FAIRYHOUSE:THE FOCUS right now may be on the upcoming Cheltenham Festival, but today's Fairyhouse fixture will principally be about April's Aintree Grand National – if the meeting gets the go-ahead.
An 8am inspection will be held due to an adverse overnight weather forecast. Ground conditions at Fairyhouse were heavy yesterday and the track authorities were monitoring the situation, with a worst-case scenario of up to 12mms of overnight rain forecast.
“I’m realistically optimistic we’ll be okay. If we get four to five to six mils, we should be grand,” said manager Peter Roe, who added the final three hurdles today will be “island” hurdles.
The Midnight Club is as low as 12 to 1 favourite in ante-post betting for the Liverpool spectacular and is one of five Aintree hopefuls lining up in today’s Grade Two Attheraces Bobbyjo Chase.
The others include last year’s Bobbyjo winner Vic Venturi, last Easter’s Irish National first two, Bluesea Cracker and Oscar Time, as well as Willie Mullins’s second-string Arbor Supreme.
Throw in the Thyestes winner Siegemaster, who is gearing up for the Irish National, and this three-mile-plus event continues to be a hugely significant prep.
Willie Mullins won it in 2005 with the subsequent Aintree hero Hedgehunter, while last year’s National runner-up, Black Appalachi, was successful in the 2009 Bobbyjo and runner-up to Vic Venturi last season.
The Midnight Club and Siegemaster clash again after their Thyestes tussle a month ago where the latter emerged best by three-parts of a length.
However, that was The Midnight Club’s first run in over nine months and he has been a popular fancy in ante-post National trading. With the current form of the Mullins team, The Midnight Club should go close today.
A total of eight line up for the Grade Two Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle and one of three fillies in the race, Chaperoned, can strike for the fairer sex.
Jessica Harrington is again pitching the daughter of High Chaparral in at Graded level despite still being a maiden after three starts over flights. She was behind Fearless Falcon when fourth to Unaccompanied at Leopardstown and can reverse those placings this time.
Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown Stud colours have been in regular winning form recently and Ballymak can keep up that momentum in the Beginners Chase.
