GIGG-ITY GIGG-ITY IN THE FAIRYHOUSE QUAGMIRE

I'd like to open up this post previewing Day One of Fairyhouse's Irish Grand National meeting by making reference to the title; admittedly only fans of both horse racing and Family Guy will understand it. For those that do not get either part of it, I'm predicting Gigginstown to have a good afternoon, with the heavy ground helping two of their big hitters.

First of all, there's VALSEUR LIDO in the Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase (Grade 1). He's two wins from two at Fairyhouse, which include the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase. Those successes came with an aggregate winning distance to the runner-up of twelve-and-a-quarter lengths, suggesting he has a real affection for the course. His best pieces of form have come with real juice in the ground; likewise his biggest losing distance have come when the word "good" has been in the ground description. He beat Apache Stronghold in that Drinmore and although Noel Meade's runner has beaten Valseur Lido in their last two outings together, slight preference would be for Willie Mullins' runner to reverse the recent form given the softer going. Apache Stronghold likes to stalk the leaders from towards the back so there is a danger that the ground may prevent him from being able to cut through the field like butter. Both were put firmly in their places in imperious Vautour in Cheltenham's JLT but, thankfully for them, he's nowhere to be seen today.

Valseur Lido winning the Drinmore

Away from the 2m 4f scene, GILGAMBOA could run a nice race in this. He'll love the ground and have only been beaten heavily twice, in two very strong races. His run two outings ago was versus another awesome horse in Un De Sceaux, who also is not on the premises today. His last run was disappointing but forgetting that, he should give a good account of himself here.

As for others that appear to have chances, Gitane Du Berlais is far too short a price for me despite her weight allowances whilst The Tullow Tank has looked a little out of sorts this season and has some question marks to answer today if he's a part to play in this.

Another Gigginstown mudlark who has big claims today is OUTLANDER, in the Coolmore N.H. Sires Leading Light & Ocovango Novice Hurdle (Grade 2). Classy bumper horse on heavy going and transferred that ability to hurdles. Only defeat over obstacles prior to this year's Cheltenham Festival was behind Martello Tower. It was a narrow defeat and a very good run- he probably didn't stay the three miles and Martello Tower went on to win the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham. Outlander's Grade 2 win at Leopardstown saw him reverse the form with Martello Tower, along with beating two more Cheltenham winners in Windsor Park and Killultagh Vic. His defeat when sixth at Cheltenham in the Neptune can be ignored, given that Bryan Cooper always kept him wide and could therefore not get into the race as maybe he should have been in order to land a blow. Snow Falcon finished a place higher that day but never looked as though he was ridden to win and I'd favour Outlander to finish higher today.

Outlander winning the red-hot race at Leopardstown

To me, he is definitely value compared to 8/13 shot Shaneshill. Put in his place by No More Heroes at Navan then second behind Douvan in the Supreme at Cheltenham, although the form is undoubtedly strong, I don't think he's deserving of his small price. Focusing on his run behind Douvan, he never looked like winning that day and the horses he had in behind were not really befitting of a usual Supreme.

It's interesting that, another Gigginstown runner PRINCE OF SCARS, has AP McCoy booked. If connections didn't really fancy him, you'd have thought they would have possibly booked another jockey. His narrow second behind Phil's Magic wasn't a terrible run given that it was only his second start under Rules and the winner could well prove to be above average. 

The absence of Annie Power and Morning Run has certainly taken some of the gloss off the Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final (Grade 1). A Grade 1 winner in the field is PETITE PARISIENNE. She won the Gala Retail Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown, followed by a firm beating in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. Although her fifth place at Prestbury Park wasn't great, she can possibly forgiven for it given it was only her third run for Willie Mullins and it was a cracking renewal of the Triumph. She gets the four year-old allowance of eleven pounds which swings this massively in her favour and given she's a Grade 1 winner, you would hope she could really make the most of the weight pull. Adriana Des Mottes did the same for Willie Mullins in this last year.

Petite Parisienne winning at Leopardstown

Choosing between Bitofapuzzle and THE PIRATE'S QUEEN was hard in this but slight preference is for the latter. It's one-all in running's between the two of them, The Pirate's Queen won under a canny Denis O'Regan ride at Doncaster before Bitofapuzzle levelled things up when finishing third in the Grade 1 Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham, with The Pirate's Queen a place behind; both outrunning their chunky starting prices. I just think that Bitofapuzzle's chances might be blighted by the fact that there appears to be plenty of pace in the race which isn't ideal for her as a front-runner and she just might find 2m 4f a little on the short side at this Grade- her future is likely to lie over further. Also, The Pirate's Queen makes more appeal at the prices- she doesn't deserve to be double the price of Bitofapuzzle.  

Uranna, Rock Of The Moor, Desert Queen and Lyrical Theatre also run but on what they have shown so far, they look likely to come up short today whilst you would have to be worried about Carrigmoorna Rock given she pulled up on her most recent run.

The concluding bumper looks a quality affair, with many Rules debutants running that look as though they can be real forces in the future. Gigginstown can hopefully cap what has been an excellent day with the apparently highly touted DEATH DUTY. His fifteen length Point-to-Point win is the best known form on offer in this and is fancied to win this. Others with chances include ANOTHER CYCLONE, a full brother to the high class Hidden Cyclone and SUNNI MAY, for a trainer in Jessica Harrington who is not adverse to readying a first time out bumper winner.

The main danger might be another Gigginstown runner in Bel Ami De Sivola. However, given his breeding (sire and relatives) he looks more likely to come into his own when faced with an obstacle and a step up in trip. Sheikh Fahad has his first runner in his dabble into jumps racing with Castello Sforza, but his price of 7/4 at the time of writing looks desperately short and he's not certain to like the ground.


Have a super Easter, don't overload on chocolate and I'll be blogging next for the Irish Grand National on Easter Monday.

Happy Punting!