March 15 / 14.30 Thurles

14.30

Good To Yielding

Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase (Grade 3)

  • Prize money: £14628.1
  • 2m 4f 176y
  • 5 runners
RTV
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Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase (Grade 3)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

OUR TIP

8/1 (Won)

  • Win: £19.30
  • Place: £2.90

Form: 10-P15

Last run: 197 days

W: 11st 1lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 131

Form & Verdict
Useful hurdler came back to form (after a break) to win on chasing debut over 2m at Wexford last summer, not seen since never counting but not beaten that far in a good-class rated novice at same venue in August; lack of a recent run a concern but has run well fresh; not totally proven at this trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14

30th Jul 2025

Good

2m 6f 111y

18:40 Galway

Common Practice

11st 3lb

J: Simon Torrens

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Won a Thurles Grade 3 novice chase in March before a solid Punchestown fourth behind Sea Music; placed in a 20-runner Flat handicap at the Curragh in May; stablemate of the strongly-fancied Nurburgring, and same colours as another leading fancy Down Memory Lane.

16/1

6

(11)

25th May 2025

Good

1m 6f 0y

16:50 Curragh

Common Practice

9st 5lb

J: Dylan Browne McMonagle

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Second runner for yard; useful dual-purpose sort scored sole Flat win over 1m4f at this track in 2022; mostly jumping since and won a Thurles Grade 3 novice chase in March before a fine Punchestown fourth; respected back on the level.

6/1

5/4

  • Place: £1.02

Form: 1P2-21 C

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 1lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 148

Form & Verdict
Smart novice hurdler last season, rated 148 following second to stablemate Dancing City in 3m Grade 1 Punchestown novice; has made a good start to chasing career at same venue, second to a more experienced type over 3m before stepping up on that form to win 2m6f beginners last month; bypassed Cheltenham for this and big player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

2nd May 2026

Yielding

3m 0f 104y

15:45 Punchestown

High Class Hero

11st 12lb

J: Sean Cleary-Farrell

T: W P Mullins

Sole chase win came in 2m7f beginners' here last season but some fine runs in competitive handicaps, fourth in last season's bet365 Gold Cup and this term when second in 2m6f handicap here and most notably chasing clear leader when blundering last in 4m2f Aintree National and weakening late on when fifth of 16 finishers (good-to-soft); tendency to jump left is a negative but could go well if putting it all together here (in-form rider's claim a positive).

10/1

5th

18

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

High Class Hero

10st 11lb

J: James Bowen

T: W P Mullins

One positive is his staying-on third over an extended 3m4f in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown (good; 5lb higher today) last April; another is that he's trained by Willie Mullins, who described him in November as likely to be "an ideal type for the Grand National"; after a solid reappearance, he's been pulled up in good handicaps on his last two outings but both were in the mud and he got loose before the latest, which presumably didn't help.

50/1

1

8th Mar 2026

Heavy

3m 0f 174y

16:02 Naas

High Class Hero

11st 12lb

J: Anna McGuinness

T: W P Mullins

Four-time hurdles winner; won Punchestown beginners' chase last February; beaten at short odds in a Thurles Grade 3 next time; better effort upped to 3m4f at Sandown when third (good); positive seasonal return at Punchestown when a 4.5l runner-up (2m6f, soft to heavy); weakened before three out and pulled up in Thyestes last time (3m1f, heavy); must shoulder top weight here again.

10/1

Form: 480414 C

Last run: 84 days

W: 11st 1lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Surpassed anything he achieved over hurdles with debut chase win here over slightly further in November (good); just fair effort since back hurdling at this venue; could well have more to offer back chasing but faces some classy rivals.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

5

25th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 80y

18:35 Ballinrobe

Drumgill

11st 0lb

J: Daniel King

T: John Patrick Ryan

Three times a hurdles winner here and excellent second to well-treated winner in last year's renewal; lost form after but regained it in November when winning Listed handicap at Fairyhouse; below-par since then; back from a break and, given his track record, has to be respected.

14/1

2

7th Mar 2026

Heavy

2m 0f 0y

16:18 Gowran Park

Drumgill

11st 8lb

J: Michael Kenneally

T: John Patrick Ryan

Better form over shorter distances after being pulled up in the 3m4f Munster National; placed over C&D and Punchestown (2m5f, soft to heavy) before winning a competitive handicap chase at Fairyhouse (2m1f, yielding to soft) in November; set tough tasks on last three starts, this looks more realistic.

14/1

5th

4

22nd Feb 2026

Soft To Heavy

2m 0f 0y

16:30 Naas

Drumgill

11st 1lb

J: Daniel King

T: John Patrick Ryan

Has done well over shorter distances since pulled up in the 3m4f Munster National; placed at Gowran (2m, heavy) and Punchestown (2m5f, soft to heavy) before winning a listed handicap chase at Fairyhouse (2m1f, yielding to soft); tailed off in a Fairyhouse Grade 3 last month and beaten 15l in a Leopardstown handicap (2m1f, soft) last time; likely to find these to be too talented.

14/1

Form: -2611F CD

Last run: 41 days

W: 11st 1lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 136

Form & Verdict
Plenty of experience chasing, including winning C&D handicap in December (good) under today's rider; early faller when upped hugely in class in Grade 1 at DRF last month; place claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

29th Aug 2025

Good

3m 0f 0y

18:53 Down Royal

Prairie Dancer

11st 0lb

J: Danny Mullins

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Nine wins in all spheres with the last of those coming in a Thurles handicap chase last December; poor the last twice over hurdles including behind Happy Jacky at Cork; has to rebound

14/1

3

21st Aug 2025

Good

2m 1f 0y

17:07 Killarney

Prairie Dancer

11st 6lb

J: J J Slevin

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Flat winner who is now useful over hurdles and fences; runner-up over 2m4f at Clonmel before not staying 3m at Cork; exposed but shouldn't be far away.

7/1

21

31st Jul 2025

Good

2m 0f 11y

16:30 Galway

Prairie Dancer

10st 6lb

J: Aidan Kelly

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Twice placed in conditions races this summer; little appeal in this company; first reserve.

Form: 4366P

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 1lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Point-to-point winner on testing ground last season; 0-4 hurdling and pulled up on recent chase debut; looks out of depth here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

28th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 200y

18:50 Limerick

Committee Meeting

10st 11lb

J: Tiernan Power Roche

T: P J Rothwell

Point winner; displayed promise in maiden hurdles at Punchestown and Thurles; poor form last year in three chase starts; heavy defeat after break on handicap debut at Cork in April; can only be watched in first-time blinkers.

28/1

12th

14

5th Apr 2026

Good To Yielding

3m 0f 15y

15:35 Cork

Committee Meeting

10st 3lb

J: Dylan Robinson

T: P J Rothwell

Ran well in a maiden hurdle at Thurles in November 2024 but has struggled since, though has been set some tough tasks; this more realistic and worth a market check on return from a break on handicap debut.

25/1

Non-runners

Fun Fun Fun

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €20.10
Straight Forecast €16.43

Selections

RP RATINGS (IRE):

High Class Hero

SPOTLIGHT:

Fun Fun Fun

TOPSPEED:

Fun Fun Fun

POSTDATA:

High Class Hero

The Irish Sun:

High Class Hero