Preview of Wednesday's card at Leopardstown 

Fairyhouse Racecourse: preview and tips for Wednesday’s eight-race afternoon Jumps card The National Hunt season in Ireland continues on Wednesday with an eight-racer card at Fairyhouse.

The action gets underway at 12.55pm with a mares beginners chase before coming to a close at 4.25pm when 14 runners tackle a division two handicap hurdle over two miles and three furlongs.

Read below to discover the latest tips and a full meeting preview for Fairyhouse’s card on Wednesday courtesy of BoyleSports, who offer the latest

Cheltenham odds.

The opening contest on the card sees a field of 11 head to the start for the two-mile and five furlong mares beginners chase (12.55). Closutton powerhouse Willie Mullins holds a strong hand in the opener with Paganne, a promising three-length second in a Limerick Grade 2 contest 24 days ago and is very much the one to beat here with top jockey Paul Townend getting the rider to boot. Stablemate Karia des Blaises rates the next best, a fine second at Naas 31 days ago.

Race two of the afternoon is another two-mile and five contest, this time over the larger obstacles for the handicap chase (1.25). Thelonglad, trained by Michael McDonagh, looked well on the way to victory but fell two out at Limerick on fence debut in December but can put that right here and is taken to get the better of Mightyoaklad, a good third last time out at Cork.

A small field of five will tackle the three-mile chase to mark race three on the card (1.55) and it’s tough to look past Sa Majeste for the Mullins team, a winner of a Tipperary maiden in November before bombing out in a Limerick grade 1 that came a bit too soon. Of the rest, Affordale Fury rates next best for trainer Noel Meade and with jockey Donagh Meyler on board.

Speaking to Betway, who offer the latest Cheltenham betting, Meyler said of the current state of racing in Ireland: “It is a way of life. Over here there is not so much racing which keeps it more compact. You don’t get horses dodging each other. They have to run against each other. Another thing would be prize money. People love seeing the best facing the best.” Six horses will head to post for the two-mile novice hurdle at 2.25 on Wednesday, with preference heading the way of Puturhandstogether for trainer Joseph O’Brien, a useful winner on the Flat and a winner of a 20-runner juvenile hurdle over the Jumps, so has to be taken seriously in this one.

Mullins looks the way to go in race five (2.55) with Legionnaire Forez, a €140,000 purchase having finished second in a maiden bumper at Paray-Le-Monial in November so is of obvious interest, while race six (3.25) can go the way of Mullins again with Karoline Banbou, a promising second at Naas on hurdles debut 51 days ago having been recruited from the French ranks having won a couple of bumpers.

A division one handicap hurdle is the penultimate contest on Fairyhouse’s card (3.55) and of the 14-runner field, the Stephen Carey-trained The Nagger Reidy could be the play, with his jockey taking off a handy 5lb weight and off what looks a lenient mark having been narrowly denied at Tipperary two starts back, while division two of the same discipline brings the card to a close (4.25) and this one can go to Next Stop Paris for trainer Gavin Cromwell, upped in trip for his handicap debut off the back of a decent seventh in a Leopardstown novice hurdle last time out.

Fairyhouse selections - Wednesday 

12.55 - Paganne 

1.25 - Thelonglad 

1.55 - Sa Majeste 

2.25 - Puturhandstogether 

2.55 - Legionnaire Forez 

3.25 - Karoline Banbou 

3.55 - The Nagger reidy 

4.25 - Next Stop Paris