Fairyhouse Racecourse© Photo Healy Racing
A couple of Grade Two contests backbone the Fairyhouse card on Sunday, and big fields are the order of the day at the County Meath venue.
One of the main races heralds the upcoming Irish Grand National meeting at the Rathoath course, with the Fairyhouse Easter Festival Novice Hurdle looking an attractive heat.
Willie Mullins has four of the 15 for the two-and-a-half-miler - and he is joined by his brother Tom, and his nephew Emmet, with runners in a contest that went the way of this year's Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo in 2017.
The best from Closutton on this occasion would seem to be Easy Game (Ruby Walsh) and Harrie (Paul Townend).
Nobody will be taking Emmet Mullins' Zero Ten too lightly because he has got a promising profile, winning three of his four starts on the racecourse proper. Mullins employs his cousin David for the spin on the Mee family-owned gelding.
The other Grade Two, the Fairyhouse Racecourse Supporting Irish Injured Jockeys Association Novice Hurdle, has the smallest amount of runners of the session, with seven set to line up.
Again Willie Mullins has big claims by sheer weight of numbers alone - and cases can be made for his trio of Cash Back (Townend), Mister Blue Sky (Walsh) and Roll Again (Danny Mullins).
Gigginstown House Stud have two in the mix, with Eclair De Beaufeu (Gordon Elliott) and Valdieu (Noel Meade) doing battle. All For Joy competes for Oliver McKiernan and Denis O’Regan, and Henry de Bromhead’s Email Rose (Robbie Power) is the other participant.
Elsewhere, the chief event of interest is the Listed Irish EBF Total Enjoyment Mares INH Flat Race.
Some will perhaps look towards the JP McManus-owned and Peter Fahey-trained Gypsy Island here.
Derek O'Connor takes the reins on the exciting Jeremy mare, two from three to date. She will have to raise her game again - with among others, Willie Mullins’ Colreevy Queens Boulevard and Yukon Lil taking her on.
