January 19 / 13.05 Fairyhouse

13.05

Heavy

Follow Fairyhouse On Social Media Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £5743.36
  • 2m 5f 0y
  • 6 runners
RTV
View Course
Follow Fairyhouse On Social Media Handicap Chase

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

Form: 2165P8 D

Last run: 21 days

W: 12st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Won beginners chase at Sligo in September but largely disappointing since; well-beaten eighth last time out in handicap chase; others preferred.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

2

27th May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 1f 0y

17:47 Wexford

Broken Ice

11st 12lb

J: Shane Fitzsimons

T: John C McConnell

Most recent of three wins came in 3m Perth handicap hurdle last summer; tailed off on comeback run at Newcastle and never counted over the banks at Punchestown festival early this month; trip on the short side reverting to hurdles.

12/1

8th

10

2nd May 2026

Good To Yielding

3m 0f 90y

14:30 Punchestown

Broken Ice

11st 7lb

J: Dylan Kidd

T: John C McConnell

Most recent of three wins came in 3m Perth handicap hurdle last summer; tailed off on comeback run in early March in Newcastle handicap hurdle; hard to fancy.

50/1

4th

2

3rd Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 149y

Class 4

15:35 Newcastle

Broken Ice

11st 13lb

J: Alex Harvey

T: John C McConnell

Narrowly got the better of a frustrating maiden at Perth (3m, good; from 5lb lower) last August; kept on into never-nearer fourth over fences at Sligo (3m2f) in October but absent since; best watched unless market speaks favourably.

7/1

OUR TIP

Form: 091401 D

Last run: 21 days

W: 12st 0lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Down slightly in trip; last seen winning handicap chase at Limerick easily; up 9lb for that and will need to take another step forward here to follow up; goes on heavy ground; strong contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

8th May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 7f 150y

19:35 Downpatrick

Difficult Decision

11st 10lb

J: James Duggan

T: Oliver McKiernan

Dual hurdle and chase winner has regressed after a decent comeback run in December from a long absence, so questions remain.

22/1

6th

1

12th Mar 2026

Soft To Heavy

2m 6f 170y

16:14 Limerick

Difficult Decision

12st 0lb

J: James Duggan

T: Oliver McKiernan

Veteran's two of four wins have come here, most recently C&D novice handicap chase in December 2022 (heavy); light campaign since, well held over C&D at Christmas (well-backed) and again twice since over hurdles; blinkers replace usual cheekpieces and opposable despite career-low chase mark and yard's recent return to form.

12/1

4th

5

4th Mar 2026

Heavy

2m 6f 20y

15:52 Naas

Difficult Decision

10st 8lb

J: Phillip Enright

T: Oliver McKiernan

Veteran has not done a great deal of racing; good effort when fourth at Punchestown (3m, heavy); out of money over fences at Limerick (2m7f, soft to heavy) and beaten 22l back at Punchestown last time (2m6f, soft to heavy); a fair bit to do at these weights.

20/1

Form: 44-53P C

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Back down in trip; useful hurdle winner but yet to match that form over fences; pulled up last time out on handicap chase debut at Punchestown; has ability but more needed here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Form: -B8744

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 8lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Down in trip; respectable handicap debut last time at Limerick having been hampered badly at the seventh fence; needs to improve but not without a chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

13

12th May 2023

Yielding

2m 3f 20y

19:55 Kilbeggan

The Tack Room

10st 9lb

J: Simon Torrens

T: John E & Thomas Kiely

Got off the mark when winning a Fairyhouse handicap chase in testing ground in January; wasn't disgraced when out of the handicap in the Leinster National since; could still have improvement to come, so respected.

6/1

6th

14

12th Mar 2023

Soft

3m 0f 126y

16:52 Naas

The Tack Room

10st 0lb

J: Simon Torrens

T: John E Kiely

towards rear of midfield, headway and in touch with leaders when mistake and lost position 3 out, keeping on when mistake 2 out, soon ridden, weakened run-in

11/2

1st

5

25th Jan 2023

Soft To Heavy

2m 5f 0y

13:23 Fairyhouse

The Tack Room

11st 5lb

J: Simon Torrens

T: John E Kiely

prominent early, dropped to midfield before 5th, headway and pressed leaders 3 out, soon challenging on outer, led when pushed along from 2 out, ridden when faced strong challenge after last, kept on well

11/2

Form: U39-25 D

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 7lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Back over fences and down in trip; ran well in handicap hurdles the last twice since moving to Eric McNamara; can figure here if he can match his hurdles form, having previously not convinced over fences in the UK.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

27th Jan 2024

Soft

3m 0f 0y

15:58 Fairyhouse

Mont Saint Vincent

11st 6lb

J: Mark McDonagh

T: E McNamara

Won maiden hurdle at Ffos Las in April 2021; inconsistent since switching from Britain; failed to build on a promising second at Limerick when only sixth back at that venue latest; fair mark if he's on a going day.

12/1

6th

6

28th Dec 2023

Soft To Heavy

3m 0f 0y

15:15 Limerick

Mont Saint Vincent

11st 7lb

J: Conor McNamara

T: E McNamara

in touch with leaders, headway after 2 out (usual 3 out), went fourth approaching last, weakened run-in

5/1

2nd

7

22nd Oct 2023

Heavy

3m 0f 0y

15:40 Limerick

Mont Saint Vincent

11st 10lb

J: Mr D Doyle

T: E McNamara

Won over 2m6f when trained in Britain; couple of fair runs over 3m last year including over C&D on heavy; shaped like he needed it after eight months off when just behind Robyndeglory at Fairyhouse.

10/1

Form: 1-0211 C

Last run: 69 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Useful winning hurdler; won handicap hurdle over this trip at Cheltenham in November, finding plenty for pressure and seeing it out strongly only three days after winning a 2m7f handicap at Fairyhouse; given a small break since and is rated 10lb lower over fences; big chance of making it three in a row here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

8

5th Oct 2024

Good

2m 4f 0y

16:15 Gowran Park

Sweet Will

11st 0lb

J: Daniel King

T: Denis Gerard Hogan

prominent, weakened before 3 out

20/1

11

23rd Aug 2024

Good

3m 1f 100y

19:25 Kilbeggan

Sweet Will

11st 3lb

J: Philip Donovan

T: Denis Gerard Hogan

led, headed and raced in second after 5th

14/1

Verdict

Sweet Will is likely to be a warm order for the in-form Gavin Cromwell here and has every chance of following up his impressive win over hurdles at Cheltenham, especially considering he is rated 10lb lower over fences. But a chance can be taken on THE TACK ROOM for John Kiely who was well beaten by Difficult Decision at Limerick but pretty much lost all chance when badly hampered at the eighth. He stuck on well despite that setback and could make the necessary improvement. Difficult Decision won that race contest easily but is up 9lb here and hasn’t always been the most consistent. [Conor Fennelly]