Thedevilscoachman on course for Fairyhouse date

Nick Robson
March 23, 2021 9:45 am

Noel Meade targeting Easter meeting.

Thedevilscoachman is on target for Fairyhouse’s big Easter meeting having missed the Cheltenham Festival.

An impressive winner of a Listed event at Punchestown, the Noel Meade-trained five-year-old has won four of his five races under rules.

His sole defeat came at the hands of Willie Mullins’ subsequent Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Appreciate It, and Meade was rather glad his charge was at home in Ireland rather than chasing the 24-length winner in vain at Cheltenham.

“Everything is good and if everybody agrees we’ll be going to Fairyhouse for the novice hurdle, that’s the plan,” said Meade.

“He’s in good shape now, he just got a tiny little nick when he won the last day which slowed him down for a week and ruled out Cheltenham.

“However, having watched Appreciate It come up the hill at Cheltenham, I was glad I was at home!”

Meade was on the mark at the meeting himself when Jeff Kidder caused an 80-1 surprise in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

He added: “There’s nothing for him at Fairyhouse. I’ll have to see as I haven’t made a plan as to where he’ll go next, it will probably be Punchestown.”