Tony Keenan best bets for today at Fairyhouse

A quality day in store at Fairyhouse and our Irish form expert has a couple of recoemmendations on the card.

Irish racing tips: Sunday November 30

0.5pts e.w. Blake in 1:35 Fairyhouse at 10/1 (Paddy Power, bet365 1/5 1,2,3)

0.5pts e.w. Slurricane in 3:11 Fairyhouse at 16/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power 1/5 1,2,3,4)

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It has been a month of early winter racing festivals in Ireland, but the best overall day of racing has been left to last as Fairyhouse host a deep card of Grade 1s and interesting shoulder races.

Those Grade 1s look difficult. I don’t relish picking between Teahupoo and Ballyburn in the BAR 1 Betting Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at 2:36, the early market leaning towards the latter, though it would not be the greatest surprise if Glen Kiln outran his odds like he did in the Morgiana last week.

He is much improved in the last 12 months and this step back up to an intermediate trip should suit, his hurdling having been under pressure from an early stage last week as Lossiemouth set a strong pace.

There is a bit of a case to be made that Gold Dancer is overpriced in the BAR 1 Betting Drinmore Novice Chase at 2:05. His is summer jumping form but it has worked out well in the early winter on soft ground via Westport Cove and Downmexicoway while he has also posted good Timeform timefigures the last twice.

The Bar 1 Betting Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (1:35) is no longer a Grade 1, downgraded last year, but this looks a competitive renewal, and it is easy make a case for the two Gordon Elliott runners, especially with how some of his horses are improving for a run. There is a niggling worry that Koktail Brut never really built on an impressive last season, however.

At the prices, BLAKE may be worth an each-way play. He was as impressive as any of the recent maiden hurdle winners in the race at Down Royal early this month and while the pace was slow, he only needed to be pushed out and left the impression he had plenty more to give.

He hurdled well then, which wasn’t the case on debut at Cork, and comes here fitter than most having had two recent runs, the second of which was a premier handicap win on the flat where he is now rated 94 and not fully exposed.

He may not be the best long-term prospect in the field for jumping but he looks a now horse and is a little overpriced.

There are some good handicaps throughout the rest of the card. Big Stage has been frustrating but might finally get his day in the opening BAR 1 Betting Ladies Handicap Chase at 12:05. He has tended to finish weakly in the past but has had a recent wind operation, this trip looks more suitable than three miles and the Charlotte Butler/Gordon Elliott combination are three from six together.

Proven stamina is probably the way to go in the BAR 1 Betting Porterstown Handicap Chase at 1:05. Positive Thinker has gone close the two occasions he has gone further than three miles, shaped well enough off a break at Naas last time and comes from a yard in decent form so must have a chance, as does last season’s fifth Brucejack.

He too has gone well over extreme trips in the past and probably went for home too soon in this race last year though there are others with claims too in a competitive race.

The BAR 1 Casino Handicap Hurdle (3:11) has drawn a smaller field that usual but is nonetheless interesting. Ataboycharlie caught the eye last time at Galway, doing well to finish third from a long way back off a slow gallop, though the drop in trip is a concern with a possible lack of pace in here and his price looks about right.

Preference is for SLURRICANE who has an overall inconsistent profile but is much better on slow ground, his record on soft or worse reading:1311, flat and jumps. He was a good fifth in the Fred Winter last season on ground faster than ideal, one of only two that raced up with the pace to be involved in the finish.

His only hurdle run since was when seventh in the Lartigue at Listowel but while his trainer expressed disappointment at that defeat, it was again on unsuitable ground while he got behind at a track that favours pace, those ridden forward dominating the finish, and he kept on well late from an unpromising position.

Since then, he has landed a battling success at Galway on the flat in first-time cheekpieces and while they are left off now, conditions do look suitable for him to run back over hurdles.

Last year’s juvenile hurdlers may not be as strong as some other recent seasons judging on their success in Irish handicap hurdles since, but the Fred Winter worked out quite well afterwards on the flat at least and Slurricane at least has ability in that sphere to fall back on.

Published at 0825 GMT on 30/11/25

Tony Keenan best bets for today at Fairyhouse

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