June 09 / 17.08 Roscommon

17.08

Good

Castlerea Novice Chase

  • Prize money: £6095.04
  • 2m 0f 35y
  • 7 runners
RTV
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Castlerea Novice Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

Form: 13307-

Last run: 107 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Back to back wins over hurdles on good ground at Punchestown (19.5f) and Galway (20.5f) last summer; lost form since and switches to fences on return from a break; best watched over this sharp a trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

2nd Oct 2025

Good

3m 0f 0y

17:00 Clonmel

Donnie Devito

11st 3lb

J: Donagh Meyler

T: Ross O’Sullivan

Dual hurdles winner last year at about 2m4f; appeared to be getting the hang of things over fences with a 1l third at the Galway festival (2m6f, good) where What's Up Darling was 1.5l behind off level weights; avoids a penalty and a repeat of his latest effort should see him in the mix.

5/1

2

1st Aug 2025

Good

2m 6f 111y

17:30 Galway

Donnie Devito

11st 12lb

J: Donagh Meyler

T: Ross O’Sullivan

Followed up Punchestown maiden hurdle win with a novice success here last year (2m4f, good); out of form since; modest improvement upon chase debut to finish a 9.75l fourth of six at Wexford last time (2m3f, good); the return to this track needs to spark something.

20/1

Form: 9/PP2- D

Last run: 57 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Lost his way after showing a good level of ability over hurdles in 2023; his second last time was a remote one behind Pied Piper; chance if building on that but that's far from guaranteed given his overall profile.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

5

1st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 180y

Class 2

15:40 Musselburgh

Encanto Bruno

11st 5lb

J: Alex Harvey

T: John C McConnell

Career peak was in October 2023 on first start for Gavin Cromwell and he was well beaten when runner-up over fences last April and June; unraced beyond 2m4f under rules and now wears a hood for the first time; back with John McConnell, with whom he started his career.

25/1

OUR TIP

Form: 4P0-52 D

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
114-rated hurdler; improved on second chase start at Ballinrobe (2m1f, good) last month when chasing home Westport Cove; has placed here over hurdles; needs more to win but has a place chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

3

1st Jun 2026

Yielding

2m 3f 0y

16:07 Listowel

Itsalladream

11st 6lb

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

Has won a maiden hurdle and a novice chase; has looked a bit outclassed in Grade 3s in his last three races and a similar scenario seems likely in this company (well behind Jesse Evans last time).

50/1

5th

8

11th May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 4f 100y

18:37 Killarney

Itsalladream

10st 11lb

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

Has won a maiden hurdle and a novice chase; outclassed in a Grade 3 last time and similar scenario likely here.

66/1

5

15th Oct 2025

Good

2m 7f 39y

16:05 Punchestown

Itsalladream

11st 0lb

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

Highly tried since a Roscommon success in June, not in the same league as some of these.

50/1

Form: 35156- D

Last run: 38 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Sole win over hurdles in February in a Punchestown maiden on testing ground; not disgraced in Fairyhouse Grade 2 Novice hurdle in April (2m, yielding) but disappointed on latest; dam a half-sister to Sceau Royal so could improve for switch to fences; good ground is an unknown.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

25th May 2026

Good

2m 2f 72y

16:30 Ballinrobe

Runcok

11st 8lb

J: Alex Harvey

T: John C McConnell

Winning hurdler and chaser; rated 133 over timber; soundly beaten in chases at Galway and here when last seen last summer; has since left Willie Mullins; lacks a run and owners' retained rider JJ Slevin prefers Blizzard Of Oz.

12/1

2

25th Aug 2025

Good

2m 1f 48y

19:13 Ballinrobe

Runcok

11st 7lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

Rated 5lb inferior to King Of Kingsfield over hurdles; good level of form chasing but jumping remains an issue, faller when in command at Roscommon, none too fluent when making all at Tipperary and again made mistakes when well held in strong renewal of Grade 3 Galway novice dominated by stablemates last month; hood tried last time persisted with.

Evs

7th

6

31st Jul 2025

Good

2m 2f 54y

14:10 Galway

Runcok

11st 1lb

J: Danny Mullins

T: W P Mullins

Rated 141 over hurdles and similar level chasing after two attempts this summer; well clear when fell in Roscommon novice won by Itsalladream and again none too fluent at Tipperary when making all over 2m1f (yielding); 5yo a work in progress as a chaser and will have to jump better in this grade; hood tried.

