Longsdon looks at Fairyhouse with Kilcooley Charlie Longsdon is thinking of taking Kilcooley to the Fairyhouse Easter Festival following his victory in the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell. The Chipping Norton handler is unlikely to run the six-year-old at Cheltenham, where he has two handicap entries, or at Aintree, where he might have to face top opposition. That leaves the two big Festivals in Ireland and while Punchestown does not start until the end of April, the three-day feast at Fairyhouse at the beginning of that month is tempting Longsdon, and the Ballybin Hurdle on Easter Monday (April 6) could be the race to go for if conditions are suitable. "We will probably miss Cheltenham as not only will it come too soon for him, but he will struggle to win a handicap at Cheltenham off almost top weight," he told www.charlielongsdonracing.com. "The question is where to go next. Slow ground is not a total necessity, but I would not run him on too quick a ground. "If it was better ground, he would almost certainly step up to three miles. He has probably ruled himself out of handicaps for the time being as he will end up having to shoulder a very big weight. "So the two obvious targets now are probably Aintree or Punchestown. Aintree would be extremely tough taking on either World Hurdle horses in the three-mile race or Champion Hurdle runners in the two-mile-four race. "With there being four weeks between Cheltenham and Aintree this year, the conditions races could be that much tougher. "The other option could be Fairyhouse on Easter Monday. With Easter being early this year, the timing could fit nicely. "It is amazing the powers of social media, because I was only made aware of the Grade Two Ballybin Hurdle over two and a half miles by Fairyhouse themselves when people were asking me where we were heading next. "If the ground came up soft this year at Fairyhouse, it could well be a good option."
