Up-and-down Clopf capable of returning to winning ways

WEEKEND MEETINGS IN IRELAND: THE FOUR-DAY Fairyhouse Easter festival gets under way this afternoon with the Grade Three Betfair Novice Chase looking a good opportunity for Clopf to get back on the winning track.

It has been a largely frustrating season for the Grade One-winning hurdler, who began the term as a candidate for the Champion Hurdle before Edward O'Grady drew stumps on that particular plan after Christmas.

Instead, the classy seven-year-old was sent over fences and began with a winning debut that looked set to be added to in a Grade Two at Navan, only for Clopf to stumble on landing after the last and end up on the deck.

It looked an unlucky fall and Clopf was fancied to do a lot better in the Arkle at Cheltenham, only to unseat Andrew McNamara at the very first fence. Not unnaturally, his jockey is not taking much for granted this time.

"He generally jumps okay and he jumped very well up to the last at Navan, where he just toppled over.

"I came off him at Cheltenham, but I'm not sure the place would have suited him - he just overjumped a bit," said McNamara, who pointed to Perce Rock as his big danger. "He looked good the last time when he got his jumping together."

Tony McCoy travels to ride Perce Rock this time, while Ruby Walsh will be on Freds Benefit, a course winner who can be a tricky ride.

This trip should be ideal for Clopf, however, given a blemish-free round.

Walsh appears to have the ammunition for a very good day, and although Candy Girl is a challenging ride, even for the champion, she comes to the mares chase in very good form having landed a Grade Three at Limerick last weekend.

Walsh will also fancy his chances in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle on board last Monday's Wexford winner Rossbeigh, who should be up to defying a 6lb penalty.

Dermot Weld considered the Cheltenham bumper for his four-year-old Endless Intrigue before instead electing to wait for today's winners' bumper, a call that can pay off with victory. The Leopardstown runner Astute Approach is marginally preferred to Galant Ferns and City Meaning in the other bumper.

The highlight at Cork is the Listed Imperial Call Chase, which throws up an intriguing contest despite having only four runners.

In The High Grass and O'Muircheartaigh are the highest- rated, but the latter has been largely disappointing since his novice days, and In The High Grass is probably best short of today's three miles.

He's On His Way, in contrast, has been mixing it at distances beyond three miles.

But he ran a good second to Dante Hall last time and gets a useful 11lb from the other two.

The Henry De Bromhead team are busy trying to get the wheels back on Sizing Europe's season, but their mood could lift after the opening maiden hurdle, where Echo Bob looks worth a shout on his jumping debut.

There was some encouragement for Echo Bob before a bumper at Leopardstown which turned into a sprint won by the flat-bred Zarinava.

More of a test will suit De Bromhead's runner.

Gleann An Sagart returned to action with a decent run behind Streets Of Gold, and the course-and-distance winner should improve enough for that to figure in the two-mile handicap hurdle.