Wexford Friday Card: April 10, 2026

Wexford Friday Card: April 10, 2026

Good to yielding ground at Wexford sets up a decent Friday evening card, with three featured races across chase and hurdle disciplines. The going suits handy, fluent jumpers rather than grinding mudlarks, and that angle cuts out a few obvious names in each race. Three competitive contests, one standout each-way play, and a NAP that looks a solid price for what it is. Let's get into it.

6:38 — BoyleSports Supporting Irish Racing Veterans Handicap Chase (2m3½f, 17 runners)

Seventeen runners over cross-country fences on good to yielding ground. Five places on offer at 1/5 odds, so the each-way case is real in a field this size, particularly for anything priced 10/1 and above with legitimate claims.

Watch The Weather Each-Way is the one that catches the eye at 12/1 (Bet365, Midnite). The Spotlight note is the key: this horse won over course and distance on good ground and won on soft at Punchestown over 2m6f, both off the current mark. That is exactly the kind of pointer you want in a big-field handicap. He's been absent since the Munster National in October, which keeps his handicap mark from drifting higher, and the booking of Jack Kennedy on his return is not something a trainer does lightly. Kennedy rides for the best yards in Ireland week in, week out. When he takes a conditional or a lesser booking over something like this, there's usually a reason. R P Cody's yard is 0/2 in the last 14 days but that stat covers a tiny sample. The course-and-distance win, the Kennedy booking, and the price all point the same direction.

Fakir d'Oudairies at 10/1 is hard to completely dismiss. Four Grade 1 chase wins and a peak RPR of 167 tells you what this horse was. The move to E Bolger and the cross-country circuit has clouded his form, but back on conventional fences over a trip that suits, the handicapper has left him a workable mark. The yard is 0/7 in the last 14 days which is a concern, and Charlie O'Dwyer takes the ride on a horse who needs to produce something close to his best. He's a horse to keep on side rather than throw at, but if he fires, he's winning this.

Farmers Lodge at 11/2 is favourite material on paper. Only his fourth chase start, unexposed off a mark that looks fair, and a yard record that's fine rather than flying. The issue is he's been off since pulling up at Fairyhouse a year ago. Winning on comeback is possible, needing this is more likely. Swerve at the price and look for the value further down the market.

Selection: Watch The Weather each-way at 12/1 (Bet365)

3:45 — Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle (2m4f, 10 runners)

This looks a two-horse affair between Gordon Elliott's Dunleer Crystal and the market leader Ifallgoeswell, with a wild card lurking in the form of The First Turn.

Dunleer Crystal is the selection at 9/4 (Bet365, William Hill, Coral). Elliott's yard is ticking over at 9/79 in the last 14 days, which is modest by his standards but he's still winning races. More relevant is the horse itself: rated 114 and kindly treated by auction race conditions, his standout run was a 2.25 length second to Los Blanco at Down Royal over 2m1f on yielding. The step up to 2m4f suits on breeding, a half-brother to a winner at this trip, and the Spotlight makes the point that heavy ground at Naas on latest may not have helped. Back on a sounder surface, with Jack Kennedy in the plate and Gordon Elliott in the corner, he starts with a significant advantage over most of this field. The price is short but justified.

Ifallgoeswell at 15/8 is the top-rated runner and has been placed consistently without getting his head in front. The weight concession to the rest of the field is the nagging issue. If he was going to win a maiden hurdle, he probably would have done it before now.

The First Turn at 6/1 is interesting. Won a Thurles bumper on debut in good style, then ran poorly at Leopardstown in December. Off since. S Curling's yard is quiet at 0/3 in the last fortnight but the horse was well backed on bumper debut and is bred to improve over hurdles. At the price, he merits each-way consideration in a bigger field, but with only 10 runners here, the terms don't quite justify it.

Selection: Dunleer Crystal at 9/4 (Bet365)

6:03 — Tomcoole Farm Novice Handicap Chase (2m3½f, 12 runners)

A tricky novice handicap chase with 12 runners, good to yielding ground, and four places on offer. The market has spoken loudly about The Great Nudie at 7/2, and the case has merit, but the price is compressed for a horse whose two recent efforts were below the standard she showed at Naas in January.

Three In A Row Each-Way at 11/1 (William Hill, BetTom) is the value play. He's 0/11 over fences but the stats are misleading: he's posted runner-up finishes at Punchestown over 2m4f on yielding to soft and at Naas over 2m4f on heavy, both at a trip matching today's. The Spotlight rates him 3lb superior in the chase discipline compared to hurdles, and the Navan handicap fourth last time wasn't bad. A P L T Moore yard at 0/1 recent form is a tiny sample. This horse keeps running honest races at this trip and distance, the ground suits, and 11/1 with four places available is a legitimate each-way play.

The Great Nudie holds obvious claims. Made all to win the Naas beginners chase in January, but was beaten far below that level on her next two starts, including a tame effort as favourite in a Listed mares contest at Thurles. Back in trip and on better ground, the handicapper has her well treated on debut off 135. But at 7/2 in a 12-runner field, you're being asked to take a short price on a mare whose form is inconsistent. If she's back to her best, she wins. If not, you've burnt your stake at a cramped price.

Park Of Kings at 11/2 is the dark horse. Three-time hurdle winner, beaten a long way in beginners' chases this season but that form came on testing ground. The Spotlight points out his hurdles form was on better ground, and today's conditions could unlock a step forward. Paul Nolan is 0/9 in the last fortnight, which is not encouraging, but the horse is 10lb lower than his hurdles mark and the going angle is compelling.

Selection: Three In A Row each-way at 11/1 (William Hill)

Today's NAP