May 01 / 17.25 Punchestown

17.25

Yielding

Barberstown Castle Novice Chase (Grade 1)

  • Prize money: £60950.41
  • 2m 0f 75y
  • 6 runners
RTE2
View Course
Barberstown Castle Novice Chase (Grade 1)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly sunny

1/2 (Won)

  • Win: £1.37
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 31-113 D BF

Last run: 51 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 162

Form & Verdict
Lightly raced 5yo; won Triumph Hurdle (2m1f, heavy) at last year's Festival; despite some novicey jumps, he made it 2-2 over fences when winning Grade 1 Irish Arkle at Leopardstown (2m1f, yielding) by 9l in February; made shuddering errors late on when third in the Arkle at Cheltenham, but rallied in the closing stages and was beaten only 0.75l; had Only By Night just ahead on that occasion but he will win if he cuts out the mistakes.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

28th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 0f 98y

18:05 Punchestown

Majborough

11st 12lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: W P Mullins

4-8 over fences; has a massive engine and has won three Grade 1s over fences, including when giving Marine Nationale a 19l beating in first-time cheekpieces at the DRF; however, his jumping is often erratic and the cheekpieces weren't as effective when he again jumped poorly when soundly beaten in the Champion Chase; obvious chance if he jumps well but hard to know what to expect; a risky proposition.

9/4

7th

8

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Majborough

11st 10lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: W P Mullins

Talented youngster who triumphed in the Triumph at this meeting in 2024 and shaped like the best horse when close third in last year's Arkle, which he would likely have won but for late mistakes that included a howler two out; again lacked fluency when beaten twice in December but took very well to first-time cheekpieces and jumped better on his way to a highly impressive performance in the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown (2m1f, soft) since, beating 2025 Champion Chase winner Marine Nationale by 19l; good chance of following up in the retained headgear, provided the form is confirmed and a reversion to errors is avoided.

5/6

1st

3

1st Feb 2026

Soft To Heavy

2m 1f 0y

14:10 Leopardstown

Majborough

11st 12lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: W P Mullins

The 2024 Triumph Hurdle winner turned into a top-class novice chaser last season, winning Grade 1s over C&D and at Punchestown; however, he had jumping frailties too and they resurfaced on return at Cork behind Found A Fifty; a decent effort back over C&D last time but has ground to make up on Solness and Marine National on that form; cheekpieces added.

15/8

3/1

  • Place: £1.90

Form: 3-1112 D

Last run: 51 days

W: 11st 5lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 150

Form & Verdict
Progressive mare whose record of 3-4 since switched to chasing features wins in Cork Grade 2 and Exeter Listed event, both against her own sex; belied her 25-1 odds with excellent second in dramatic Arkle most recently, edging ahead and looking the likely winner on the run-in only to be collared by the fast-finishing winner close home; had Majborough behind on that occasion but she might be reliant on the Mullins runner to falter in the jumping department again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

1st May 2026

Yielding

2m 4f 55y

16:50 Punchestown

Only By Night

11st 3lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

Last year's Arkle runner-up is 4-8 over fences; won a Naas Grade 3 on her seasonal return in November; disappointed in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown a month later but back on song when chasing Dinoblue home in the Mares' Chase at Cheltenham; big player again here.

9/4

2nd

4

13th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

14:40 Cheltenham

Only By Night

11st 5lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

Runner-up in the Arkle here (2m, good to soft) 12 months ago and returned from a break with a game win Grade 3 against males at Naas (2m, soft) in November; unproven at today's trip and well beaten in Grade 1 against males at Leopardstown (2m1f, yielding) in December, but was badly hampered at the second fence; has an each-way shout if seeing out the distance.

7/1

2nd

6

1st May 2025

Yielding

2m 0f 75y

17:25 Punchestown

Only By Night

11st 5lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

Progressive mare whose record of 3-4 since switched to chasing features wins in Cork Grade 2 and Exeter Listed event, both against her own sex; belied her 25-1 odds with excellent second in dramatic Arkle most recently, edging ahead and looking the likely winner on the run-in only to be collared by the fast-finishing winner close home; had Majborough behind on that occasion but she might be reliant on the Mullins runner to falter in the jumping department again.

3/1

Form: 2-8313 D

Last run: 179 days

W: 11st 12lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 144

Form & Verdict
Versatile dual-purpose performer is 3-17 on the Flat and 8-38 under rules; won Galway beginners' chase (2m2f, good to yielding) last September and third in 2m4f Cork Grade 3 in November; ran well on the Flat after 155-day break when beaten 2l at Gowran over 1m6f last month; plenty to find on these terms.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

5

1st Jun 2026

Yielding

2m 3f 0y

16:07 Listowel

Jesse Evans

11st 2lb

J: Sam Ewing

T: Noel Meade

Five-time hurdle winner who is 1-9 over fences, though was runner-up in last summer's Galway Plate; all the sharper for his comeback run when beaten 4l in a 2m4f Grade 3 at Killarney three weeks ago and he's a player on these terms.

