Fairyhouse Sunday Preview - 09/01/21

The first race of the afternoon at Fairyhouse on Sunday is the January Jumps Hurdle event over two miles and Britzka looks very tough to beat on the bare face of it.

The four year old for Gordon Elliott moved over to national hunt racing this term having been a decent flat horse and on both his starts to date he has shown serious ability.

Making his seasonal at Fairyhouse in three year old Maiden Hurdle he went on to bolt up by six lengths, taking to the flights exceptionally well.

Looking to test his ability he was last seen against stablemate Fil Dor in the Grade Two Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle where he ran well to finish third.

Off the back of both those runs he looks tough to beat, but he will have to be at his best to see off White Pepper, giving weight away.

With no bet in the Maiden Hurdle we move onto the competitive Handicap Hurdle over three miles and the selection we like the look if is Ardhill for Gordon Elliott.

Near the bottom of the weights the gelding has looked a new horse on his sole run for Elliott going to Ascot over three miles and landing a very smart Handicap Hurdle.

Rasied 7lb for that run that should not be enough to stop him if in the same form as last time out, seeing off a frequent winner by close to eight lengths eased down.

Big player.

The feature race of the day is the Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase over 2m1f and we think Blackbow is the value off the back of his past exploits.

Nine year old Blackbow has improved markedly for a switch to the larger obstacles having been an average hurdler but a smart bumper horse.

He broke his maiden under rules when winning well on chase debut last term, beating off some smart horse in Entoucas and Defi Bleu.

Subsequently tried in a Grade One that Christmas, he fell early in the race and gave no real indication as to how he stacked up at the top table.

Three starts ago he was well beaten behind stable mate Energumene in a Novice Chase at Naas and then next time out he was third again behind the superstar stablemate at the Dublin Racing Festival.

He was last seen at the Cheltenham festival in the Grade One Marsh Chase when being outclassed on the day but gaining all that Grade One experience he should find this handicap much easier, especially on seasonal debut.

Looks the time to catch him.

Another nice race on the Fairyhouse card is the 2m1f Beginners Chase at it sees a star studded field of very smart hurdlers looking to now make it over fences.

The horse we are siding with is the Willie Mullins trained El Barra, who was arguably the worst hurdler out of the three at the top of the market, but could well be the best over fences.

Racing five times over hurdles last term, he needed his first few runs, but then on his third start was a good second in heavy ground.

With the penny starting to drop he then went on to land his two final events over hurdles at Fairyhouse, seeing off some smart runners in both events.

Sent chasing by the Closutton maestro this term, he made a very smart debut when finishing second behind Arkle third favourite Blue Lord, who has won emphatically since.

If improving once more at a track he thrives round he could be a big player.

The final selection of the afternoon comes in the Novice Chase over 2m5 1/2f and Millen To One makes the big appeal off the back of his last run.

Having shown very little form, two starts ago he was a much better third of 12 over two miles at Fairyhouse and he then backed that up last time out.

He was upped in trip to 2m5f at Leopardstown over Christmas and was well backed into 11/2 but could only finish second of 19, still putting up a superb effort.

The money that came for him that day was interesting and with him looking a better horse at this distance he is worth another go off the same mark.