'You'd like to think he is the one to beat' - confidence high in Teahupoo camp

2.40 Fairyhouse
Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) | 2m | 4yo | RTE2/ITV4/RTV

Teahupoo, which means 'the place of broken skulls' when translated from Tahitian, is unbeaten and both his wins in Ireland have come at Fairyhouse so it is no surprise to see him so short in the market.

He beat the now 134-rated Paul Nicholls-trained Good Ball on his sole start in France and there were very encouraging signs on his Irish debut, although the final hurdle departure of Youmdor made him look more impressive.

The favourable impression he created was backed up with a professional performance back at Fairyhouse in a Grade 3 contest in February and he was given a single-figure price for the Triumph Hurdle afterwards.

Connections decided to skip Cheltenham in favour of coming here and it will be disappointing if that decision does not pay dividends.
The main concern with Teahupoo is the quicker ground.

Two of his three wins have been on officially heavy ground, while the other was on soft. With no rain forecast it could be good come 2.40pm on Monday so that is something of an unknown.

Jeff Kidder (left) was a shock 80-1 winner at last month's Cheltenham FestivalCredit: Getty Images

Jeff Kidder, who caused an 80-1 shock in the Boodles at Cheltenham, steps up in grade. That win was achieved off a mark of 125 and he carried just 10st 8lb so this looks a much tougher test. That said, he is a fast-improving juvenile who should relish conditions.

Busselton was backed all the way down to 13-2 for the Boodles, but crashed through four out and his race was over. Blinkers are now applied and the surge of support for him at the festival would suggest connections feel he is more talented than his current mark of 133.

He might well be, but Teahupoo looks a proven Graded performer and he could outclass this lot.

What they say

Denise Foster, trainer of Teahupoo
He's done everything right so far and has won very nicely over course and distance already. You'd like to think he is the one to beat.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Busselton and Scholastic
Busselton made a bad mistake in the Boodles and his race was over after that. He seems to have come out of the race in good form. Scholastic has been consistent all year and will enjoy this better ground so hopefully she can pick up some black type.

Paul Nolan, trainer of Coventry
He won very well the last day at Navan and it will be interesting to see how he handles nicer ground.

Noel Meade, trainer of Jeff Kidder
He came out of Cheltenham really well and actually was a kilo heavier on Friday than he was going to Cheltenham. He’s fresh as a daisy so we decided we’d let him take his chance, because once you get past Punchestown, he’s into the big world then. Teahupoo is probably a fair horse. Hopefully he might not be as good on the better ground, but I’d say he’ll be hard to beat.

Read our Monday previews . . .

No Tiger Roll and no crowds - but it's good to have the Irish National back (Members' Club)

5.00 Fairyhouse: Latest Exhibition bids to defy stats en route to Irish National glory

3.50 Fairyhouse: Cheltenham form on show as Stayers' Hurdle fourth and Pertemps second clash

4.20 Fairyhouse: Can serial runner-up Fakir D'Oudairies gain a deserved Grade 2 success?

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