The Real Article to bag the seasonal debut in the Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle at Fairyhouse on 9th April
The Grade 2 Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle is to get staged at Fairyhouse over two miles and four furlongs on Monday, 9th April. The race has attracted a lineup of eight five-year and older thoroughbreds who are to contest for the €26, 000 purse.
Not everyone on the lineup has raced at Fairyhouse before rather there are only two entries, The Real Article and Tofino Bay, who have tested their luck there and had failed.
The Real Article, Definite Article’s seven-year-old bay gelding out of mare Soul Mate, is to race his seasonal debut today after a break of nearly three months. His second last attempt of the season was at Fairyhouse.
On 4th December 2011, The Real Article was third in the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle over two miles and four furlongs. The race was won by Voler La Vedette while Mourad was the 5/4 favourire runner up of the race.
The Real Article was riding with Barry Geraghty and was at a mere head’s difference from the runner up of the race.
Just before this start, he had struck a hat trick by bagging three different races at three different race courses.
He was the 4/9 favourite winner of the Gorey (Q.R.) Race on 19th August 2011 at Wexford over two miles.
Benefit Of Porter was the runner up for the race.
The Real Article’s next success was in the Grade 2 Friends Of Tipperary Hurdle on 2nd October at Tipperary over two miles. The final victory that entitled him to the hat trick was the Grade 2 WKD Hurdle on 4th November and it was third
time in a row that The Real Article was entered into a race as a favourite.
During the very initial victory, The Real Article was paired with T. Carroll and all the remaining races saw Barry Geraghty coupled with the seven-year-old.
The only potential threat on the lineup is the nine-year-old Tofino Bay who finished fourth in the Racegoer’s Package 25Euro Hurdle on 4th February at Fairyhouse over two miles.
The only edge that Tofino Bay enjoys is the on hand racing experience during the new season and which of the two gets to make the most out of the experience at the same race course will come out soon.
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