Hatton's Grace Tips - 'Teahupoo is the best horse in the race' The Fairyhouse Winter Festival concludes on Sunday afternoon and it promises to be an absolutely fantastic day of racing at the Co Meath circuit, with a double helping of Grade 1 action amongst six races at Listed/Graded level. The Fairyhouse Winter Festival concludes on Sunday afternoon and it promises to be an absolutely fantastic day of racing at the Co Meath circuit, with a double helping of Grade 1 action amongst six races at Listed/Graded level. One of the treats in store is the Bar One Betting Hatton's Grace Hurdle, a Grade 1 contest over two-and-a-half-miles. Willie Mullins won last year with Lossiemouth but, before that, Gordon Elliott and Henry de Bromhead had combined to win eight years in a row with Apple's Jade and Honeysuckle winning three-in-a-row reach. Teahupoo couldn't match them 12 months ago as Lossiemouth made him settle for second-best, but he's back to try and belatedly win this race for a third time. Selections Teahupoo to steal crown back from Closutton TEAHUPOO won this contest for the first time in December 2022, a renewal most notable at the time for the fact it condemned Honeysuckle (third) to the first defeat of her career and marked the beginning of her final season, which ended in Mares' Hurdle glory at the Cheltenham Festival. Teahupoo was of course denied by stablemate Sire Du Berlais in the Stayers' Hurdle that same spring, before winning this race for a second time in 2023 and bagging his Cotswolds target the following March. Last season was a bit of a disappointment. He was no match for Lossiemouth here in what turned into a dash for the line and wasn't spotted again until Cheltenham where he once again had to settle for silver in the Stayers' Hurdle for the second time in three years, this time as Bob Olinger in the same Robcour silks flew home to win under Rachael Blackmore. He made up for that at Punchestown in their Grade 1 Stayers' event and Elliott has talked of running Teahupoo more frequently this season, with the Long Walk at Ascot possible before Christmas. Jack Kennedy will be wise to the fact this trip is shorter than optimal and is unlikely to allow it develop into a relative sprint, as Sam Ewing did 12 months ago. The 162-rated Teahupoo is the best horse in the race and it should be run to suit his stamina strengths. Mystical Power could rebound Casheldale Lad and Glen Kiln look up against it in this company as does Elliott's second runner Maxxum, which leaves the Mullins-trained duo of Ballyburn and MYSTICAL POWER as the principal threats to Teahupoo. The betting has Ballyburn jostling for favouritism and, on his novice hurdles form of 2023/24, that is fair, but last season fell apart for him over fences. That can be attributed to him perhaps not relishing the step up to three-miles but there could have been more to it - he was never going with any purpose at Cheltenham in March when odds-on for the Brown Advisory. He was beaten first time out over hurdles as a novice by Firefox here in 2023 and it will become much clearer where he is at physically and mentally after this race. Mystical Power also has something to prove, but he's trading at double-figure odds and is preferred on that basis as the danger to Teahupoo. Last season was a write-off. He ran no sort of race in the Fighting Fifth on his comeback and spat the dummy out in Grade 1s at Leopardstown (2m) in December and Cheltenham (3m) in March. He's had a summer break since then and perhaps the champion trainer can get him back on track. He's untested at this intermediate trip but it could be optimal, assuming the ability shown as a novice still lurks under the bonnet.
