jockey Michael O’Sullivan on board, beating Jimmy Chou Pecos Aa by just under four lengths before heading here.

Enters graded company for the first time and this is tougher than what he has faced before. He should be able to improve more but difficult to say how he will fare in this company.

Six-year-old gelding for Lorna Fowler who runs over hurdles for the third time having finished second at Navan on debut before fifth of 11 in Grade Two Premier Novices’ Hurdle over 2m 2f at Kelso last month behind the likes of Feronily and Nemean Lion.

Comes here as one of the outsiders for this contest and it does look unlikely that he’ll secure his first victory of his career against some top prospects and good yards.

Henry De Bromhead’s five-year-old Deep Cave heads to Fairyhouse for the first time in his career after three runs at Punchestown and Leopardstown (twice). Begun over hurdles in November, finishing just under four lengths behind Absolute Notions before winning over 2m 4f at Leopardstown in December to win the Savills Maiden Hurdle at 11/4.

Last time out, he again finished behind Absolute Notions in second, with Good Land securing victory as he finished fifth. Can improve here in grade two company and should be there or thereabouts.

Gordon Elliot-trained six-year-old who makes hurdling debut here after winning 2m Navan bumper last month by four and a half lengths to Extrapolation. Difficult to predict chances running over hurdles for the first time but Elliott sends him straight into graded company which suggests he is expecting a promising run.

Shouldn’t be discounted for a good yard but others make more appeal having more experience over the obstacles than this gelding.

Doctor Bravo arrives here on the back of finishing eighth in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle over 2m at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Prior to that, had begun well over hurdles for Gordon Elliott, winning at Down Royal as well as finishing in the top three at Leopardstown and Gowran Park before running at the festival.

Drops back down to Grade Two company here and currently sits as the market favourite at around 3/1, should go close if discounting his last run.

Willie Mullins has four in this contest, with five-year-old Ho My Lord making his fourth start over hurdles for the leading Irish trainer here. He fell on debut at Leopardstown over Christmas before winning by four and a half lengths to Banjaxed in the Div Two Navan Ford & Opel Maiden Hurdle over 2m at Navan in February.

Ran no race in the Ballymore at Cheltenham last time out, finishing ninth but the gelding drops back into Grade Two company here and mustn’t be dismissed.