Tony Keenan looks ahead to the quality action from Fairyhouse and gives his views on the big places plus a handicap of interest.
Irish racing tips: Sunday December 1
1pt win Telecon in 3.10 Fairyhouse at 5/1 (General)
Punchestown got soft ground last weekend, but most November racing took place on a sound surface, and it looks like being that way again on the first day of December at Fairyhouse today which could play a part in the outcome of the feature races.
I am keen on the claims of Heart Wood and Teahupoo in the Bar One Drinmore Novice Chase (2.05) and Bar One Hatton’s Grace Hurdle (2.40), both having more substance to their form than their unexposed market rivals and, perhaps more importantly, both are bigger prices, though confidence would have been higher with more rain.
Firefox is an exciting novice chaser but this asks a lot on his second start over fences over a trip that may be further than ideal while Lossiemouth has often beaten the same group of opponents in her two seasons with Willie Mullins, the suspicion that she might need this more than Teahupoo too.
The other feature, the Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at 1.35, has been downgraded since last year and the ground remaining decent might bring the Mullins-trained flat types that raced over the summer into it more than otherwise would be the case.
Sea Of Sands could prove the pick of that group at least, his easy Listowel debut win over hurdles working well in its own grade, and while he could only finish in midfield in the Cesarewitch that doesn’t tell the full story.
He was well-backed for that race and raced too keen from the outset, travelling as well as any to the final two furlongs but his rider soon accepted that he wasn’t getting home. It is also possible that run came too soon after Listowel – which had been after a 776-day absence – and he has been given a short break since.
The Bar One Racing Guaranteed Overnight Prices Porterstown Handicap Chase at 1.05 is a tough race to sort with some of the most interesting runners over a marathon trip, among them Daily Present and Evies Vladimir, looking as if they need a testing surface.
That seems less of an issue for TELECON in the Bar One Racing 100% Football Acca Boost on Self Service Betting Terminals Handicap Hurdle at 3.10 and hopefully he can build on the promise of a recent Down Royal run in what looks a weak version of this race.
He was a handicap hurdler on the up back in the spring of 2023, bolting up under a forcing ride over course and distance on Easter Monday in a novice handicap hurdle before shaping better than the result off his revised market in a stronger race at the Punchestown Festival, doing much the best of those that raced close up to a contested pace, only headed after the last before finishing fourth.
He missed 424 days after that before returning on the flat this summer, having two quick runs then a break before Down Royal where he looked as good as ever. A marked drifter in the betting, he was dropped out in a tactical change and travelled best of all, slightly hampered by a faller around halfway when starting to move into the race, still going well coming to two out without his jockey being hard on him, closing all the way to line to take third despite a mistake at the last.
The run left the feel it would bring him on as he now returns to a track that has seen him to good effect in the past and while none of his recent hurdles runs have worked out particularly well, he has left a strong visual impression in each of them, and I am not sure there is anything in the race with solid form claims, with the possible exception of Frankendael.
Preview posted at 0830 GMT on 01/12/24
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