February 23 / 14.50 Naas

14.50

Heavy

Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle (Grade 3)

  • Prize money: £14628.1
  • 2m 4f 0y
  • 5 runners
RTV
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Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle (Grade 3)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

4/1 (Won)

  • Win: £6.00
  • Place: £1.50

Form: 2-1751 D

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Point/bumper winner; improved from his hurdling debut to win a four-runner maiden over this trip at Navan; faces a tough task against Fleur In The Park whose experience in good company is a significant asset.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

30th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 0f 75y

17:25 Punchestown

Jacobs Ladder

11st 12lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Grade 3 novice hurdle winner over 2m4f last season but is comfortable at this trip too; got off the mark over fences at Fairyhouse before winning a valuable Leopardstown handicap and Navan Grade 3, all over approx' 2m; fine fourth in the WillowWarm Gold Cup last time at 2m4f; can be involved.

14/1

4th

2

5th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 4f 0y

17:00 Fairyhouse

Jacobs Ladder

11st 10lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Grade 3 novice hurdle winner at Naas last season; off the mark over fences at third attempt, taking a 2m beginners' at this venue in first-time cheekpieces; split today's rivals Kappa JyPyke and Predators Gold in a Grade 3 event over a near-2m4f trip at Punchestown; won a DRF handicap and has since landed the odds in a 2m Grade 3 at Navan.

6/1

1st

3

28th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 0f 0y

15:35 Navan

Jacobs Ladder

11st 1lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Grade 3 novice hurdle winner at Naas last season; off the mark over fences at third attempt, taking a 2m Fairyhouse beginners' in first-time cheekpieces; split two Mullins-trained runners in a Grade 3 event over a near-2m4f trip at Punchestown; made a stylish entry to handicap company at the DRF and can continue on an upward curve; no issues with trip or ground.

4/5

100/30

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 17-41P C

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
2m4f heavy ground bumper winner at Leopardstown last season; made all for a 2m maiden win on heavy ground at this venue; struggled in 2m6f Leopardstrown Grade 1 won by stablemate Final Demand; likely to be competitive at this level.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

2nd May 2026

Yielding

3m 0f 104y

15:45 Punchestown

Joystick

11st 4lb

J: Brian Hayes

T: W P Mullins

Much improved to win 3m Navan beginners' in January on testing ground; stiff tasks since, too keen and didn't get home in Brown Advisory and never counted when pulled up in Irish National; cheekpieces added now and has a bit to prove off this mark.

20/1

7th

3

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 0y

Class 1

14:00 Cheltenham

Joystick

11st 7lb

J: Brian Hayes

T: W P Mullins

Big improvement on third chase start when beating Slade Steel at Navan (3m, soft to heavy) in January; runner-up had his measure that day before stamina came into it, so it's hard to imagine he is up to this higher level.

66/1

1st

3

17th Jan 2026

Soft To Heavy

3m 0f 0y

14:25 Navan

Joystick

11st 12lb

J: Brian Hayes

T: W P Mullins

1-5 over hurdles and rated 129; a distant fourth behind stablemate Jimmy Du Seuil in a strong beginners' event at Fairyhouse on chase debut; made a couple of mistakes and was tailed off in the Fairyhouse event in which stablemate Kaid D'Authie beat Wingmen.

10/1

Form: 4138P4

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Won 2m Listowel maiden hurdle last September; mixed form since; third in 2m5f Listed novice hurdle at Limerick; midfield in 3m handicap at Punchestown; pulled up in a valuable 3m handicap at Dublin Racing Festival; fair run here on latest but meets Fleur In The Park on 13lb worse than handicap terms
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

3

30th Apr 2025

Yielding

2m 3f 58y

15:05 Punchestown

A Tipp For Gold

11st 8lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: Declan Queally

led, hit 3 out, reduced lead then 3 out

16/1

7th

3

30th Apr 2025

Yielding

2m 3f 58y

15:05 Punchestown

A Tipp For Gold

11st 8lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: Declan Queally

led, hit 3 out, reduced lead then 3 out

16/1

1

6th Apr 2025

Yielding

2m 4f 0y

14:35 Fairyhouse

A Tipp For Gold

11st 3lb

J: Kevin Sexton

T: Declan Queally

Listowel maiden hurdle winner last autumn and some solid efforts in decent company since; however, is held by several of these on that form and looks a place prospect at best.

