Andrew Halligan 17/04/2022 – Andrew runs through his best bet at Fairyhouse on Day 2 of Irish Grand National Weekend as well as his tips for Cork.
What better way to spend Easter Sunday than watching some top racing from Fairyhouse and Cork, and those are the two tracks I will be concentrating on today.
Fairyhouse 15:10 – Andrew Halligan 17/04/2022
What a cracking race we are in for here with some very classy mares going head-to-head, including seven that ran in the Cheltenham Festival Mares’ Novice Hurdle.
The obvious starting point is the winner of the Mares’ Novice and the UK raider in Love Envoi. Unbeaten in five starts over hurdles and no stranger to the Emerald Isle as she won her bumper in Wexford for Sean Doyle.
My only problem is that I think this might be one to many for this very classy mare. She has had three slogs back-to-back and it’ll be a tough ask to go again here.
So, I am pinning trust in GRANGEE who has 3l to find with Love Envoi on the Mare Novice Hurdle form.
She has been steadily progressing over the season and was staying on with a race winning challenge over 2m2f at this venue. To me the 2m was a bit too sharp for her at Cheltenham and the 2m4f trip today will be more to her liking and I think this is enough to bring both improvement and victory.
With some of the others, Dinoblue needs to leave her last run well behind when she was sent off 11/8 for the Mares’ Novice, and she could well do but will needs to gain my trust after her Festival flop.
Brandy Love absolutely lost the plot last time up when jumping left throughout the race. If this was left-handed she would be of huge interest.
Cork 14:20 – Andrew Halligan 17/04/2022
We go down south for my next three selections and strong ones they are.
I start with GANAPATHI who has been found a very nice opportunity, even given the Scottish Champion Hurdle winner Anna Bunina within the field.
He had a decent novice season and signed out with a fall in a Grade 1 at the Punchestown Festival where he was not out of it by any means.
Wasn’t seen until last month in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. He only finished 11th but he did blow up late on and looked like he will come on a lot for the run and expect a big show from him today.
Cork 14:55 – Andrew Halligan 17/04/2022
For my next, it is the last chance saloon for this frustrating grey GRAND PARADIS.
He will not get a better opportunity than this to get his first win over fences. Has run in many Graded races this season only to be let down by his jumping on most occasions. The same happened in handicap company at the Cheltenham Festival, which he was well fancied to go close for, only to be pulled up.
This is a massive drop in class and should be well up to getting the job done today.
Cork 15.30 – Andrew Halligan 17/04/2022
My final Irish selection is one of the most unluckiest horses not to win a Grade 1 – that is MELON.
Forever the bridesmaid at the Cheltenham Festival, he looks to have found his day in the sun over 3m. Yes, he has never won over this distance, but he has run some great races over this trip, notably when mowed down late in the 2020 Irish Gold Cup by the latest Cheltenham Gold Cup hero, A Plus Tard.
Last year’s Grand National winner Minella Times lines up as well after being brought down last week in his defence. His form figures FPF do not fill you with any confidence to be going in at 2/1 so I think he will find it hard to contain Melon even in receipt of 8lb.
Sunday’s Best UK Bet – Andrew Halligan 17/04/2022
The one pick in the UK on Sunday comes in the 16:35 at Plumpton in the form of the Alan King-trained MIDNIGHTS LEGACY.
To me, this useful flat performer is translating his form to hurdles and none were more taking than his win last time out at Ludlow.
Hit with an 8lb rise for that but he should take that in his stride and be the one they all must beat today.
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