Concertista, runaway winner of the mares novice at Cheltenham, must be robust to beat within the Grade 2 Irish Stallion Farms Mares Hurdle in Fairyhouse.
A powerful card is the appetiser forward of tomorrow’s star-studded affair, which options three Grade 1 occasions, a Grade 3 juvenile hurdle and two precious handicaps. However winners gained’t be simply discovered.
Willie Mullins has opted to maintain Concertista in opposition to her personal intercourse in at present’s characteristic somewhat than sort out the boys within the Royal Bond tomorrow. And the French-bred six-year-old ought to triumph on her final hurrah as a novice.
Surprisingly, Concertista has contested the final two renewals of the Grade 2 mares novice at Cheltenham. Failing narrowly to her stable-companion Eglantine Du Seuil, when having her first run for Closutton, in 2019.
She prefaced a return to Prestbury Park final spring with a 3rd to Black Tears in a mares handicap in Leopardstown. And ridden in Cheltenham by Daryl Jacob, Concertista got here by way of to steer on the long term to the ultimate flight earlier than forging clear to slam stable-companion Dolcita by 12 lengths.
Concertista boasts a score of 148 and should concede weight to her 5 rivals at present, notably Henry de Bromhead’s, inset, Minella Melody, despatched off favorite (on the idea of an unbeaten hurdling report) however very disappointing in that Cheltenham race.
However Minella, profitable at listed and Grade 3 degree, is lots higher than that and can enhance from her seasonal debut second to Beacon Edge in Galway.
The opposite to think about is the Elliott runner Queens Brooks, third to Ferny Hole within the Cheltenham bumper, a slender winner on her hurdling bow right here final month earlier than failing narrowly to longshot Skyace in a Grade 3 in Down Royal.
In the meantime, the Willie Mullins-trained Monkfish, who landed the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham – beating compatriots Newest Exhibition and Fury Street narrowly – ought to proceed Closutton’s spectacular strike price with novice chasers in at present’s Fairyhouse opener.
(Picture: PA)
A dour stayer, profitable twice over flights earlier than heading to Cheltenham, Monkfish simply wants an sufficient spherical of leaping to get the job finished, with Sams Profile, a faller on his latest chase debut in Thurles, more likely to show the primary menace.
Third to stablecompanion Burning Victory on her Irish debut in a Grade 3 at this venue, earlier than ending wellbeaten behind that very same stable-companion within the Triumph at Cheltenham, the Mullins-trained Hook Up might be strongly-fancied within the first division of the Kettles Nation Home Fingal Maiden Hurdle.
However I’ll oppose her with Gordon Elliott’s wellregarded Gars De Sceaux, winner of a degree in Borris Home for Denis Murphy and now carrying the McManus colors.
Elsewhere, Keskonrisk, winner of his bumper at this observe earlier than being bought and becoming a member of Joseph O’Brien, is most well-liked to Elliott’s Indigo Breeze within the GAA Maiden Hurdle (2.11).
