THE rapidly-improving Frankendael will bid to extend his winning sequence over flights in the €100,000 Bar One Racing Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse next Sunday.

Trained by Eric McNamara, the five-year-old gelding was bought by his current trainer for just 13,000gns in Newmarket a year ago. The Camelot gelding was given a long winter break before his Irish debut over hurdles last June. He quickly progressed to winning his maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe in August, before recording a smooth success in a valuable handicap hurdle at the Listowel Festival.

Raised 10lb to 126 for that victory, Frankendael was switched to the flat in October when finishing a respectable third in a 12-furlong handicap. Now he is set to give his owners, the Forever Optimists Syndicate, another big day out at the Fairyhouse Winter Festival.

Speaking to The Irish Field, the in-form handler said: “He’s very fit, in good form and definitely runs at Fairyhouse unless the ground was good or quicker. He went up 8lb for winning and then another 2lb for standing in his box, so the handicapper hasn’t missed him. We can only hope he has improved enough to cope with his new mark. Conor McNamara will ride him.”

Asked how he discovered the horse at the sales, McNamara said: “He didn’t look particularly well on the day we bought him, but he had a bit of form on the flat and we just hoped that if we brought him home we could get him right and thankfully he is one of those purchases that worked out well.”

Among potential opponents for Frankendael at Fairyhouse are recent winners Kala Conti and The Busy Fool. Kala Conti has been put up 8lb for winning a valuable handicap at Down Royal earlier this month, while The Busy Fool - who won at Naas over the longer trip of two and a half miles - is now 7lb higher.

Mark Fahey’s Telecon is one to watch closely. Third in the Kala Conti race at Down Royal, he won a nice pot at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival in 2023 and looks to have another big payday in him.

Harry Derham has made a rare Irish entry for his recent Chepstow winner Washington. That was the horse’s first start for the stable and he did a lot wrong in the race, so he could have more improvement to come.

Top weight Best Years Yet is a fascinating entry. Yet to race in Ireland, this French import has been off the track for almost two years since winning a four-year-old hurdle at Auteuil by six lengths. That was over two and a quarter miles, so one suspects he may need more of a trip in time.

It’s going to be hard to beat Team Elliott in the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase. Responsible for 16 of the 25 entries, Elliott discusses his running plans elsewhere on these pages. Of the nine entries from other yards, the Henry de Bromhead-trained pair of Gorgeous Tom and Heart Wood stand out. This race is likely to be the final opportunity for Heart Wood to run in novice company (he won his first chase at the Dublin Racing Festival in February) and his official rating of 155 will give him a leading chance. It’s about the same rating I Am Maximus had when he won the Drinmore last year, coming into the race as a proven handicapper, much like Heart Wood.