Farouk D'Alene bidding to be a Christmas cracker again in Faugheen Novice Chase

Grade 1 BoyleSports Faugheen Novice Chase (Grade 1) | 2m3½f | RTV/RTE2

Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud combined to take this race with Hardline when it was elevated to Grade 1 status in 2018 and Farouk D'Alene will be fancied to deliver for the same connections.

Farouk D'Alene has a flawless record at Christmas. He won his first bumper at Down Royal on St Stephen's Day in 2019 and showed an abundance of stamina to get up and beat Vanillier in a Grade 2 novice hurdle over the festive period last year.

Elliott has never hidden how highly he rates Farouk D'Alene. Things didn't go swimmingly for the youngster last season but, racing for the first time since beating Vanillier last Christmas, Farouk D'Alene offered a glimpse of what he might be capable of when getting off the mark first time up over fences at Navan.

That performance was quite impressive and the rain looks like it will have arrived in time for Farouk D'Alene ahead of this Grade 1. The worse the ground, the better his chance as stamina is his forte and he would need it pretty soft to beat speedier types over this trip.

Gabynako will be better suited by the trip but will need to jump a lot better than he did when second in the Grade 1 Drinmore last month.

Cromwell confident in Drinmore runner-up Gabynako

Gavin Cromwell had warned earlier in the week that his Albert Bartlett winner Vanillier was not a definite runner and he was subsequently withdrawn on Boxing Day morning, although the Navan trainer still has a strong chance in the shape of Drinmore runner-up Gabynako.

Cromwell said: "Gabynako will be fine over the trip at Limerick and slower ground shouldn't be an issue for him either because he has form on soft to heavy. He came out of the Drinmore in great shape.”

That Drinmore effort is just about the best form on show. With a cleaner round of jumping, Gabynako may well have won the Fairyhouse Grade 1 and Cromwell will be hoping for compensation with the bright prospect.

He said: “We all know what happened in the Drinmore and it was just one of those days when, if the ball had bounced differently, he may well have won. It was annoying at the time but he came out of the race well and we're very happy with him."

What they say

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Farouk D'Alene
I couldn’t be happier with him. He has come out of Navan well. That was his first run since Limerick last Christmas and I'd be expecting him to come forward a bit from that, but he’ll need to as he's going in at the deep end now. It looks a hot race and Gavin has a couple of nice horses in here, but that's what you get in these Grade 1 races. Jordan Gainford has got back from injury just in time and it’s a good opportunity for him. We're looking forward to it.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Fire Attack and Global Equity
Fire Attack had a good first start over fences at Wexford and will like the ground at Limerick. He's a good, hardy horse and hopefully he can run well. Global Equity is a tough mare and it would be great if she could pick up some black type here.

Paddy Corkery, trainer of Master McShee
If I had got another run into him over fences I’d be a bit cocky in myself but he got a nasty cut when third at Gowran Park and we just couldn’t get another run into him. In saying that, I'm happy with him and to be coming here with a chance in a Grade 1 is a dream for someone like me. He burst blood vessels in his Grade 1 last season but I had changed the way I was training him and I’m back training him the way I was when he was winning his races. He’s in very good form and the pace of the race will suit him. I don’t think they'll go a mad gallop and, as long as he isn’t run off his feet early, I can see him running well.

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