Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WEATHER WATCH..
..as Bapaume targets debut win
BAPAUME can make a successful start to his chasing career at Fairyhouse today if the course survives an early inspection.
Yesterday’s meeting at the County Meath venue was cancelled when parts of the track were found to be unfit for racing but, with dry conditions expected through the day and overnight, an inspection was called to determine whether today’s fixture can go ahead.
Bapaume’s race was added to today’s card and, although without a win since landing the Grade 2 Prix La Barka at Auteuil in June 2018, his form in Grade 1 staying hurdles last season suggests that he should be capable of doing the business here, if he jumps adequately.
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Hurdle looks an ideal launching pad for Grade 1 winner Honeysuckle’s season.
And Henry de Bromhead’s 150-rated mare (inset), unbeaten in three starts at Fairyhouse, should prove tough to beat.
Successful at listed, Grade 3 and Grade 1 level in her unbeaten novice campaign, she beat Elfile and Cheltenham scorer Eglantine Du Seuil in top-level action at Fairyhouse over Easter.
And, with Rachael Blackmore on board, Honeysuckle is expected to prove too strong for the Willie Mullins runner Mister Blue Sky, a Grade 2 winner at this track last spring before finishing a well-beaten third to classy stablemate Klassical Dream in a Grade 1 at Punchestown.
Due to run yesterday, the Willie Mullins-trained Monkfish, beaten favourite when second to Longhouse Poet in a Punchestown Festival bumper, appeals in the Fairyhouse Easter Saturday Maiden Hurdle over two and a half miles.
And hurdling debutant Red Gerry, fourth to Royal Illusion in the Irish Cesarewitch last time, gets the nod over Cerberus in the three-year-old maiden hurdle, despite the latter’s fine effort against stablemate and subsequent impressive winner A Wave Of The Sea at Punchestown.
THE Joseph O’brientrained Us And Them is the only Irish contender among 25 acceptors for the Betvictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.
A consistent novice last season, he filled the runner-up berth behind le Richebourg in a couple of Grade 1 events at Leopardstown before filling a similar position behind Duc Des Genievres in the Arkle at Cheltenham and behind Ornua in the two-mile Grade 1 novice at Aintree.
The six-year-old returned to action in the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase at Gowran Park last month finishing third to Snow Falcon, and is set to carry 11-5 in Saturday’s showpiece, 7lb. below top-weight Sant Calvados.