December 21 / 12.05 Fairyhouse

12.05

Yielding

tote Always SP Or Better At Fairyhouse Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £8924.37
  • 2m 0f 0y
  • 7 runners
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tote Always SP Or Better At Fairyhouse Handicap Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

5/2 (Won)

  • Win: £6.60
  • Place: £2.80

Form: 162P-1 D

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 5lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Enjoyed a fine spell of form between October and December last year, recording two wins and two seconds from four starts; failed to sustain that form, but returned in fine shape when scoring at Cork last month; versatile in terms of trip, but best over further.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

7

2nd Nov 2025

Good To Yielding

3m 4f 0y

15:20 Cork

Big Debates

11st 0lb

J: Anna McGuinness

T: Robert Tyner

Veteran was pulled up in a chase at Punchestown on his final start last term; returned to form when winning readily over hurdles for this rider at Navan in September; retains plenty of ability; fitted with a tongue-tie now.

12/1

2nd

7

2nd Nov 2025

Good To Yielding

3m 4f 0y

15:20 Cork

Big Debates

11st 0lb

J: Anna McGuinness

T: Robert Tyner

Veteran was pulled up in a chase at Punchestown on his final start last term; returned to form when winning readily over hurdles for this rider at Navan in September; retains plenty of ability; fitted with a tongue-tie now.

12/1

2nd

7

2nd Nov 2025

Good To Yielding

3m 4f 0y

15:20 Cork

Big Debates

11st 0lb

J: Anna McGuinness

T: Robert Tyner

Veteran was pulled up in a chase at Punchestown on his final start last term; returned to form when winning readily over hurdles for this rider at Navan in September; retains plenty of ability; fitted with a tongue-tie now.

12/1

4/1

  • Place: £1.90

Form: BP2-13 D

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Former useful hurdler; experienced a series of mishaps in handicap chases when trained by Nicky Henderson; settled in well with Gordon Elliott in the spring, winning a Down Royal beginners' event; recovered from interference when a fair third on seasonal debut at Punchestown; should be sharper now, but best form is over longer distances than this.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

27th Feb 2024

Heavy

2m 6f 151y

Class 3

16:35 Leicester

Gallyhill

12st 4lb

J: Mr Tom Hutsby

T: F A Hutsby

Formerly useful but just one chase win (in 2022) from 11 attempts and he ended his time with Gordon Elliott on a quiet note; well-held last of four finishers in a point for new yard and his BHA mark likely flatters him.

20/1

7th

2

12th May 2023

Yielding

2m 3f 20y

19:55 Kilbeggan

Gallyhill

11st 10lb

J: Corey McGivern

T: Gordon Elliott

Won a Down Royal beginners' chase over this trip a year ago; has mostly run well in defeat since but never got involved at Naas last time; has to find more just 1lb lower.

12/1

4

18th Apr 2023

Soft

2m 4f 42y

16:25 Tipperary

Gallyhill

11st 7lb

J: Michael O’Sullivan

T: Gordon Elliott

Lots of sound runs in defeat over fences since winning at Down Royal last year; doesn't seem to be improving but has his chance in an open race.

4/1

Form: -7P212 D

Last run: 39 days

W: 11st 1lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Improving young chaser; followed up a promising second at Sligo by winning a beginners' chase at Downpatrick in October; reversed form with the Sligo winner Broken Ice when 1/2l second on his handicap debut at Naas; 14-1 chance on that occasion, entitled to be a leading fancy now.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

25th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 136y

19:05 Ballinrobe

Clonbury Bridge

10st 13lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: J P Dempsey

Won a couple of Fairyhouse chases last year (2m5f/3m) and handles goodish ground; last month's hurdling fourth probably a prep for this; can race close to the pace.

10/1

Form: 1529F4 D

Last run: 17 days

W: 11st 6lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
Gained the most recent of her four wins off a lower hurdles mark in a 2m6f contest at Ballinrobe in September; subsequent form has been erratic; others preferred.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

11th Mar 2023

Yielding

2m 0f 0y

15:45 Gowran Park

Kitty Galore

10st 3lb

J: Shane O’Callaghan

T: John Patrick Ryan

Had been consistent enough this season but pulled too hard over 2m5f at Leopardstown last week; has a squeak down in trip on some of her earlier efforts but yard form is quiet.

