Fairyhouse Festival packed with quality

The Fairyhouse Winter Festival will be the main attraction on the horseracing front this weekend with top class action guaranteed both days, Saturday and Sunday, at the Meath track. The festival will culminate with Bar One Racing Grade One Sunday, a day of spectacular horseracing which will feature the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, the Drinmore Novice Steeplechase and the Hatton's Grace Hurdle, all sponsored by Bar One Racing. The Discover Meath Christmas Fair will be an added attraction and could woo the non-racing enthusiasts for a good day out. Hosted by Meath Tourism on Saturday and Sunday, it will take place in the Jameson Stand which will guarantee it is weatherproof. The event will feature a Christmas craft village, Christmas carol singing and gospel choir, cooking tips and food demonstrations, free spa therapies, live entertainment, young racegoers club activities and a special appearance by Santa Claus. Fairyhouse offer families value for money with an online admission voucher available. For the punters, Sunday features the Punters Podium in the Tote Hall and a special 'Get in Front' Irish Field Betting Forum in the Arkle Room, Jameson Stand before racing with tea and coffee from 10.30 on Sunday morning. Sunday's Drinmore Novice Chase is set to be a star-studded event with Mikael D'Haguenet and Quel Esprit from the Willie Mullins stable along with the Noel Meade trained duo, Realt Dubh and Thegreatjohnbrowne included in the line up. Carlow-based Colin Kidd also has a live chance with unbeaten mare, Back of the Pack. At Navan on Sunday Stamullen trainer Peter Casey won the Troytown Chase with Jack The Bus while Noel Meade won the only graded contest on the card, the Monksfield Novice Hurdle with Fully Funded. Meade completed a double at Gowran Park on Saturday. Killeenmore won the three-mile handicap hurdle and completed a double for jockey Davy Condon. Owned by the Missed Flight Syndicate, the seven-year-old was running at the Kilkenny track for the fourth time and winning for the first time. Sword Of Destiny claimed the concluding bumper for Nina Carberry. Trainer Tommy Carberry was also in the winners enclosure at Gowran when Condon won a handicap chase with Peak Raider. The Ratoath-trained horse was backed in from 16/1 to 6/1 and won with plenty in hand for the Swings and Roundabouts Syndicate. Peak Raider will head for Leopardstown at Christmas. Gordon Elliott made a worthwhile trip to Haydock on Saturday where Carlito Brigante won the Betfair iPhone & Android App Hurdle. Kilmessan man Jason Maguire sent the 11-4 winner to the front past going to the final flight. Maguire completed a double when he won the last race for trainer Donald McCain. At Ascot, Barry Geraghty and Zaynar could only finish fourth in the Coral Hurdle. Johnny Murtagh closed the gap on Pat Smullen in the race for the flat jockeys' title with a double at Dundalk on Friday night. Murtagh won with the David Wachman-trained Imperial Rome and with Herostatus for English trainer Mark Johnston. Stamullen trainer Tom McCourt was also on the mark as was Slane-based Pat Martin. McCourt's 20/1 shot Tornadodancer caused a shock with Colm O'Donoghue on board while Martin was smiling after Crystal Belle won for Gary Carroll.