Bourgeois all set for Fairyhouse test Trainer Sandra Hughes reports Acapella Bourgeois in rude health ahead of Sunday's Agnelli Motor Park Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse. Having chased home the Willie Mullins-trained A Toi Phil at Leopardstown on Irish Champion Hurdle day, Acapella Bourgeois comfortably went one better in the Grade Two Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Thurles last month. He must concede weight to each of his 11 rivals this weekend, but Hughes is anticipating a bold show. She said: "I've been very happy with him since Thurles. I couldn't be happier with him, to be honest. "We don't know what the ground is going to be like, but I don't think drier ground will be any bother to him and if the rain comes, that won't be a problem either. "He's in really super form and I'm looking forward to seeing him run." There is an interesting British contender in the Harry Fry-trained American. The six-year-old has not been seen in competitive action since winning at Ascot in November. "He hasn't run for a while having had one or two hold-ups, but they were nothing major and we're happy with him," said Fry. "We were going to run him in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham, but we just felt the ground had dried up enough for him and conditions should be ideal for him on Sunday. "He's in good form and we think he's improved, so we'll see what he can do." Mullins runs Haymount (Paul Townend), Nambour (Bryan Cooper) and Fire In Soul (Ruby Walsh). Other contenders include Tony Martin's Lift The Latch, the Charles Byrnes-trained Alto Esqua and Crest from Gordon Elliott's yard. There is 100,000 euro up for grabs in the concluding Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper, but with none of the 18 runners having previously run under Rules, the two-mile contest is a minefield for punters. Noel Meade is double-handed, with Jason McKeown riding Art Of Supremacy and Nina Carberry doing the steering on Calicojack. Others to consider include Gordon Elliott's Narcissistic, the mount of Jamie Codd, and Aidan O'Brien's Zaofu, ridden by his daughter, Sarah.
