Sraid Padraig Fired Up For Fairyhouse

Sunday’s valuable €100,000 Dan Moore Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse (2.30pm) has attracted some of the leading trainers, including Tony Martin, who has both Sraid Padraig and Savello entered.

Sraid Padraig

A winner of two of his nine chase outings to date, Sraid Padraig won a similar valuable prize at Fairyhouse over a year ago (2m1f, yielding), and showed he was in form when a close second over the same C&D six weeks ago (soft).

Although up 5lb for that effort, he is still rated 140, which has been the ceiling mark in the race down the years…

Trends Summary
Of the last 10 Dan Moore winners…

10 were 7-10yo’s
9 made the top two during their last three runs
9 had a maximum of 5 handicap chase runs (13%) – others were 1-33 (3%)
9 ran during the previous 6-45 days
8 were officially rated 140 or lower
7 arrived via Cheltenham (5) or Gowran Park (2)
W Mullins won it 3 times

Stablemate Savello meanwhile, has to carry top-weight from a mark of 153 and despite winning last season’s Grand Annual at Cheltenham, has more on his plate than when ninth in this race 12 months ago from 2lb lighter.

Too Much Weight?
Others who will need to overcome the stats if winning on Sunday include Henry De Bromhead’s Days Hotel (rated 150), the 11yo Alderwood (147) and Mallowney (148). Bright New Dawn is also rated quite high on 153 having mixed it in Grade 1 and 2’s in recent times, but has a touch of class and could be each-way material.

Byerley Babe
Keeping on side of runners on the unexposed side in chases has proven more worthy in this race, and one with such a background is Robert Tyner’s Byerley Babe, who was under 1l behind Sraid Padraig over C&D last time, and is just 3lb higher here.

The bottom weight, Kilcarry Bridge, also holds each-way claims having been runner-up in a 2m handicap in December, while Peter Bowen could bring over Dineur, although he may find this trip too sharp. The same could be said of Willie Mullins’ 10yo, Abbey Lane, who returned to form when sixth (of 26) in the Paddy Power Chase over Christmas (3m, heavy). He may need the ground to ride very testing if bringing his stamina into play.

Elsewhere, Competitive Edge heads back in an attempt to go one better having been runner-up in this last year (beaten 6l), but is on a 5lb higher mark this time around.

Recommended Bets
There are plenty of classy sorts with Graded form at the top end of the handicap, but Sraid Padraig is improving and has the right kind of profile required need to win this race.