11.30 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase 2m

Placed in two Grade 1s last season, Blue Lord is a smart chasing recruit and could well give Paul Townend a comeback win but Cayd Boy could have an edge on him with experience and race fitness on side.

Liz Doyle’s six-year-old was a fair hurdler, peaking at a mark of 149, and he ran creditably first time up when second to Take All at Wexford. He had the useful Mt Leinster in behind him that day and the winner has since run well enough in graded company. It’s also worth noting that the J.P. McManus-owned gelding produced his best run at this course when second to Advanced Virgo in a Grade A handicap hurdle around this time last year.

El Barra is another Willie Mullins-trained runner to note. It took him a while to make an impact over hurdles but he won his last two races of the season, the latest in a competitive heat at the Punchestown Festival.

SELECTION: CAYD BOY

Next best: Blue Lord

12.00 Fairyhouse Supporting Irishinjuredjockeys.com Beginners Chase 2m 5f

The potentially softer going should suit both Gars De Sceaux and Stattler, the two main protagonists here, with preference for the former.

Gordon Elliott’s five-year-old was raced scarcely last season, with the focus on this upcoming chasing campaign, but he still looked smart in two wins at Navan, the latest a nine-length win over the useful Ragnar Lodbrok. He may want further than today’s trip in time but could well get away with it and this Borris House point winner, where he beat the stable’s useful hurdler Magic Tricks, looks a top prospect for chasing.

Stattler was allowed to reach a higher level than Gars De Sceaux over hurdles with multiple useful efforts at the highest grade, though he fell slightly short on each occasion. He could well find improvement over fences and will be a tough nut to crack. If race fitness tells on this pair, perhaps Farceur Du Large could take advantage, with his last-time-out fourth to French Dynamite at Punchestown representing a useful effort.

SELECTION: GARS DE SCEAUX

Next best: Stattler

12.30 Visit Fairyhouse.ie For Christmas Ideas Handicap Chase 2m

Soviet Pimpernel will catch plenty of attention, running in a handicap chase for the first time off a mark 13lbs lower than his hurdles assessment. That said, the contrast in marks is indicative of the level he has run at so far over fences and he’ll need to improve to give weight to all his rivals. He might well do as he ran his best race over fences last time out and this doesn’t look the strongest heat, but Samurai Cracker could be a more reliable option.

Caroline McCaldin’s eight-year-old has put together two solid runs so far this term, finishing second to Epsion Du Chenet in a two-mile chase at Down Royal and then running seventh in the three-mile Troytown Chase at Navan last month. As mentioned, this doesn’t look the strongest heat and this versatile chaser could take advantage now.

Arahecan and Halsafari are closely matched on their run behind Epson Du Houx at Cork, and slight preference of that pair is for the latter, who has a decent record at this course.

SELECTION: SAMURAI CRACKER

Next best: Soviet Pimpernel

1.02 Thanks To All Our Sponsors In 2021 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle 2m

Celestial Horizon is the most interesting here and gets a tentative vote with such little form on offer. The Joseph O’Brien-trained gelding progressed fast on his last three flat runs, winning twice and then finishing sixth in the Irish Cesarewitch. His mark of 84 is very respectable and it’s noteworthy that he’ll line out with the J.P. McManus silks now.

Britzka didn’t reach the same level on the flat but he represents the same connections of last season’s useful juvenile hurdler Duffle Coat and deserves respect, while Privilege is another useful flat acquisition, having reached a mark of 85.

SELECTION: CELESTIAL HORIZON

Next best: Britzka

1.37 Happy Christmas From Everyone At Fairyhouse Handicap Hurdle 2m

Tony Martin has three in this contest of which the top-weight Explosive Boy makes most appeal. He’s run to a decent level in three handicap hurdles, perhaps most notably finishing in behind Blazing Khal and Gringo D’Aubrelle at Galway, that pair having gone on to significantly better things since. A mark of 109 could underestimate him on his handicap debut and Bryan Cooper is a positive booking.

L’Un Deux Trois showed ability on his first four starts over hurdles last season and has won on the flat since, so a mark of 103 looks workable for him. I Sea The Moon will be a big danger if she can get a run as first reserve. Barry Fitzgerald’s filly finished in between Lucky Max and Lake Chad at Clonmel on her previous run, and that form has worked out very well since.

SELECTION: EXPLOSIVE BOY

Next best: I Sea The Moon

2.12 Fairyhouse 2022 Annual Pass Maiden Hurdle 2m 7f 110y

A difficult contest to decipher and so only a tentative vote goes to Hi Ho Phoenix. The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old displayed a useful level when placed in three bumpers, two at this track, and it’s likely this trip was always going to suit him better. He also has form on soft ground so any rain that falls won’t pose a problem.

Punchestown point-to-point winner Dublin Calling may give him most to do. The Henry de Bromhead-trained gelding won a five-year-old geldings’ maiden in May and runs here for Sean and Bernardine Mulryan. Wall Of Fame is another one to consider. He ran seventh to Captain Kangaroo in a three-mile handicap hurdle in September, but there should be more of an emphasis on stamina on this ground and he also wears first-time cheekpieces.

SELECTION: HI HO PHOENIX

Next best: Dublin Calling

2.47 Irish Thoroughbred Welfare Council Best Turned-Out League Handicap Hurdle 2m 7f 110y

Dubai Devils looks worth chancing here for Paul Stafford. Since his previous run over hurdles, he has improved his chase mark by 12lb which means the rating he runs off today is all of 18lbs lower than what he’d have to deal with over fences. Add in the fact that both of his two career wins have come at Fairyhouse and he’s most interesting now, after a satisfactory comeback run at Down Royal which will have brought him on.

Call Me Freddie is at the other end of the spectrum, with a lightly raced profile, and he gives the impression he can progress from a useful third to Outside The Door at Down Royal. He won a three-mile handicap hurdle at Cork last May, so he’s proven over today’s trip and also wears first-time blinkers which could aid his cause further.

Final Orders is another worth noting, after he put up an improved performance to finish second to the winning machine that is Glenquin Castle at Punchestown earlier last month.

SELECTION: DUBAI DEVILS

Next best: Call Me Freddie

3.22 Irish Stallion Farms EBF 4-Y-O Fillies INH Flat Race 2m

Gordon Elliott is operating at a 27% strike rate in bumpers this season, possibly a function of little opposition from the Willie Mullins yard as of yet, but that remains the case here and the Meath trainer can add another win.

He has two horses in here, and while Chernikova has two decent runs in the book, preference is for the newcomer Liberty Dance, who will be ridden by Jamie Codd. The €54,000 store purchase could well turn out to be a nice recruit and Codd and Elliott have a 40% win rate together so far this season.

Another worth noting is Clairmc who showed plenty of ability when she finished sixth in a maiden hurdle at Cork last month.

SELECTION: LIBERTY DANCE

Next best: Clairmc