JADE EYES SUCCESS
PETER O’HEHIR
UNLUCKY at Cheltenham last time, Jade De Grugy should take plenty of beating in the Grade 1 Irish EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle, twin feature at Fairyhouse tomorrow.
BY
This event has attracted a big field of 18. But 14 of the contenders hail from just two yards – Willie Mullins has declared 10 while Henry de Bromhead (inset) is responsible for a quartet.
Jade, who carries the Honeysuckle colours of Kenny Alexander, lost her unbeaten record when, sent off 2/1 second favourite, she finished a creditable four lengths fourth behind Golden Ace in the Grade 2 Ryanair Mares Novice Hurdle.
And she would have finished closer if she had not been squeezed for room at a crucial stage after the second last flight.
Winner in her only start in France before joining the Closutton team, Jade De Grugy made all and bolted-up by 15 lengths on her Irish debut at Leopardstown before following-up in the Grade 3 Solerina on this track, beating subsequently disappointing stable-companion A Penny A Hundred with authority.
Jade De Grugy looks an exciting prospect and, unless the trip to Cheltenham has taken the edge off her, she should land the spoils here.
Dangers are spearheaded by stable-companion Fun Fun Fun, the mount of Patrick Mullins and successful at listed and Grade 3 level, Jessica Harrington’s experienced Jetara and the more unexposed but progressive, Gavin Cromwell-trained Bioluminscence.
The later Grade 1 Willowwarm Gold Cup, for novice chasers, features a third clash between the Mullins-trained Blood Destiny and Jimmy Mangan’s charge Spillane’s Tower.
Impressive on his fencing bow in Naas, Destiny was collared on the run-in by Spillane’s Tower in a Punchestown Grade 3 in mid-january but, when they met again in Navan’s Grade 3 Flyingbolt, the Mullins runner turned the tables, scoring readily by six and a half lengths.
Spillane’s Tower is 7lb better off tomorrow but, if the handicapper’s assessment of the pair is accurate, Blood Destiny should confirm his superiority.