2 days ago
Fairyhouse preview: King Cuan expected to return to winning ways while O'Brien's go head-to-head in 2-year-old Maiden
A three-time winner as a juvenile in 2023, King Cuan will be expected to return to winning ways in the four-runner Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction race in Fairyhouse on Friday.
The Tasleet gelding, trained by Paddy Twomey, has started favourite for each of his five starts, shaping with plenty of promise despite a tardy start on his debut at the Curragh back in May 2023.
He went unbeaten for the rest of that season, impressing in a Cork maiden in September before landing a couple of valuable sales races in Naas.
King Cuan, owned by the Red Lily Racing Syndicate, justified 4/7 favouritism when beating Jakajaro by a length in the Goffs Sportsmans Challenge. He subsequently coped with the step-up to seven furlongs when getting the better of Duplantis by a head in the Irish EBF Auction series Final.
Unfortunately, injury kept King Cuan off the track for all of 2024. However, he made a satisfactory return to action in the listed Cork Stakes at Cork in early April, coming from the back of the field to make his challenge at the furlong-pole before weakening to finish fifth, beaten by three lengths behind Lady With The Lamp who went on to score again at listed level in Chelmsford.
Although rated 1lb. below rival Tango Flare, King Cuan is expected to have the edge and might have most to fear from Noel Meade's Naas maiden winner Rowdy Yeats, a distant second to the selection's stable-companion Currawood at Cork last time.
Joseph O'Brien will face off against father Aidan O'Brien at the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2-Y-0 Maiden. File picture: Healy Racing
Earlier, O'Briens Aidan and Joseph will go head-to-head in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2-Y-0 Maiden.
Although Carriganog colt Green Soul was unlucky when pipped by Leblon Queen on his debut at Roscommon, Ballydoyle hope Extravagant is preferred on the basis of his likely improvement from a debut second to Green Sense at the Curragh.
Another imposing son of Wootton Bassett, Extravagant hit a flat spot before staying on late at the Curragh and, expected to prove more effective over this longer trip, should be tough to beat.
Ger O'Leary's Local Lad, fourth in a conditions race at Kempton last time, boasts a rating of 92 and sets a decent standard in the Fairyhouse For BBQs Maiden.
Meanwhile, Gordon Elliott might double-up with Jigoro and Grimaud on Clonmel's hurdles card.
Outpointed by Intellotto over fences in Limerick, Jigoro looks like the one to beat in the Bulmers Original Hurdle.
Grimaud, who performed creditably when fourth to the classy Sunchart in Wexford, has Henry de Bromhead's course winner Trasna Na Pairce in the Botanica International Rated Novice Hurdle.
And, despite an 8lb. hike for a smooth success at Wexford, Onebrightbluerose might follow-up in the Bulmers Zero Handicap Hurdle.
