Fry aims two at big mares prize Harry Fry fires two arrows at the valuable Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse on Sunday with Bitofapuzzle and Desert Queen. Bitofapuzzle arrives at the end of a great season, having won a Listed bumper at Cheltenham in November and a Grade Two over timber at Ascot. She then ran a mighty race at the Cheltenham Festival over a trip short of her best and on ground considered to be too quick, battling on for third in the OLBG.com Mares' Hurdle behind Glens Melody, beaten only half a length. Noel Fehily rides Bitofapuzzle, while NIck Scholfield gets the mount on the unexposed Desert Queen, an ex-point-to-pointer who has won two novice hurdles very easily. Fry told At The Races: "We may as well run them both as it sounds like the ground will suit them both. "Bitofapuzzle has been consistent all season and put up a career-best at Cheltenham, nearly winning a Grade One. On ratings she sets the standard. We've got high-class form in the book and as long as Cheltenham hasn't taken too much out of her she'll run her race. "Desert Queen has won her two novices and there aren't many other options. She couldn't have done any more than she has. She's only a novice until November so may as well run. It's a big step up but she stays further and will like the ground." Also on the ferry over from England is Alan King's The Pirate's Queen, just behind Bitofapuzzle at Cheltenham in fourth. "This will be The Pirate's Queen's swansong as the plan is for her to stay in Ireland to be covered by Kalanisi," said King on his website. "She has been a marvellous mare for us and has enjoyed a successful season, and, having run so well at Cheltenham, it would be great if she could finish by collecting some more black type back in novice company." There is even a Welsh challenger in the shape of Peter Bowen's Rons Dream. Willie Mullins has won the last two renewals of the race with Annie Power and Adriana Des Mottes and while it was slightly surprisingly not to see the unbeaten Morning Run among the declarations, he still holds a strong hand. Ruby Walsh steps in for the suspended Bryan Cooper on Petite Parisienne, a Grade One winner and fifth in the Triumph Hurdle. As a four-year-old she gets a big weight allowance. Paul Townend rides Uranna, a Listed winner at Sandown, while Patrick Mullins is on Lyrical Theatre. Jessica Harrington also runs two, Rock Of The Moor and Keppols Queen.