22/1

OUR TIP

Form: 4-1324

Last run: 59 days

W: 11st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Solid bumper form, highlighted by a Roscommon win and second to the smart William Munny at this venue; has held his own in Graded races since maiden hurdle win at Wexford; has strong claims based on his neck second to The Yellow Clay over this trip at Navan; outstayed over 2m7f at Limerick, this should suit better.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

28th Apr 2026

Yielding

3m 0f 213y

16:50 Punchestown

Fleur In The Park

11st 10lb

J: Cian Quirke

T: Andrew Slattery

Won a 2m beginners' chase at Wexford in October; went close in a 2m Grade 2 here in November; after a break, well below his best at Thurles in March; career-best with the help of new hold-up tactics when outsider of eight in Grade 1 Fairyhouse, beating Kappa Jy Pyke; third in a Grade 1 novice hurdle here a year ago; fair chance of staying this far.

8/1

1st

1

5th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 4f 0y

17:00 Fairyhouse

Fleur In The Park

11st 10lb

J: Cian Quirke

T: Andrew Slattery

Smart novice hurdler at up to 3m last season; made a solid chasing debut at Gowran over 2m4f; won over 2m at Wexford in October; went close in a 2m Grade 2 contest at Punchestown in November; well below his best over an extended 2m5f at Thurles last time; faces a stiff task at this level.

25/1

5th

3

5th Mar 2026

Soft To Heavy

2m 5f 110y

14:28 Thurles

Fleur In The Park

10st 13lb

J: Cian Quirke

T: Andrew Slattery

Won a 2m maiden hurdle at Wexford last year and often ran well in defeat in graded novice company up to 3m; made a solid chasing debut at Gowran over 2m4f; no problem with a drop to 2m at Wexford in October; went close in a 2m Grade 2 contest at Punchestown in November, no issue with a return to a longer trip.

15/8

Form: -63131 D

Last run: 64 days

W: 11st 3lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Point winner in 2023; was running over hurdles for the sixth time when winning a 2m3f maiden at Clonmel last November; stayed on for third in a 2m4f novice hurdle at Fairyhouse later that month; appreciated the step up in trip when scoring over 2m7f at Thurles two months ago.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

14:30 Aintree

Brave Fortune

11st 7lb

J: J J Slevin

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Irish 7yo whose broadly progressive form switched to chasing this season features a comfortable win at Roscommon (sole attempt over 3m1f; good) in the summer and good second in Thurles handicap (2m5f, yielding) last time; still reasonably unexposed and looks interesting back up in distance.

6/1

2nd

2

18th Jan 2026

Yielding

2m 4f 198y

14:50 Thurles

Brave Fortune

11st 11lb

J: Danny Mullins

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Winning pointer and twice successful over hurdles for Pat Doyle; took third behind subsequent Galway Plate winner Western Fold on chasing debut before comfortably justifying favouritism next time at Roscommon (3m1f, good); made stable debut back from a break in a five-runner novice event at Fairyhouse last time when a distant fourth (2m5f, soft); shaped as though he would come on for the run that day.

8/1

1

9th Jun 2025

Good

3m 1f 24y

19:08 Roscommon

Brave Fortune

11st 12lb

J: Jack Doyle

T: P M J Doyle

Winning pointer who won twice over hurdles, including a 3l defeat of Heroes Rise at Thurles in December; matched that RPR when third on recent chase debut; good chance.

3/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €11.30
Straight Forecast €17.83
Trifecta €53.40

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Fleur In The Park

POSTDATA:

Joystick

TOPSPEED:

Brave Fortune

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Fleur In The Park

The Irish Sun:

Joystick