FAIRYHOUSE TIPS FOR DECEMBER 2ND'S NATIONAL HUNT MEETING

We've got the early prices out for tomorrow's three Grade 1's kicking off at the venerable Fairyhouse racecourse. The races on Wednesday are a result of the rain-out on Sunday and there is expected to have been a few millimeters over night, but nothing to affect the actual racing day itself. The going is currently listed as heavy, but I don't think that's coming as a surprise to anybody, so all of the current odds and handicapping will have been done with heavy going in mind. 
The Bar One Racing Royal Bond Nocie Hurdle is the first Grade 1 of the day and there's a solid €55,250 purse up for grabs. Dunguib comes in as a heavy favourite carrying early odds of 1/3 to 4/11 with most major bookmakers. He was 2/5 yesterday and I think some punters are piling on to some of the value options. Personally, I think it's very much his race to win, and he's got his first go back at the highest level since the doping incident in March at the Cheltenham Festival. He dominated the two hurdle races he's tackled since then at Punchestown and Galway and both of those were over heavy ground. He's a banker for many, but I do like his opposition, and I'm of the opinion that anything can happen here. Sweeps Hill comes in 100% with 4 from 4 but none of those have been listed as heavy. I like him and I think he's a progressive horse, but Dunguib will likely be his sternest test. He is well-priced at 9/2 across the board. Some Present looks to be rising from 5/1 up to 11/2 and he's never finished outside the top 2 in his 5 career races. He also came 2nd in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and that says something for his quality. Sweeps Hill did outclass him down the stretch in the Tote Sports Lounge Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in late October. Your forecast is in here somewhere, likely Dunguib on top in a duel with Sweeps Hill. The other runners- Alice's Bradys Call, Takestan and Deise Dan are interesting and if you're a fan of Ruby Walsh, a 50/1 shot at Alice Brady's Call may be worth an each-way surprise as he's never run over the heavy stuff and may show a bit of form. Despite this being a big step up, it's worth a bash in a race without an arguable long-shot. I think the safer option is likely to use Dunguib to start off a few doubles and a Dunguib/Sweeps Hill forecast. 
Jered is certainly the biggest name for me in the very intriguing Grade 1 Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase which sees a tough 2m4f test for 8 quality geldings. Pesoto is the early favourite with some tough competition but he got absolutely pounded here back in mid-April in the King Crisps Hurdle, finishing 12/13 against names like Big Zeb and Psycho. My argument against him is that he's never actually won at 2m4f despite 14 lifetime starts. He's 7/2 with most major bookmakers.Pandorama is much more interesting to me and he's got a monster of a track record with 6 wins from 7 lifetime and his one 2nd place came in a field of 3 to well-regarded Mikael D'Haguenet- his first step up to Grade 1 level. Prior to that, he broke through at Navan prior to that to capture a Grade 2 against a field of 29. He scored a Grade 1 victory in mid February of this year in the Deloitte Novices Hurdle. He's got wins over the distance, he's got wins over the surface, he is 6 from 7 lifetime and is the epitome of the word "progressive". I like his form and he has really fought his way off the Div 2 circuit up to this level- he's around 4/1 with most major bookmakers. I think he's got what it takes to keep going. His challenge will come from Tony McCoy and Jered, who finished 5th in this race last year and he'll be looking to build on some of his Grade 1 victories from last year. I have to opt for Pandorama here, but if there's a spoiler it's Jered at 5/1. 
Catch Me headlines the Bar One Racing Hatton's Grace Hurdle which has 7 contrasting competitors set to duke it out over 2m4f. Catch Me is trading at around 11/8 and has a bagful of Grade 1 and 2 wins from his peak last season. He fell in his last outing at Navan in early November, so I think that gets his bad luck out of the way. He took this race last year over some solid competition including Brave Inca, Aitmatov and Hardy Eustace (the two latter horses are also facing off in this year's edition). Aitmatov is fresh off a Grade 2 win at Navan and he's worth a shout here at 4/1, despite not being able to match Catch Me last year. He topped Ninetieth Minute, who trades at 6/1, in that same race. You may remember Ninetieth Minute from his win in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. Believe it or not, he actually bested Solwhit last year at Thurles in a listed race. Hardy Eustace hasn't won since the Grade 1 Maplewood Developments Hurdle but has been running against much better competition that most of his compatriots here. He is a value bet to get back on form and is available at around 10/1.