7/1

Form: 5P10-3 D

Last run: 18 days

W: 11st 0lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Rated 125; 1-8 over fences, the win coming at Tramore in a mares' beginners in March (2m2f, gd-yld); placed in a Grade 3 novice chase over C&D last September; not beaten far in 2m4f Limerick mares' chase latest; this shorter trip more suitable and she holds leading claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

15th Oct 2025

Good

2m 0f 95y

14:30 Punchestown

A Law Of Her Own

11st 12lb

J: Sam Ewing

T: Peter Fahey

Won a mares' chase at Thurles (2m2f, good to yielding) in March; nothing in three subsequent starts over fences but ran a good race in the Galway Tribes back over hurdles in August; ultimately finished tailed off when stepped up in trip at Listowel last time (2m4f, good to yielding); drops another 1lb now.

12/1

13

27th Sep 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 4f 0y

15:20 Listowel

A Law Of Her Own

10st 10lb

J: Sam Ewing

T: Peter Fahey

Won a mares' chase at Thurles (2m2f, gd-yld) in March; came up dry in three subsequent starts over fences but ran a pleasing race in the Tribes on return to hurdling last month and 1lb lower now; best form at shorter than this.

14/1

6th

12

2nd Aug 2025

Good

2m 0f 175y

14:37 Galway

A Law Of Her Own

10st 9lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: Peter Fahey

Only win over hurdles came off this mark over C&D in a mares' handicap at the 2023 festival; chasing this year and won a mares' event at Thurles in March; hampered and unseated early on latest; not discounted on return to hurdling.

14/1

Form: /459-1 D

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 0lb

7 yo Filly

OR: 132

Form & Verdict
Top rated at 132; off the mark at the fourth attempt over fences in a mares' beginners' chase at Killarney (2m5f, yielding) last month; drops markedly in trip here but has smart form at around this distance over hurdles; well-treated by race conditions; obvious chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12

30th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 0f 75y

16:50 Punchestown

Birdie Or Bust

11st 4lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Henry De Bromhead

Very useful hurdler, two wins and third in 2024 Cheltenham Mares' Novices Hurdle; took a while to find her form over fences but won at Killarney and Listowel last year; second in Grade 3 novice here in October; never counted at Fairyhouse after a break.

16/1

9th

4

5th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 0f 140y

16:25 Fairyhouse

Birdie Or Bust

11st 7lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

Very useful hurdler, two wins and third in 2024 Cheltenham Mares' Novices Hurdle; took a while to find her form over fences but won at Killarney and Listowel last year, absent since decent second in Grade 3 Punchestown novice in October; has run well fresh so respected on return although trip on the short side.

8/1

2nd

5

15th Oct 2025

Good

2m 2f 75y

15:35 Punchestown

Birdie Or Bust

10st 12lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: Henry De Bromhead

Very useful hurdler, two wins and a third in the 2024 Cheltenham Mares' Novices Hurdle; took a while to find her form over fences before winning readily at Killarney in May; well beaten in fourth Grade 3 novice chase at Galway; had an excuse at Killarney, restored to form at Listowel; mares' allowance gives her a fighting chance against King Of Kingsfield.

13/8

Form: 44/P-5 D

Last run: 13 days

W: 10st 9lb

10 yo Mare

OR:

Form & Verdict
Two-time winner over timber, including at Listed level, back in 2022; hasn't shown enough in two starts since return from mammoth layoff; others appeal more.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

13th Jul 2025

Good

2m 1f 90y

15:00 Sligo

She Is Electric

11st 8lb

J: J J Slevin

T: Norman Lee

Two-time winner over hurdles, including at Listed level, back in 2022; hasn't shown anything in three starts since return from a mammoth layoff; passed over.

28/1

7

9th Jun 2025

Good

2m 0f 35y

17:08 Roscommon

She Is Electric

10st 9lb

J: Kevin Sexton

T: Norman Lee

Two-time winner over timber, including at Listed level, back in 2022; hasn't shown enough in two starts since return from mammoth layoff; others appeal more.

33/1

Selections

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Birdie Or Bust

SPOTLIGHT:

A Law Of Her Own

POSTDATA:

Birdie Or Bust

The Irish Sun:

Birdie Or Bust

TOPSPEED:

A Law Of Her Own