THE feature contest at Fairyhouse tomorrow is the £20,000 INH Novice Handicap Hurdle but there are also some interesting individual cameos, with Advocat going in the Beginners Chase and the top hunter Dixon Varner having a warm-up before a possible tilt at Cheltenham.
For punters, however, the most interesting cameo could be in the opening maiden hurdle, where Budalus is a pretty confident choice to win, with one vital proviso.
Charlie Swan's horse was a well-backed favourite to score at Punchestown two weeks ago but a dive at the second obstacle previewed a horrible mistake at the second last, where Budalus surrendered the lead and all chance of winning.
He eventually wound up in sixth place behind Barba Papa and Caledonian Bridge, who runs again today. The third horse that day, The Barge, won at Thurles on Thursday, so the form looks reasonable.
Swan wasn't hard on Budalus when his chance had gone, but the general feeling was that the horse would have taken all the beating with even a merely competent round of jumping. Swan is sure to have given his charge plenty of schooling since, and providing Budalus has learned from that, he should take all the beating here. Somemanfor oneman looks the main danger.
As Jackpot bettors know only too well, the beginners chase at Gowran last weekend had an air of unreality about it, with the untouted Delgany Royal coming home a 50 to 1 winner.
Right behind him was the public hope, Advocat, and while Noel Meade's charge may never scale the heights over fences that he did over hurdles, he should easily be capable of winning a beginners' chase. Today's looks as good a one as any.
Dixon Varner should have the minimum of trouble in landing the hunter chase, but the big race is much less easy to forecast.
Willie Mullins has two in this, and with the way his horses are running, they have to be respected. The same comment also applies to the Clonmel winner, Paris Pike, and last weekend's surprise scorer, Halfpenny Bridge, but the selection is Jim Dreaper's Saxophone.
A Naas scorer and a Leopardstown faller, this strapping six-year-old ran a decent race to be second to Roses Of Picardy at Thurles last time and gives the impression that tomorrow's threemile trip should be right up his alley.
Mullins, however, can be on the mark in the handicap hurdle with Bob Cullen , another who should appreciate a hike in trip after running behind Limestone Lad over two miles at Leopardstown on Hennessy day.
The game and consistent Roundwood deserves to get his head in front and can do it in the Tom Dreaper Handicap Chase; and The Brack Man will be hard to beat in the bumper.
Cheltenham Festival entry The Outback Way has been purchased by the Winning Line for an undisclosed sum and transferred to Venetia Williams' Ross-on-Wye yard.
The ex-Irish nine-year-old has scored three times this season for trainer David Wintle, the latest victory coming in clear-cut fashion at Warwick last Saturday, and holds Festival entries in the Mildmay Of Flete Chase and Grand Annual Chase.
Winning Line supremo Stephen Winstanley confirmed that his organisation had bought gelding.
