Search
Cheltenham 2024
- Main Site
- Cheltenham Home
- Cheltenham Cards
- Cheltenham Results
- Cheltenham Offers
- Cheltenham Odds
- Cheltenham Tips
- Cheltenham News
- Prestbury Cup
- Cheltenham Videos
-
Cheltenham Statistics
- Leading Trainer
- Leading Jockeys
- Leading Owners
- Previous Years
- Previous Appearances
- Breeding Profile of Winners
- Lady Jockeys at The Festival
- Leading Jockey Award Winners
- Most Successful Jockeys of All Time
- Current Jockeys Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Jockey In..
- Leading Trainer Award Winners
- Most Successfull Trainer All Time
- Current Trainers Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Trainer In..
- Cheltenham Trainer/Runner Index
- Desktop Site
Cheltenham 2024
- irishracing.com
- Cheltenham
- News
- Review fairyhouse 2nd Apr
Review fairyhouse 2nd Apr
The three Grade Two races at Fairyhouse all went to Willie Mullins, starting with Ballycasey (15-8) who made all in the in the Normans Grove Chase.
The 15-8 chance was sent straight to the front by Ruby Walsh and put in a lovely round of jumping at the head of affairs.
6-5 favourite Ball D'Arc laid down a challenge after the last, but the winner had enough in hand to hold his younger rival by half a length.
Mullins launched a four-pronged assault on the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Novice Hurdle and Ruby Walsh chose the right one as he triumphed on Bleu Berry
His stablemate Montalbano blazed a trail under Danny Mullins but was challenged by Outspoken and the winner approaching the last and the trio jumped it in a line together.
The 2-1 favourite put in a better leap and stayed on strongly to record a two-and-a-quarter-length verdict over Outspoken.< Invitation Only proved disappointing as his stablemate Al Boum Photo took the Easter Festival April 16th-18th Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
The well-fancied Mullins inmate looked like justifying 11-10 favouritism when travelling smoothly into contention but he weakened very quickly after the second-last and it was the yard's second string that picked up the pieces.
The 10-1 chance stayed on well to take it up from Stand Up And Fight at the final hurdle and pulled four length clear of that rival under Paul Townend.
Barry Geraghty scored on his first day back from injury when partnering Close Shave (9-2) to victory in the Great Value Online Novice Handicap Hurdle, beating fellow JP McManus-owned runner Travertine by three-quarters of a length.
That completed a double for trainer Jessica Harrington, who had earlier sent out Woodland Opera (4-5fav) to win the Hire2k Beginners Chase by seven lengths from O Ceallaigh < From Eden was a gutsy winner of the opening Johnny McCarthy Memorial Maiden Hurdle as the 9-2 chance denied the sustained challenge of Look Closer by a head, while Aa Bee See (14-1) was a five-and-a-half-length winner from Glasson Lad in the concludin