Will Reilly looks forward to this week’s racing
The racing week will begin with the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse and end with the curtain falling on the National Hunt season in Britain, when there will be a valuable and classy card at Sandown.
The week will also contain Group and Listed races from Navan (Sunday), while the Punchestown Festival will get under way on Tuesday, April 30th.
In Scotland, the three-day Perth Festival will run from Wednesday to Friday and, in terms of Classic Trials, there will be Epsom’s Derby Trial on Wednesday and Sandown’s Classic Trial on Saturday, Also on Saturday, Leicester will stage a £60,000 Listed race.
As ever, there is plenty of good racing to look forward to.
Racing in Ireland between Monday April 22 and Tuesday April 30 – the British racing follows on after the Irish racing
Monday April 22
Cork, 1:50pm – A National Hunt card that contains three hunter chases
Fairyhouse, 2:05pm – It is Irish Grand National day, with the key races being:
- €500,000 Irish Grand National ‘Chase (Grade A, 3m5f, 5yo+), which is due off at 5pm
- €100,000 Grade 2 Devenish ‘Chase (2m4f, 5yo+)
- €70,000 Grade 2 Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle (2m4f, 5yo+)
- €50,000 Grade 2 Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Juvenile Hurdle (2 miles, 4yo only)
- €30,000 Fairyhouse Steel Handicap Hurdle (2m6f, 4yo+)
- €25,000 Fred Kenny Lifetime Service To Racing Handicap ‘Chase (3 miles, 5yo+)
Tuesday April 23
Fairyhouse, 2:10pm – The third and final day of the Irish Grand National meeting, a card that includes the following races:
- €100,000 RYBO Handicap Hurdle (Grade A) (2 miles, 4yo+)
- €55,000 INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle Series Final (Grade B, 3 miles, 5yo+)
- €37,500 Grade 3 Grand National Festival John & Chich Fowler Memorial EBF Mares ‘Chase (2m4f, 5yo+)
- €25,000 Fairyhouse Ladies National Handicap ‘Chase (2m6f, 5yo+)
Wednesday April 24
Dundalk, 5:40pm – An all-weather flat card
Thursday April 25
Tipperary, 5:05pm – A turf flat card that features the €25,000 Tipperary Racecourse Handicap (5f, 3yo+)
Friday April 26
Kilbeggan, 4:55pm – A National Hunt card
Saturday April 27
Limerick, 1:35pm – A turf flat card that features the following races:
- €30,000 Sports & Social Outings At Limerick Racecourse Handicap (11f, 4yo+)
- €25,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap (6f, 3yo+)
Wexford, 1:55pm – A National Hunt card that features the €20,000 Coast Hotels & Resorts Rated Hurdle ( 2 miles, 4yo+)
Sunday April 28
Navan, 2:05pm – A turf flat card that features the following races:
- €47,500 Committed Stakes (Listed Race for 3yo, 5f)
- €60,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes (Listed Race for 3yo fillies, 10f)
- €63,000 Group 3 Vintage Crop Stakes (4yo+, one mile and 6f)
Sligo, 2:20pm – A National Hunt card (six hurdle races and a bumper)that features the €30,000 Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel & Lodges Enniskillen Rated Novice Hurdle (2m4f, 4yo+)
Monday April 29
Naas, 5:15pm – A turf flat card that includes the following races:
- €45,000 Woodlands Stakes (a Listed Race for 3yo+, 5f)
- €50,000 Blackwater Handicap (one mile, 3yo)
Tuesday April 30
Punchestown, 3:40pm – Day one of the fabulous five-day Punchestown Festival, with the opening day races including the following:
- €100,000 Grade 1 Herald Champion Novice Hurdle (2 miles, 5yo+)
- €60,000 Killashee Handicap Hurdle (Grade B, 2 miles, 4yo+)
- €300,000 Grade 1 Champion Chase (2 miles, 5yo+)
- €100,000 Goffs Land Rover Bumper (2 miles, 5yo+)
- €100,000 Grade 1 Dooleys Insurance Group Champion Novice ‘Chase (3 miles, 5yo+)
Racing in Britain between Monday April 22 and Tuesday April 30
Monday April 22 (Easter Monday)
Huntingdon, 1:40pm – A seven-race National Hunt card, featuring a £20,000 2M 4F Handicap Chase (5yo+)
Fakenham, 1:45pm – A seven-race National Hunt card, featuring the £30,000 David Keith Memorial Veterans’ Handicap Chase (3m38y, 9yo+)