18/1

4th

9

5th Mar 2023

Yielding

2m 5f 97y

16:55 Leopardstown

Kitty Galore

10st 3lb

J: Kieran Callaghan

T: John Patrick Ryan

Four-time winner and normally runs her race; decent third at Thurles last month; more needed but not one to discount.

14/1

3rd

4

23rd Feb 2023

Good

2m 0f 149y

15:05 Thurles

Kitty Galore

11st 1lb

J: Liam Quinlan

T: John Patrick Ryan

led, not fluent 2nd, headed but pressed leader from 3rd

10/1

10/1

Form: 4264-5 C

Last run: 78 days

W: 11st 1lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
A 121-rated dual hurdles winner starts off in handicap chases off a 5lb lower mark; best of his four runs in beginners' events when chasing home the useful Fan De Blues at Punchestown in May; huge price when a poor fifth at Galway in October.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

5

4th Jun 2023

Good

2m 3f 100y

16:50 Kilbeggan

Flindt

11st 4lb

J: E Walsh

T: Ciaran Murphy

Locally-trained Flat and hurdles winner but has struggled so far over fences and tipped up at the first at Tipperary.

12/1

4

18th Apr 2023

Soft

2m 1f 105y

15:50 Tipperary

Flindt

11st 12lb

J: Simon Torrens

T: Ciaran Murphy

held up in rear, fell 1st

25/1

5th

4

12th Mar 2023

Soft

2m 1f 160y

16:00 Limerick

Flindt

11st 12lb

J: Sean Flanagan

T: Ciaran Murphy

prominent in chasing group, pushed along and lost position after 3 out, no extra when jumped right 2 out

13/2

OUR TIP

Form: -43P3U D

Last run: 18 days

W: 11st 8lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Three-time hurdle winner is 1-8 over fences; tendency to make mistakes has put a couple of blots on his record; if avoiding error, has some sort of chance on the form of his third at Down Royal on his penultimate start.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

1

4th Oct 2026

Good

2m 1f 0y

15:55 Killarney

Bythesametoken

11st 12lb

J: Danny Gilligan

T: Ross O’Sullivan

Lightly raced in recent years; returned from over a year off to win at Listowel last year; has not scaled the same heights since although stayed on from a good bit back to be fourth in a handicap chase at the Galway festival; only got to the first fence at Listowel two weeks ago.

8/1

12

20th Sep 2026

Good

2m 1f 150y

16:48 Listowel

Bythesametoken

10st 4lb

J: Danny Gilligan

T: Ross O’Sullivan

Second runner for yard; three wins apiece over hurdles and fences, with last win coming in this a year ago off 2lb lower; posted a good run at Galway last time from out of the weights; was behind Coming Up Easy then but it should be closer today.

7/1

4th

12

2nd Aug 2026

Good

2m 2f 54y

15:30 Galway

Bythesametoken

10st 0lb

J: Conor Stone-Walsh

T: Ross O’Sullivan

Owned by Galway people but hasn't clicked here yet, although has run well over hurdles at this venue; last win was over similar trip at last year's Listowel festival, but 8lb higher now because he's well out of the handicap.

18/1

Form: 5P-950

Last run: 24 days

W: 10st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Won back-to-back 2m4f handicap hurdles at Thurles and Leopardstown in the final months of 2021; lost his way later in campaign; has struggled in three beginners' chases this season and was beaten in excess of 100l when putting in a poor round of jumping at Navan last time; potentially well treated if recapturing best hurdle form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

10

4th Sep 2026

Good To Yielding

3m 0f 200y

17:45 Kilbeggan

Priory Park

11st 2lb

J: Kevin Sexton

T: Edward F Power

Won chase over a bit farther than this, and 2m6f hurdle last year, but poor form in three runs this term.

25/1

15th

7

4th Aug 2026

Good

2m 7f 210y

18:30 Roscommon

Priory Park

11st 5lb

J: Kevin Sexton

T: Edward F Power

Won four times in points during the 2024 autumn campaign; has brought his racecourse tally to four with two successes since then; started well for this stable with a handicap hurdle win at Ballinrobe last September, hard to fancy on subsequent form.

25/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €16.50
Straight Forecast €21.37
Trifecta €57.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Clonbury Bridge

TOPSPEED:

Gallyhill

RP Ratings (IRE):

Clonbury Bridge

The Irish Sun:

Clonbury Bridge

POSTDATA:

Gallyhill