Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase (Fairyhouse) Preview & Betting Tips – Sunday 15th January 2017

The best of Sunday’s racing cards this weekend comes over in Ireland where we have some excellent handicapping action in store. The pick of the bunch is this 2m1f Grade A event. First run at Punchestown in 2013, we once again have a competitive field assembling, including the third and fifth placed runners from 12 months ago. The powerful yards of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott are of course represented, but a number of the smaller yards also look to have a very real chance of success.

Race Analysis

Henry de Bromhead’s old boy, Days Hotel, is the top weight in this year’s line-up and despite his advancing years is certainly not without a chance and can be backed at around the 16/1 mark. Having mixed it in Graded company with the likes of Sprinter Sacre and Sire de Grugy in his heyday, and finished runner up to no less than Douvan last time out, this represents something of a drop in class. Any further rain would aid his cause as he does like to get his toe in. On the downside, each of his seven career wins have come away from this County Meath venue.

Jessica Harrington’s Ttebob is another who would look very interesting on his best efforts and offers decent each way value at 25s with Bet365. Whilst not proving up to Grade 1 level, he is nevertheless a Grade 3 winner who has evidently been held in pretty high regard by connections. It would be no surprise to see this bold jumping sort return to the winner’s enclosure at some point, but a leap of faith is required at present with the eight year old having been pulled up on his two most recent starts.

Of the other longer odds contenders, Sandra Hughes Grade 1 winning hurdler, Guitar Pete would make plenty of appeal had he shown any sign he was able to transfer his ability to the larger obstacles. As things stand his jumping seems too much of a liability at present so even the price of 33/1 with Sky Bet is not overly appealing. Tom Taaffe’s Peoples Park makes more appeal on his recent course and distance win but looks a horse more suited to slightly better ground and is perhaps underpriced somewhat at 5/1.

Betting Tips

In a pretty tough race to assess, the vote goes to the Willie Mullins/J P McManus combination represented by Jarry D’Honneur at 8/1 with Coral. A winner of three of his six starts over hurdles, he has shown enough over fences to suggest he may take a hand here. Having won two of his first three chase starts for Mullins, the eight year old then suffered something of a setback which kept him off the track for around a year and a half.

His comeback at the beginning of December offered little in the way of encouragement, but was probably badly needed. A fifth at Leopardstown last time out though was a significant step in the right direction. We fully anticipate further improvement here as his fitness improves, and having won over further and proven he handles give underfoot well, he’s the one for us each way.