January 12 / 12.55 Punchestown

12.55

Frozen

Sky Bet, For The Fans Novice Chase (Grade 3)

  • Prize money: £17797.52
  • 2m 3f 93y
  • 4 runners
RTV
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Sky Bet, For The Fans Novice Chase (Grade 3)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

7/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.25

Form: 2355-1 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Good novice hurdler last season; started off over fences by accounting for Supreme Novices' winner Slade Steel over 2m4f at Naas last month; can only improve and looks the one to beat here, especially going right-handed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Lecky Watson

11st 2lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: W P Mullins

Unraced beyond 3m2f; came into his own as a novice last term, notably in the 3m Grade 1 at Cheltenham Festival which he won by 4l from Stellar Story; no impact at the top level in Ireland this season and he clambered over the final fence on his way to a heavy defeat behind several of today's rivals in a Grade 3 last time, so current prospects don't look so bright.

33/1

8th

1

21st Feb 2026

Heavy

3m 2f 0y

15:15 Fairyhouse

Lecky Watson

11st 12lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: W P Mullins

Leading novice chaser last season, unbeaten in three completed starts; beat Stellar Story by 4l in the Brown Advisory but fell at the fifth at the Punchestown festival; never sighted in the John Durkan on return and soundly beaten in the Savills (ahead of Stellar Story but behind Grangeclare West); pulled up in the Irish Gold Cup last time; top-weight looks up against it.

14/1

10

2nd Feb 2026

Soft To Heavy

3m 0f 100y

15:30 Leopardstown

Lecky Watson

11st 10lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: W P Mullins

A leading novice chaser last season when unbeaten in three completed starts; took advantage of Ballyburn's failure to beat Stellar Story in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham; fell at the fifth in a 3m1f Grade 1 event won by Champ Kiely at the Punchestown festival; never involved in the John Durkan on reappearance; soundly beaten in the Savills.

33/1

Form: /13-13

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Made a good start over fences when landing a beginners chase at Navan in November; jumping let him down somewhat in a Grade 1 at Sandown last month; step up in trip is likely to suit and unlikely to be far away here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

29th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 4f 80y

17:25 Punchestown

Down Memory Lane

11st 12lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: Gordon Elliott

Both chase wins have come at Navan, notably 2m5f Listed handicap in December off 144 (soft-to-heavy); Cheltenham run put a line through as badly hampered early on, but recent Grade 2 Fairyhouse effort was a lacklustre one; cheekpieces now reached for and joint top-weight has a bit to prove.

10/1

5th

5

6th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 3f 180y

16:20 Fairyhouse

Down Memory Lane

11st 4lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: Gordon Elliott

Won his bumper here; both chase wins have come at Navan; won a 20.5f Listed handicap chase on testing ground there off 144 in December; disappointed when third-favourite for the Plate Handicap at Cheltenham; better than that and has a good chance at the weights; can't be discounted.

6/1

2

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 44y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Down Memory Lane

11st 12lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

His campaigns can be short and not always sweet but he's had some excuses since making a sparkling chase debut at Navan (2m1f, yielding) in late 2024, including when returning with some mucus in a nostril in the Galway Plate last July; right back on his game when confidently ridden to win at Navan (about 2m4f, soft to heavy) in December, despite suffering some interference, and his best days could still lie ahead.

10/1

Form: F9-212 D BF

Last run: 49 days

W: 11st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Grade 1-winning novice hurdler; did well to win a beginners chase at Naas in November convincingly before he was no match for stablemate Touch Me Not in a Grade 2 here two weeks later; gradually improving over fences and the trip will suit but needs to improve.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

5

25th May 2026

Good

2m 2f 72y

16:30 Ballinrobe

Farren Glory

11st 2lb

J: Josh Williamson

T: Gordon Elliott

2-10 over hurdles and rated 143; Grade 1 novice winner at Fairyhouse in December 2023 but that was his last win in this sphere; vast majority of best form is on soft and heavy ground, so could probably do with some rain; would be getting 9lb from Daddy Long Legs in a handicap; place claims.

15/8

OUR TIP

Form: 41P-31 C

Last run: 33 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 132

Form & Verdict
Dual winner over hurdles; behind Farren Glory in a beginners chase at Wexford in October; jumped stickily at times but won well over 2m here last month; much more needed but going the right way and probably stays this trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

27th May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 1f 0y

17:12 Wexford

Ifiwerearichman

11st 9lb

J: Sean Flanagan

T: Paul Nolan

Won a Punchestown novice chase in December 2024; ran only twice last season; now set for a first hurdles start since jumping badly at Listowel in September 2023; had previously produced a career-best when winning a handicap at the Galway festival; hard to be confident about his prospects.

6/1

2

27th Oct 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 7f 0y

15:30 Wexford

Ifiwerearichman

11st 0lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: Paul Nolan

Won a 2m Punchestown beginners' on second start in this sphere last year; was running well in a 2m4f Grade 3 at the same track when falling next time; questions having not been seen since.

12/1

2

27th Oct 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 7f 0y

15:30 Wexford

Ifiwerearichman

11st 0lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: Paul Nolan

Won a 2m Punchestown beginners' on second start in this sphere last year; was running well in a 2m4f Grade 3 at the same track when falling next time; questions having not been seen since.

12/1

Non-runners

Search For Glory

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €3.00
Straight Forecast €3.59
Trifecta €5.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Lecky Watson

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Down Memory Lane

TOPSPEED:

Farren Glory

POSTDATA:

Lecky Watson

The Irish Sun:

Lecky Watson