Fairyhouse Sunday Preview - 29/11/20

With no bet in the first race of the day at Fairyhouse we move straight on to the Grade Three Juvenile Hurdle and the Gordon Elliott trained Zanahiyr looks an exciting youngster.

The three year old gelding has only been seen once to date for Gordon Elliott, racing over hurdles in October at Ballinrobe going on to beat a decent field of runners.

Owned by Noel and Valerie Moran, the connections have a lot of smart horses with the handler and the market suggests they have another in Zanahiyr.

The gelding was a fair runner on the flat winning on his final start at Fairyhouse in July and now heading back there could turn out to be anything.

The first Grade One of the day is the Royal Bond Novices' Hurdle over two miles and Ballyadam for Gordon Elliott looks a potentially smart prospect for the yard.

The five year old is a hugely exciting youngster for Gordon Elliott being bought by Cheveley Park Stud after winning a three mile point to point by four lengths.

He was seen twice last term, first time finishing third in a decent bumper at Navan before getting off the mark at the second time of asking, winning at Downpatrick by 18 lengths.

It was a breathtaking performance and he used that on his hurdles debut to get off the mark in fine style in a Maiden Hurdle at Down Royal, winning by 12 lengths.

The scope he takes forward to improve over hurdles this year makes him a very exciting runner and one to follow if taking out this Grade One, which is a big step up from anything he has taken on before.

The Porterstown Handicap Chase over the staying trip of 3 miles 5 furlongs sees a large field go to post and with extra places on offer Dromore Lad looks a great each way bet.

The John Patrick Ryan trained eight year old has been raced four times this season and last time out proved his staying ability when landing a handicap event over 3m4f in Paddy Power Cork Grand National.

In these types of races you need a horse that is proven over these types of trips and he obviously is and the 10lb rise should still see him on a workable mark.

Henry De Bromhead's hurdling star Honeysuckle will start her campaign off at the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle on Sunday with the mare looking to defend her crown after bolting up in the Grade One event last term.

Honeysuckle has a been a star for the yard over the last two years and on all four of her starts last term had been pretty much faultless by winning twice at Fairyhouse including in the Grade One Hatton's Grace Hurdle.

She then narrowly stayed on to take the Irish Champion Hurdle before landing her first Cheltenham festival winner when seeing off Benie Des Dieux in the Mares Hurdle.

Overall the Kenneth Alexander-owned six-year-old has claimed nine wins in a row, if including her point to point race aswell and this event looks more than winnable for the star mare.

The final selection of the day at Fairyhouse comes in the Grade A Handicap Hurdle over two miles and Getaway Gorgeous for Willie Mullins looks a consistent type.

The six year old mare has not done very much wrong in her career to date, only once finishing outside of the top two places in all 12 of her events in point to point, bumpers and hurdle contests.

She always runs a cracking race with her best efforts coming on her third and second last starts when winning a novice Hurdle event at Punchestown and backing that up at Listowel when second on handicap debut.

She went up 5lb for those runs and although finishing fifth of 17 runners last time out it was still a positive run that she can build on again in this company.