The two-day Fairyhouse Winter Festival meeting ramps up a few gears on Sunday as horse racing punters will get to see a stack of National Hunt stars on show at the County Meath venue – including Lossiemouth, Teahupoo, Firefox, Heart Wood and Romeo Coolio.
With many Cheltenham Festival pointers too, we can expect the ante-post markets with the best horse racing betting sites to be shaken up through the afternoon. To take you through the best of the Fairyhouse Winter Festival action – SportsCasting’s Andy Newton is on hand.
Andy Newton’s Horse Racing Predictions at Fairyhouse Winter Festival: Teahupoo and Lossiemouth Clash In ‘Unmissable’ Hatton’s Grace Hurdle
1:35 Fairyhouse: Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (Grade 2) (4yo+) 2m½f RTE2
Trainer Willie Mullins has won the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle a monster nine times and over half (five) of the nine entries clearly means business again.
His main hope looks to be Royal Ascot winner Belloccio, who is 1-from-1 over hurdles, while he’s also got Sea Of Sands – the horse that was sent off as favourite for the Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket last time out on the flat, but only managed 12th.
However, Mullins might have to play second fiddle in this race the year as the Gordon Elliott team have a strong hand too – with Bleu De Vassey and his exciting ROMEO COOLIO the top two in the market with the best betting sites in the UK. Elliott has won this race four times in the last seven, including last year with Farren Glory.
Romeo Coolio was runner-up in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in March and has since made a winning start over hurdles when bolting up at Down Royal in early November. He was also a winner here at Fairyhouse (NH Flat) back in January (watch below).
Yes, the oppo here will be harder and he was sent off 2/13 that day – but he’s an exciting prospect who is already well-fancied in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival. He’s taken to go in again.
2:05 Fairyhouse: Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase (Grade 1) (4yo+) 2m4f RTE2
Anyone called Tom will be all over Gorgeous Tom here for obvious reasons – but the 2024 Drinmore Novice Chase is a race that revolves around two of the most exciting novice chasers about – Heart Wood and FIREFOX.
The former has more chasing experience with six starts (2 wins) and was super impressive when winning at Wexford last time out – beating one of the big King George VI Chase fancies Corbetts Cross by seven lengths.
However, the niggle for Heart Wood would be the drop back in trip (2m4f) and even though we know he’ll stay it well – will he just get tapped for toe by Gordon Elliott’s Firefox.
The Elliott team have won this race seven times over the years – with the last of those Mighty Potter in 2022. Last year the race was actually landed by the Willie Mullins runner I Am Maximus – who, of course, went onto take the Grand National.
Firefox was a top hurdler – don’t forget he the only horse to have beaten Ballyburn – but is shaping up to be an even better chaser after winning impressively at Down Royal on his fencing debut on the 1st of November.
He jumped well that day, travelled super and with that win also coming over today’s 2m4f trip, then all looks in place for another big run.
He’s taken to keep his unbeaten record over fences and continue his preparation towards the Arkle Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham in March.
2:40 Fairyhouse: Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+) 2m4f RTE2
One of the big clashes of the season so far – as the current Stayers’ Hurdle favourite Teahupoo takes on the Champion Hurdle market leader Lossiemouth.
The former is the two-time winner of the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle and will be looking to join greats like Limestone Lad, Apple’s Jade, Solerina and Honeysuckle as treble winners of this prize.
A few weeks ago Teahupoo looked to have a penalty-kick in landing his three timer, but with Lossiemouth rerouted here after missing last week’s Morgiana Hurdle – all of a sudden he’ll have a big fight on his days.
WATCH: Teahupoo Winning The 2023 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at the Fairyhouse Winter Festival
I guess the big question is will stamina or speed with the day?
We know Teahupoo stays further so connections will be trying to make the most of that. While we know Lossiemouth is a classy mare that has plenty of pace to have won over 2m and today’s 2m4f trip.
Fitness will be key too as both are out for the first time – this, of course, has to be taken on trust. However, we know being a two-time winner of the race Teahupoo will be spot-on.
Whereas Lossiemouth was reportedly pulled out of last week’s Punchestown race due to a sore foot – is that ideal?
Lossiemouth will also get a handy 7lbs mares’ allowance from Teahupoo – which brings their ratings within just a pound of each other.
Therefore, with both also proven course winners, there’s strong cases to be made for both. Which is why the layers are finding it hard to split them – they are both around Evs in the market.
Overall, the head says side with the proven winner of the race – Teahupoo – but the heart LOSSIEMOUTH, who is a horse I’ve got a lot of time for and at just 5 years-old there is every chance she’ll have improved again over the summer.
Yes, the sore foot thing is a small worry, but I’ll take a chance on that being okay – after all, Willie Mullins wouldn’t be risking her if it hadn’t sorted itself out.
Regardless – we saw one of the races of the season last Sunday in the John Durkan and hopefully the Hatton’s Grace can follow suit.
