February 20 / 13.25 Punchestown

13.25

Soft

Concept Colours Rated Novice Chase

  • Prize money: £10727.27
  • 2m 0f 0y
  • 6 runners
RTV
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Concept Colours Rated Novice Chase

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

Form: -53112 CD

Last run: 72 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
Soft-ground bumper winner; failed to win over hurdles; off the mark at the first attempt over fences in a beginners' event at Wexford; backed that up with emphatic C&D success in November; no match for the useful Ifiwerearichman here in December, but could go close despite penalty.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 176y

Class 1

16:40 Aintree

Jasko Des Dames

11st 3lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

Returned to form back on better ground when fifth, beaten just over 10l, in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham (2m, good); he led jumping two out at the Festival and this less demanding track could be right up his street.

12/1

5th

19

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Jasko Des Dames

10st 9lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

7l fifth in this last March (good to soft); runner-up on both starts in the autumn (including C&D) and soft ground may have been against him when down the field at Leopardstown (2m1f) last month; he's 5lb higher than 12 months ago but is not discounted each-way for his good Irish stable.

14/1

12th

7

2nd Feb 2026

Soft To Heavy

2m 1f 0y

16:05 Leopardstown

Jasko Des Dames

10st 13lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

Dual winner over fences as a novice last season and finished 7l fifth in the Grand Annual; Listowel effort on return was encouraging (2m1f, yielding to soft); no match for the Dan Skelton-trained Calico at Cheltenham in October; winner backed that up with an Ascot win.

13/2

OUR TIP

Form: 184-31 D

Last run: 56 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 129

Form & Verdict
No progress as a novice hurdler last season after winning on debut; made a satisfactory introduction to chasing when 19l third behind Ballyburn over 2m3f at this track in November; won in good style when dropped in trip at Limerick and ought to be competitive again in this grade.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

30th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 0f 75y

16:50 Punchestown

Release The Beast

11st 6lb

J: Eoin Staples

T: Paul Nolan

Second-season chaser who showed improved form when runner-up at Wexford and Leopardstown on his first two starts this season; Grand Annual fourth confirmed a level of form that makes him interesting in this company; good 5lb claimer.

5/1

4th

20

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Release The Beast

10st 9lb

J: Sean Flanagan

T: Paul Nolan

Second-season chaser who has shown improved form when runner-up on both starts this term, most recently second of 20 to Addragoole at Leopardstown (2m1f, yielding) in December; this unexposed 7yo could have even more to offer and might have a part to play; wears a first-time hood.

9/1

2

26th Oct 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 3f 130y

13:05 Wexford

Release The Beast

11st 7lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: Paul Nolan

Lightly-raced six-year-old who won Galway maiden hurdle on debut and looked good when winning a novice chase at Limerick last December (2m1f, yielding to soft); questions to answer on seasonal return following disappointing runs at Punchestown in February and Fairyhouse in April.

10/1

Form: 3F-531 D

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Winner of his only point start; Navan bumper winner last season in testing conditions; sent chasing after a well-beaten third behind the promising Workahead in a strong maiden hurdle at Leopardstown; adapted well when beating the useful Theatre Native at Fairyhouse; tongue-tie fitted for this more searching test.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

3

20th Apr 2025

Yielding To Soft

2m 0f 140y

13:52 Fairyhouse

Springt De La Mare

11st 6lb

J: Conor Stone-Walsh

T: Gavin Cromwell

His first two wins over fences included a defeat of this week's impressive Cheltenham winner Theatre Native; RPRs suggest he could be on a useful mark and forget last time as was found to be coughing.

6/1

8th

3

20th Apr 2025

Yielding To Soft

2m 0f 140y

13:52 Fairyhouse

Springt De La Mare

11st 6lb

J: Conor Stone-Walsh

T: Gavin Cromwell

His first two wins over fences included a defeat of this week's impressive Cheltenham winner Theatre Native; RPRs suggest he could be on a useful mark and forget last time as was found to be coughing.