5/2

3rd

3

11th May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 4f 100y

18:37 Killarney

Jesse Evans

11st 0lb

J: Donagh Meyler

T: Noel Meade

Five-time hurdle winner who is 1-8 over fences, though was runner-up in last summer's Galway Plate; his below-par run in a Grade 3 handicap only 12 days ago (after a lengthy break) dampens enthusiasm.

4/1

5th

2

29th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 4f 80y

17:25 Punchestown

Jesse Evans

11st 12lb

J: Donagh Meyler

T: Noel Meade

Versatile 10yo won Grade 3 over hurdles last summer before finishing fine second in 2m6f Galway Plate off 148; absent since runner-up over hurdles at Tipperary in October, so may need this although ground in his favour.

12/1

Form: -17312 D

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Record of 4-10 (hurdles/fences) for current yard; scored off a low weight in Class 2 handicap chase at Doncaster (2m, good) in March off 130; faced a much stiffer assignment in Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree but produced career-best when runner-up to Kalif Du Berlais, no match for the winner; deserves a crack at this but likely to come up short.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

25th Apr 2026

Good

1m 7f 99y

Class 1

14:55 Sandown

Brookie

11st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Has proved difficult to place since last win in March 2025 and form has taken a downturn of late; has the worst chance at the weights back up in class.

66/1

13th

3

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 176y

Class 1

16:40 Aintree

Brookie

11st 13lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Pulled up in Ascot handicap in November and tailed off on sole outing since in the Champion Chase last month; it's hard to say what sort of form he's in but this C&D brought out the very best in him when runner-up in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase (good) 12 months ago; could go well back here.

16/1

8th

1

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Brookie

11st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Lacked fluency and ran poorly at Ascot when last seen; ran creditably in C&D handicap the time before but that form is a long way below Champion Chase standard and he's comfortably held by Majborough on Punchestown festival running; has the worst chance on ratings.

125/1

Form: 11F215 D

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Prolific over hurdles (including Grade 2 wins) and 1l second to classy yardstick in Grade 2 Kingmaker at Warwick (2m, soft) in February on second chase start, before going one better in Grade 2 Pendil at Kempton (2m4f, good to soft); well below that level last time when fifth in Grade 1 Manifesto Novices' at Aintree and he's likely to struggle against the market principles.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

25th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 110y

Class 1

16:02 Sandown

Rubaud

11st 10lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Form dipped in Cheltenham Festival handicap returned to fences last time; multiple Grade 2 winner but has raced mostly at about 2m and isn't crying out for this step back up in trip; first go beyond a sharp 2m4f.

14/1

3

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Rubaud

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Listed/Grade 2 wins over hurdles this term; goes back over fences for the first time since last May and he's 1-5 in this sphere, the win coming in a Grade 2 novice last February; sixth of 15 off this mark in the Scottish Champion Hurdle in April 2024 when he last tackled a handicap; may be vulnerable.

16/1

2nd

1

14th Feb 2026

Heavy

1m 7f 50y

Class 1

13:35 Wincanton

Rubaud

11st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Paul Nicholls

Front-runner who is 2-3 since returned to hurdles from fences, winning races at Kempton (Listed) and Wincanton (Elite Hurdle) that he also took in 2023 and 2024; held in a 9l third at Kempton on Boxing Day but that was behind Sir Gino in a Grade 1 and he's strongly respected on this drop back in class; most of his wins have been on good ground but he's effective on soft.

7/4

OUR TIP

Form: 142 D

Last run: 61 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 143

Form & Verdict
Physically imposing sort; placed twice in point-to-points; caused major upset with 150-1 Leopardstown beginners' win (2m1f, good to yielding) on rules debut in December; set a tough task in the Irish Arkle at the DRF but ran respectable in the circumstances; no match for Champ Kiely when runner-up in Navan Grade 3 over 2m in March; unlikely winner.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

1st May 2025

Yielding

2m 0f 75y

17:25 Punchestown

Jeannot Lapin

11st 12lb

J: Ricky Doyle

T: Gearoid O’Loughlin

Physically imposing sort; placed twice in point-to-points; caused major upset with 150-1 Leopardstown beginners' win (2m1f, good to yielding) on rules debut in December; set a tough task in the Irish Arkle at the DRF but ran respectable in the circumstances; no match for Champ Kiely when runner-up in Navan Grade 3 over 2m in March; unlikely winner.

18/1

6th

2

1st May 2025

Yielding

2m 0f 75y

17:25 Punchestown

Jeannot Lapin

11st 12lb

J: Ricky Doyle

T: Gearoid O’Loughlin

Physically imposing sort; placed twice in point-to-points; caused major upset with 150-1 Leopardstown beginners' win (2m1f, good to yielding) on rules debut in December; set a tough task in the Irish Arkle at the DRF but ran respectable in the circumstances; no match for Champ Kiely when runner-up in Navan Grade 3 over 2m in March; unlikely winner.

18/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €2.40
Straight Forecast €2.63
Trifecta €18.50

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Majborough

TOPSPEED:

Only By Night

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Majborough

The Irish Sun:

Majborough

POSTDATA:

Only By Night