Fairyhouse Festival News

Cheltenham Hero Wichita Lineman could Exhibit his Talents in the Irish Grand National

THE entries for the three feature races, the Powers Gold Cup, the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National and the Ladbrokes.com Handicap Hurdle, on the three days of the Fairyhouse Easter Festival have been revealed today and this trio of high-class events all look like being tremendously exciting affairs this year after a marvelous response from Irish and English connections.

The E250,000 Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National on Monday, April 13 has a rich history since the inaugural contest in 1870 and the nations most valuable and prestigious handicap chase has attracted 73 brilliant entries including Cheltenham winner Wichita Lineman.

Jonjo O'Neill's charge, carrying owner J P McManus's famous green and gold hoops, came from the clouds under an inspired ride from multiple champion jockey Tony McCoy to collar Maljimar in the last strides of the William Hill Trophy Chase at Prestbury Park.

Wichita Lineman is one of 19 possibles hailing from England. Other notables include stable companion Butler's Cabin, who took an epic renewal of the same race in 2007 by a length from Ferdy Murphy's Nine De Sivola, who filled the same position on his next outing in the Scottish Grand National and could lock horns again.

Champion English trainer Paul Nicholls could run Dear Villez, fourth to Wichita Lineman at Cheltenham, and Hoo La Baloo, third in last season's bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.

Among the domestic challenge are the Enda Bolger-trained pair of Garde Champetre and L'Ami, first and second in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham, Notre Pere, trained by Jim Dreaper, who won both the Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan in November and the Welsh National at Chepstow the following month.

Ballytrim, the winner of the Powers Ulster Grand National at Downpatrick last month is among Willie Mullins's 10 possibles, which also include Snowy Morning, who was runner-up to Black Apalachi on his last start in the At The Races Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse last month. One Cool Cookie booked his ticket for Fairyhouse with a smooth winning performance in the Guinness Chase at Down Royal on March 17.

Noel Meade has entered Casey Jones, who flew home on the run-in when fifth behind Cooldine in the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, as well as Parsons Pistol and Toofarback, while Battle Axe provided Co Wicklow trainer John Lennon with his biggest success to date when staying on well under Sean Flanagan to land the Shamrock Handicap Chase at Gowran Park last Friday.

Frank Berry, McManus's racing manager, said of Wichita Lineman, who could bid to provide his owner with a third Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National success following in the hoofprints of the Edward O'Grady-trained Bit Of A Skite (1983) and O'Neill's Butler's Cabin: "We'll see what weight he gets and what the ground is like and everything and decide nearer the time if he runs in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National. He's in good form and has come out of Cheltenham very well." Asked if McCoy's ride was the best that he had ever seen, Berry laughed and said: "It's been well publicised, but sure it was a joy to watch. The winner is a young horse and he's come out of the race good. He's not had a lot of racing experience but he keeps improving."

Noel Meade, who won the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National with The Bunny Boiler in 2002, said: "Casey Jones is okay and fine after Cheltenham, where he found the ground a bit tacky. He is a good ground horse and the distance of the Irish Grand National and good ground would be ideal. Parsons Pistol fell at the third last in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham. He probably wouldn't have won, but he might have sneaked into the first four. The history of that race has been a good guide to the Irish Grand National and he is well and if everything goes well, then hopefully he'd have a good chance.

"Toofarback was held up for quite some time with a leg problem and he wants goodish ground. It was very bad ground last time at Naas which didn't suit and he would prefer good ground."

The highlight of the opening day, Sunday, April 12, the E100,000 Powers Gold Cup has received 23 entries. Last year's renewal went to Jimmy Mangan's Conna Castle, who was given a typically-superb ride from former champion Irish jumps jockey Paul Carberry to master subsequent dual Grade 1 scorer Big Zeb by half a length.

Aran Concerto could line up if he does well at Navan on Saturday, when he is an intended runner in the Kilberry Novice Chase. The Co Meath trainer wasn't happy with his charge leading up to the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse in November and then he wasn't ready for Cheltenham. He has pleased his handler recently and Meade is aiming him at the Powers Gold Cup.

Meade could also run Nicanor, who landed the equivalent of the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2006 when beating subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Denman by two and a half lengths.

The handler said: "I'm not sure if Nicanor will run and I took him out of Cork recently because I felt that the ground was too quick. If he's to go for a novice chase it will be something like the Powers Gold Cup because I don't want to win an ordinary novice chase, I would like a good one and then we'll take it from there."

Paul Nicholls houses one of the two possible English protagonists in Tatenen. The Lost World gelding was sent off favourite for the Irish Independent Arkle Chase at Cheltenham, but sadly took a tumble at just the third obstacle and connections will be looking for compensation.

Newmarket-based James Fanshawe could also launch a raid from across the pond with Song Of Songs, who has won his last two outings at Leicester and Sandown, but Berry warned that McManus's seven-year-old is more likely to run at Liverpool.

Other notable Irish entries include the Willie Mullins-trained Golden Silver, who landed the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown in January, and Trafford Lad, the five and a half length winner of the Drinmore in November who clearly loves racing at Fairyhouse.

The E90,000 Ladbrokes.com Handicap Hurdle takes pride of place on Tuesday, April 14, and this highly-competitive two-mile race has attracted 47 entries, including a number of hurdlers that ran well in the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle at Cheltenham and eight hailing from Meade's training centre.

Stradbrook, one of two English-trained possibles, found only American Trilogy too good in the County Hurdle, while Meade's Kandari, who is also owned by McManus, was a long odds-on shot when winning a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse on New Year's Day before finishing fifth in the County. Meade's octet also includes Jewel Of The West, who filled the same position on his last start at Punchestown in October, while Sky Hall was 13th in the County having previously still been traveling well in the Ladbroke at Ascot in December before taking a tumble at the third from home.

Berry said: "Stradbrook and Kandari are both in the Ladbrokes.com Hurdle. Stradbrook has come out of Cheltenham very well although he will also have an entry at Liverpool."

Meade added: "I suppose Sky Hall is one that ran well in England and hopefully he is likely enough to be a possible. Unfortunately at Ascot at the third last he was going well and showed well going to the hurdle but was run out. Maybe Fairyhouse might suit him better."

Other Irish entries that ran in the County include Sesenta (eighth), Raise Your Heart (11th), Fisher Bridge (18th) and Clopf (27th). Ebaziyan features among Willie Mullins's four options the son of Daylami was victorious in the 2007 running of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham. Sunnyhillboy is the other English hopeful and he too is trained by O'Neill for McManus. He was well beaten in the County having won his previous three starts this season.

Fairyhouse Manager, Caroline Gray, said: "We are very pleased with the entries for our three feature races over the Easter Festival, it is shaping up to be an exciting three days racing. It is wonderful to attract top class English and Irish entries, the feature races promise some competitive fields. With two and a half weeks to go preparations for the festival are well under way. Ticket sales are only slightly behind last year however we are confident for another successful Festival. We would encourage anyone who has not yet booked a ticket to avail of our 20% online ticket discount at www.fairyhouseracecourse.ie."

Fairyhouse Easter Festival: Sunday 12th April - Tuesday 14th April 2009

Prize Money: Over E1 million worth of prize money on offer over the three-day festival.

Feature Race Prize Money:

The Powers Gold Cup E100,000

The Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National E250,000

The Ladbrokes.com Hurdle E90,000

Attendance Figures: Expecting over 30,000 visitors to the Festival.

RTE Viewership figures: 2008 viewership figures peaked at 433,300, 49% of the audience share.

Entries and handicap weights: Will be released to at 2pm on Monday 30th March.