6/1

6th

1

23rd Mar 2025

Good

2m 3f 120y

15:28 Limerick

Springt De La Mare

12st 6lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

held up in rear

5/2

Form: 110P-7 C

Last run: 90 days

W: 11st 5lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Smart 134-rated novice hurdler last season, twice a winner on heavy ground including a wide-margin success over 2m4f at this track; down the field in the Coral Cup; veterinary excuses when ending the season on a low note at Fairyhouse; made no impact on chasing debut at Tipperary three months ago and will probably need to pick up more experience.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

21st Mar 2026

Soft To Heavy

2m 7f 150y

16:17 Navan

Built By Ballymore

11st 9lb

J: Ricky Doyle

T: Martin Brassil

No wins since two hurdles two seasons ago at around 2m4f; much improved to take third in the Punchestown Grand National Trial in February (3m4f, heavy), coming from further back than first two; may have won a Listed contest at Naas last time (3m1f, soft to heavy) but unseated at the last when jumping into challenger; he's in form and no surprise to see him feature.

10/1

14

8th Mar 2026

Heavy

3m 0f 174y

16:02 Naas

Built By Ballymore

10st 0lb

J: Gavin Brouder

T: Martin Brassil

Two hurdles wins two seasons ago at around 2m4f; 0-3 chasing last term; never dangerous in opening two runs this season, however much improved in the Punchestown Grand National Trial (3m4f, heavy) last month when taking third; came from further back than the first two that day so deserves extra credit; 4lb wrong but in the mix with a repeat.

7/1

Form: 2P119- D

Last run: 296 days

W: 11st 5lb

8 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Point winner in 2021; bumper winner at Leopardstown in March 2022; won a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle and Ffos Las novice event near the end of last season, odds-on both times; made handicap hurdle debut here at the festival (rated 135) and was staying on when badly hampered at the last; not an easy assignment for chase debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

20th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 0f 0y

13:25 Punchestown

Rath Gaul Boy

11st 5lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

Point winner in 2021; bumper winner at Leopardstown in March 2022; won a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle and Ffos Las novice event near the end of last season, odds-on both times; made handicap hurdle debut here at the festival (rated 135) and was staying on when badly hampered at the last; not an easy assignment for chase debut.

11/2

Form: 513-46 D

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 5lb

8 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Point winner; won bumper on yard debut two seasons ago and added a 2m maiden hurdle success at Fairyhouse last March before a respectable Grade 2 third; fair chase debut at Leopardstown, remote sixth at Gowran when the outsider of yard's quintet.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14th

2

30th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 0f 75y

16:50 Punchestown

Western Diego

11st 11lb

J: Brian Hayes

T: W P Mullins

Inconsistent and just one win from his nine chase starts but that came in the Grade 3 Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap at Fairyhouse (2m1f, yielding) in January; weakened when fourth of 14 in a 2m1f DRF handicap, only 3l behind runner-up Golden Joy; Grand Annual faller.

12/1

10

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Western Diego

11st 0lb

J: Brian Hayes

T: W P Mullins

Inconsistent and just one win from his eight chase starts but that came in a Grade 3 novice at Fairyhouse (2m1f, yielding) in January; weakened when fourth of 14 in handicap at Leopardstown (2m1f, soft) last month and today's forecast better ground could help; looks the type who may prove well suited by this big-field scenario; not discounted for top Irish stable.

16/1

4th

5

2nd Feb 2026

Soft To Heavy

2m 1f 0y

16:05 Leopardstown

Western Diego

11st 3lb

J: Brian Hayes

T: W P Mullins

Struggled in his first two handicap chase attempts before getting the hang of things with experience; shaped more encouragingly when third behind Drumgill at Fairyhouse in November, and now on an upward curve following an emphatic defeat of stablemate More Coko at the same venue; fair chance of confirming form with the second on these terms.

9/2

Non-runners

Fascile Mode, Waterford Whispers

Selections

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Waterford Whispers

SPOTLIGHT:

Release The Beast

TOPSPEED:

Fascile Mode

POSTDATA:

Western Diego

The Irish Sun:

Waterford Whispers