EASTER is late in 2025, though punters at Fairyhouse this weekend will be less concerned with the mysteries of the Gregorian calendar than on the value of Cheltenham form at the meeting.

Those coming on from Cheltenham will have extra recovery time this year, though that is the case roughly every five years when Easter falls late.

However, the broad point remains that Cheltenham runners have an ordinary record at Fairyhouse. Since 2015, horses coming here directly from Prestbury Park are 25 winners (9.1%) from 275 runners with 90 places (32.8%) for a level stakes loss of 131.09 points.

More interesting is the contrast between the record of Willie Mullins and all of the other trainers trying the same thing.

Mullins winners

In the same period, Mullins is 18 winners (16.8%) from 107 runners with 52 places (48.6%) for a level stakes loss of 31.09 while everyone else is seven winners (4.2%) from 168 runners with 38 places (22.6%) for a level stakes loss of 109 points.

The latter group has struggled particularly since 2017 with only three such winners in that time.

A more positive pattern is with horses coming to Fairyhouse directly from the Dublin Racing Festival.

Since the DRF was introduced in 2018, there have been nine winners from 66 runners with 22 places at the Easter meeting for a small level stakes profit of 3.07 points while those winners had eight different trainers.

On individual trainers, Dermot McLoughlin stands out. Since 2015, he has had five winners from 26 runners with nine places, with a huge level stakes profit of 210.5 points – 150/1 winners tend to help those figures!

British trainers

British trainers have also done well in certain spots. Again since 2015, they are seven winners from 45 runners at this meeting and all seven came in graded races.

Two bigger Irish yards that tend to do well at Cheltenham – and did so this year – have struggled at the fixture.

In the same period, Henry de Bromhead is 5/99 with 17 places for a level stakes loss of 61.75 points while Gavin Cromwell is 3/64 with 12 places for a level stakes loss of 53.43 points.

WHEN One Look landed the Goffs Millon by six lengths on racecourse debut in September 2023, she had all the appearances of being a top-class filly.

It might be harsh to describe her second season as disappointing as she won twice, including at listed level, but she was close to single figures for the 1000 Guineas after that initial success and expectations were high.

Things did not go right for her last year, however. Paddy Twomey had her out early as a three-year-old but wasn’t happy with her initial efforts, then gave her a break and she returned in August, running well without really showing the spark of that first time out win. That spark looked to be back at the Curragh last Saturday, however.

Good attitude

In a strongly-run Park Express, she raced close to the pace and showed a good attitude not only to beat off the initial challenge of Bright Thunder who travelled best but also to repel Ecstatic and Naomi Lapaglia who came from further back and were flattered to get as close as they did.

Both the second and third will be suited by further, but that comment also applies to One Look who might well be able to deliver on what she showed as a juvenile after a messy three-year-old season.

The other feature at the Curragh was the Alleged Stakes where fitness and tactics won the day for Galen who is building a good record at the track.

Even allowing for it being his first start back over a trip too sharp, this was a poor effort from Jan Brueghel who was a very awkward ride for Ryan Moore and is best watched for the moment.

Before Royal Ascot

The two-year-old races on the card provided plenty of interest, too. Green Sense was well-backed to win the opening maiden on debut and knew her job, with Joseph O’Brien saying afterwards that she would likely have another run before Royal Ascot. He cited his winner of the race last year Cowardofthecounty going straight there and seeming to lack the sharpness to compete.

On the surface, the five-furlong conditions race for two-year-olds later on the card should prove strong form but the pace was unusual as they went slow early then quickened; perhaps the first four did well to pull clear but I would not be concrete on that.

Runner-up Aegina was slowly away but that cost her little as the steady early pace meant she was easily able to get back on terms, and while Evening Blues shaped best on the day in third, he was much greener than the typical Ger Lyons first timer.

Half fly-leaping in the early part of the race, he ran on well late when not knocked about, perhaps this experience was just badly needed and he did more than double in price on the show, but in general I don’t like horses that do things differently from most of their stablemates, and the Lyons runners do tend to know their job from early on.

IT is the time of the year for student race days, and attendees have been lucky to get the weather for it in recent weeks, while those at Leopardstown Wednesday last also got the quality with the action on the track.

The opening maiden has been won by some top-class fillies recently like Tarnawa, Above The Curve and Savethelastdance, and this year’s winner Catalina Delcarpio could hardly have been more impressive, travelling much the best through the race and putting up the fastest final three furlong split on the card despite racing over the longest distance and only needing to be pushed out to win.

Epsom entry

Her sole entry for the moment is the Irish Oaks though Paddy Twomey said afterwards that he was considering an Epsom entry for her recently.

There was also promise in the two other maiden winners on the card. Stay True needed to be pushed along from halfway in the maiden for colts and geldings but the most impressive part of his race was the final furlong as he finished out his race strongly.

Alakazi looked a different horse to one that ran here in October, the better ground likely suiting, and while his median auction maiden lacked depth, he did beat a pair of rivals rated in the mid-80s by over seven lengths, though it is unclear how close they got to their marks.

Unlucky

In the Listed Heritage Stakes, the third Thalara was unlucky, never able to open up in the straight before getting snatched up late, and can win one of these, particularly back against fillies and mares. Keeping her sound has been the issue, as this was just her fourth start in four seasons.

Dutch Gold, fifth in the 10-furlong handicap, is another to keep in mind. He did best of those held up in a race were those ridden close to the pace dominated and was also having his first run in 104 days.

He had only two runs on the flat last season, campaigned moreso over jumps, but his mark has dropped in that time, and he could be well-treated now.