Plumpton, 1:50pm – A seven-race National Hunt card, featuring the £50,000 Sussex Champion Chase (2m3f164y, 5yo+)
Redcar, 1:55pm – A seven-race flat card featuring a £15,000 5f217y handicap (4yo+)
Chepstow, 2pm – A seven-race National Hunt card featuring the £25,000 Friars Walk Newport Handicap ‘Chase (2m11y, 5yo+)
Wolverhampton, 2:10pm – A seven-race all-weather flat card
Tuesday April 23
Yarmouth, 1:30pm – A seven-race turf flat card
Sedgefield, 1:40pm – A seven-race National Hunt card
Ludlow, 1:50pm – A seven-race National Hunt card featuring the £18,600 HR Smith Group Handicap ‘Chase (2m7f171y, 5yo+)
Lingfield, 4:55pm – A seven-race all-weather flat card
Wolverhampton, 5:10pm – A seven-race all-weather flat card
Wednesday April 24
Fontwell Park, 1:30pm – A National Hunt card
Perth, 1:50pm – A National Hunt card, day one of the three-day Perth Festival, with the card including the following races:
- £30,000 EBF Stallions Gold Castle ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle, a Listed Race (2m7f207y, 5yo+)
- £18,600 Phil Nelson Handicap ‘Chase (2m7f180y, 5yo+)
Epsom, 2:10pm – A turf flat card that includes the Epsom Derby trial. Here are the key races:
- £20,000 Investec Asset Finance Handicap (4yo+, 5f)
- £50,000 Investec Blue Riband Trial (3yo, 10f17y)
- £20,000 Investec Corporate & Investment Bank Great Metropolitan Handicap (12f6y, 4yo+)
- £50,000 Investec City & Suburban (10f17y, 4yo+)
Southwell, 4:45pm – A National Hunt meeting
Taunton, 5:30pm – A National Hunt meeting
Thursday April 25
Perth, 1:50pm – A National Hunt card, day two of the three-day Perth Festival, with the card including the following races:
- £18,600 GS Group Handicap ‘Chase (2 miles, 5yo+)
- £30,000 Heineken UK River Tay Handicap ‘Chase (2m4f20y, 5yo+)
Warwick, 2pm – A National Hunt card
Kempton, 4:40pm – A National Hunt card
Chelmsford, 5:30pm – An all-weather flat card that features the £25,000 Betsi Conditions Stakes (6f, 4yo+)
Friday April 26
Perth, 1:30pm – A National Hunt card, day three. The final day, of the Perth Festival, with the card including the following races:
- £35,000 TBA Fair Maid Of Perth Mares’ ‘Chase, a Listed Race (2m7f180y, 5yo+)
- £23,600 Pentland Land Rover Perth Highland National Handicap ‘Chase (3m6f121y, 5yo+)
- £15,600 Balnakeilly ‘Chase (a novices’ limited handicap chase), 2m4f20y, 5yo+
Doncaster, 1:40pm – A turf flat card
Sandown, 1:50pm – Day one of the two-day Jump Season finale starts with a flat card that includes the following races:
- £25,000 Esher Cup Handicap (8f, 3yo)
- £70,000 Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes (1m1f209y, 4yo+)
- £70,000 Group 3 Classic Trial (1m1f209y, 3yo)
- £100,000 Group 2 bet365 Mile (one mile, 4yo+)
- Plus two £20,000 handicaps
Bangor, 4:40pm – A National Hunt card
Chepstow, 4:50pm – A National Hunt card
Saturday April 27
Haydock, 1:30pm – A turf flat card that features the £32,500 Edge Green Handicap (8f37y, 4yo+)
Leicester, 1:40pm – A turf flat card that features the £60,000 EBF Stallions King Richard III Stakes (a Listed Race, 7f, 4yo+)
Ripon, 1:45pm – A turf flat card that includes the following races:
- £20,000 Celebrating Pipers Note Handicap (6f, 4yo+)
- £25,000 Visit attheraces.com Handicap (2 miles, 4yo+)
- £25,000 MCH Hutchinson Memorial Handicap (1m4f10y, 4yo+)
Sandown, 1:50pm – A mixed card as the curtain comes down on the British National Hunt season; no race is worth less than £35,000, with three of them worth £100,000 or more, which are:
- £100,000 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle (1m7f216y, 4yo+)
- £150,000 Grade 1 Celebration ‘Chase (1m7f119y, 5yo+)
- £150,000 bet365 Gold Cup Handicap ‘Chase (3m4f166y, 5yo+)
- Also on the card are the £55,000 Grade 2 Oaksey ‘Chase and the £55,000 Grade 2 Select Hurdle
Doncaster, 5:10pm – A turf flat card
Wolverhampton, 5:30pm – An all-weather flat card
Sunday April 28
Salisbury, 2pm – A turf flat card that features the £22,500 Byerley Stud ‘City Bowl’ Handicap (1m6f44y, 4yo+); also on the card is a £15,000 2yo race (5f)
Wetherby, 2:15pm – A turf flat card