Blackmore To Be Beaming On Honey At Fairyhouse

It’s Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham this afternoon but there could also be a few mares on trial at Fairyhouse where the Solerina Hurdle usually throws up a very good winner and it could be more of the same in that race today.

Blackmore to be beaming on Honey
Honeysuckle held a few entries for the Dublin Racing Festival but Henry de Bromhead looks to have scrapped that idea in favour of the Grade 3 Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle.

The five-year-old mare looks one to follow for this season and the future having finished in front every day she has gone to the races.

A point-to-point winner before joining de Bromhead, Honeysuckle made a winning racecourse debut at this track over 2m4f on quick ground before dropping back to 2m at Thurles where she won a listed race in Thurles on easier ground.

It’s the intermediate trip of 2m2f today but there is little to suggest that Honeysuckle can’t follow the path of Limini, Shattered Love and Laurina and win this race on route to Grade 1 honours.

It’ll be interesting to see if Henry de Bromhead nominates the mares novice at Cheltenham afterwards but maybe it would be worth investing a bit at 10/1 on her now because she’s surely going to be much shorter if winning today.

Getting 5lbs off Robin Des Carlow in today’s race is a big plus and it would be a surprise if Honeysuckle leaves the Meath venue without her unbeaten record still on show.

Frodon to see it out
We’ve got no doubt about Elegant Escape getting the trip in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham this afternoon but Frodon can still get the better of him today.

Officially rated 10lbs higher but only conceding 2lbs due to the conditions of this Grade 2, Frodon is the superior horse in this race and Elegant Escape’s busy winter might just catch up on him.

The Paul Nicholls-trained selection is actually a son of the Grade 1 winning jumper Nickname who used to be trained by Martin Brassil but it is Frodon’s love of Cheltenham which will prove another big positive today.

It’s a hot little race with Minella Rocco hardly getting a mention despite the nine-year-old being a class act on his day and Terrefort was the choice of Daryl Jacob over the highly rated Valtor but Frodon seemed as enthusiastic as ever when winning her last month and the summer wind operation seems to have done him some good. He looks like another big Saturday winner for Bryony Frost.

Fakir is a big price
Fakir D’oudairies made a winning debut for Joseph O’Brien at Cork earlier this month and was well backed to do so when getting into a maiden as first reserve.

The form of that race hasn’t really got to be tested yet but Fakir D’oudairies couldn’t have been more impressive for a first start for his new yard and the French import can back that up in Cheltenham’s opener today.

Initially put in at double figures for this race, Fakir D’oudairies is now almost half his initial odds for the Triumph Hurdle Trial and it’s the type of race O’Brien should have a good handle on with him having the current Triumph Hurdle favourite Sir Erec in his care and also having overseen a previous Triumph Hurdle winner.

JJ Slevin travels over to maintain the partnership and with nine runners and three places to be paid Fakie D’oudairies looks a good each-way bet at least.

Recommended bets:
Honeysuckle (11/8) – 1.35 Fairyhouse
Frodon (9/4) – 2.25 Cheltenham

*Prices correct at time of publication