Fairyhouse Maiden Hurdle NAP and NB: Sound Judgement Can Deliver The winter weather has been a real hindrance to racing in the last couple of weeks but we look set for a more settled period now. Fairyhouse is hosting an interesting eight-race card on Thursday and one of the more intriguing races is the mares' maiden hurdle at 2.08. Run over 2m4f, Willie Mullins has won two of the last three renewals and has one chance of making it three from four. It's by no means a foregone conclusion though, as there are a few interesting candidates who need to be considered. A field of 15 has been declared and our expert has had a closer look at all the runners and picked out a couple of their strongest fancies. By Liam Bramall Mullins and Elliott clash once again No one will be surprised to hear that the two most likely candidates for this race are trained by Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott. French import Noemie De La Vis represents the champion trainer, whilst Gordon Elliott sends point-to-point winner Sound Judgement. Cian Collins' Lucy Jordan placed in three of her four starts in point-to-points and although she will need to improve, you wouldn't want to rule her out entirely. Two Seconds represents Declan Queally and she finished fourth in a potentially warm maiden at Tramore back in November. Ian Donoghue's Valette also finished fourth on debut but that came in a weak race at Sedgefield and there were only five runners. Don't discount Dee's Lady, however, as she ran a couple of very nice races to finish second in a couple of maidens last term and could make the frame on that evidence. Judgement can deliver the final verdict Gordon Elliott is still at the top of the prize money table this season and he would like to keep it that way for as long as possible. Getting the better of his old adversary here will certainly help him to do that and SOUND JUDGEMENT can get the job done. She looked useful when winning a point-to-point at Monksgrange by six lengths in March. Held up in the early stages she began to make progress before the second-last and kicked nicely clear in the end, despite a slight mistake at the final fence. Making her rules debut in a Punchestown bumper last month, she kept on well to finish third, despite getting outpaced at a key stage. Starting her hurdling career over 2m4f looks like a good idea with that in mind and it'll be a surprise if she isn't bang in the mix. Mullins' Noemie won't be far away Willie Mullins is in very good form at the moment and is operating at a very healthy strike-rate. That tends to happen at this stage of the season and he should be firing in plenty more winners. NOEMIE DE LA VIS had one start over hurdles in France, where she finished second at Compiegne. The daughter of Morandi was three-and-a-half lengths adrift of the winner that day and had every chance as they jumped the second-last but didn't quite have the turn of foot required to come out on top. She may be better suited to the style of racing in Ireland and the 2m4f trip is likely to help.
