Patrick Mullins keen to enjoy some Fairyhouse Fun

Honeysuckle Mares’ Novice Hurdle features 10 entries from Closutton though.

Patrick Mullins will be reunited with Fun Fun Fun when his father Willie Mullins fields a strong squad for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday.

The Closutton operation are responsible for 10 of the 18 runners in the Grade One event – including betting favourite Jade De Grugy – with the Irish champion trainer saddling the winner in six of the last 10 renewals.

Owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, Fun Fun Fun was in fact bred by the trainer’s son, who was regularly the man in the saddle last season when the duo secured Grade Two honours at the Dublin Racing Festival.

The decorated amateur was aboard for Fun Fun Fun’s winning hurdles bow at Thurles but has since given way for Paul Townend and Daryl Jacob to undertake steering duties in her next three outings.

However, fresh from landing the Grade Three Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle at Naas under Townend earlier this month, Mullins is back in the plate for her shot at the big time.

He said: “I bred Fun Fun Fun and it’s great to get back on her. Her pedigree suggests the ground and trip will be no problem, she’s a relation to The Listener and Yorkhill.

“She’s stepping up in trip and she’s usually a fast horse, so there is a question mark, but her pedigree suggests she will be fine.”

Jade De Grugy is bidding to bounce back at Fairyhouse
Jade De Grugy is bidding to bounce back at Fairyhouse (Brian Lawless/PA)

Stablemate Jade De Grugy sports the colours of leading owner Kenny Alexander, who claimed this prize with his star mare Honeysuckle in 2019, before the race was renamed in her honour.

Jade De Grugy went to the Cheltenham Festival with a big reputation and expectations to match, but having disappointed when only fourth in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, she is being backed to show her true colours as she quickly reappears.

“Jade De Grugy will probably be hard to beat,” continued Mullins.

“I think Cheltenham very much turned into a sprint and it was a Flat-bred horse that won the race. We would be disappointed if we don’t see better from her on Sunday.”

Jetara has won three times this season
Jetara has won three times this season (Brian Lawless/PA)

Away from the Mullins battalion, Jessica Harrington has a live contender in the form of second-season novice Jetara, who was pulled up here last year but has won three times this term and was last seen hitting the frame at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Gavin Cromwell’s Bioluminescence arrives in search of a hat-trick in the colours of JP McManus, having won a Limerick Grade Three earlier this month, while stablemate Only By Night has some smart form to her name also.

There is UK interest in the form of Fergal O’Brien’s Springtime Promise, who is unbeaten in three starts since switching to the Ravenswell Farm handler and beat some useful opponents when claiming the Grade Two Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown last month.

“We’re very pleased with Springtime and she surprised us first time up and has just progressed from there,” said O’Brien.

Springtime Promise (right) winning at Sandown
Springtime Promise (right) winning at Sandown (Bradley Collyer/PA)

“Sedgefield wasn’t pretty but she got the job done and then she was very good at Sandown in the Jane Seymour, which I think was a deep enough race. Springtime and the Skelton horse (Cherie D’Am) pulled a long way clear from everything else and we’ve been very pleased with her.

“She won’t mind the ground, so we keep our fingers crossed. Willie Mullins has declared 10, but we always just do our own thing and whatever turns up, we do our best to try to beat them.

“In these graded races, you have to worry about yourself and, touch wood, she is in great form, she’s schooled well and had a little breeze on Friday – and I’m very happy with her.”

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