Fairyhouse, Sunday 5th April 2026: Grade 1 Day Tips

Fairyhouse, Sunday 5th April 2026: Grade 1 Day Tips

Fairyhouse delivers a serious card on Sunday, with three featured races headlined by a pair of Grade 1 hurdles for mares and the WillowWarm Gold Cup over fences. The ground is Yielding to Soft throughout, which is the key variable across all three races. Horses that handle cut in the ground are at a premium, and anything with a soft-ground win in recent form gets a significant tick. Mullins dominates the entries as usual, but his yard has cooled slightly in the last fortnight at 7/19, so the usual blind-faith approach needs a bit more scrutiny than normal.

3:50 — Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m4f)

This is the race to focus on for the mares' novice division. Twelve runners, Grade 1 prize money, and a fascinating clash between How's Hannah and the forgotten mare in the field at a big price.

How's Hannah is the selection at 11/1 (William Hill, Boyle Sports). An RPR of 147 is comfortably the highest in the race, and the form reads /1-112, meaning she has been consistently placed at the highest level. Danny Mullins takes the ride, which is always a positive sign within the Mullins operation when they have multiple runners. The Yielding to Soft ground is not a concern. She has winning form with cut underfoot and the step up to 2m4f at Grade 1 level looks ideal for a mare of her profile. Eleven to one in a Grade 1 where she holds a serious form advantage is the kind of price that does not hang around.

Carrigmoornaspruce Each-Way at 14/1 (Coral, Betfred) is the each-way alternative. An RPR of 143 and a TS of 137 makes her the sharpest-travelling mare in the race on recent Timeform speed figures. The form 1-1220 shows she has finished first twice from four starts and only slipped back to second and third at the highest level. Declan Queally's yard is quiet on the figures right now at 0/3 in the last 14 days, but Darragh O'Keeffe is booked and he knows this mare well. Three places at 1/5 odds with 12 runners means each-way punters get a genuine safety net at that price.

Kingston Queen at 14/1 also catches the eye. David Pipe is 0/12 in the last fortnight which is a concern, and travelling mares from British yards can sometimes find the step up to Grade 1 company a bridge too far, so she drops below Carrigmoornaspruce in the pecking order. But an RPR of 136 and a placed run last time out keeps her honest in the framing.

5:00 — WillowWarm Gold Cup (Grade 1, 2m4f Chase)

The Gold Cup is the race of the day. Nine runners, Grade 1 prize money, and a genuine question mark hanging over the favourite. Sixmilebridge heads the market at 5/2 (Bet365) off the back of a hat-trick of wins and an RPR of 161, which is the highest in the race. The 'D' in the form string is notable, a disqualification suggests at least one of those wins came under a cloud. Fergal O'Brien's yard is also badly out of form at 2/27 in the last 14 days, which is a strike rate that demands attention before laying out big stakes.

Western Fold Each-Way is the value pick at 14/1 (Bet365, Coral, Betfred). An RPR of 162 is the highest mark in the entire field, and the form reads 111320, meaning this horse has won three consecutive races at a high level before finishing third and second most recently. That recent dip in form has the market cold on him, but a horse with an RPR 162 running in a Grade 1 at 14/1 deserves serious consideration. Gordon Elliott's yard is quiet at 3/37 in the last 14 days, but Danny Gilligan takes the ride and the Yielding to Soft conditions are not an obstacle for a front-rank chaser of this calibre. Three places at 1/5 odds means a placed finish pays back handsomely at that price.

Kappa Jy Pyke at 10/3 (William Hill, Coral) is the Mullins runner to side with over Predators Gold. The form 169-11 shows two wins on the bounce coming in, and an RPR of 158 puts him right in the mix. Danny Mullins is aboard, which is the yard's strongest signal. If this one is cherry-ripe and Mullins has targeted Fairyhouse, he could go off a shade shorter before the off.

Jacob's Ladder at 9/1 (William Hill, Coral, Betfred) rounds out the shortlist. An RPR of 158 and consistent form reading 231211 tells you this horse competes at the very top level and rarely runs a bad race. Jack Kennedy up is another strong booking. The 9/1 is the fair price rather than value, but he belongs on the shortlist for any each-way dutching approach.

Today's NAP