16:55 Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle (Grade 1)

1st

11

Saratoga

J: Mark Walsh

T: Padraig Roche

5/1 (Won)

Win: £5.50
Place: £1.70

Form: 3321 D

Last run: 53 days

W: 11st 0lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 140

Form & Verdict

Flat winner for Aidan O'Brien; hinted there was a bigger performance in him when placed in first three maiden hurdles, one over this C&D (yielding) and twice at Naas on softer ground; duly delivered the goods on handicap debut, winning the Fred Winter at Cheltenham (2m, gd-sft) by 2.25l off 130; steps into Grade 1 company for the first time and very much respected.

Place / No / Draw	Date / Going / Distance / Class	Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer	Verdict	Starting price
1st 11	2nd May 2026 Yielding 2m 0f 0y	16:55 Punchestown Saratoga 11st 0lb J: Mark Walsh T: Padraig Roche	Flat winner for Aidan O'Brien; hinted there was a bigger performance in him when placed in first three maiden hurdles, one over this C&D (yielding) and twice at Naas on softer ground; duly delivered the goods on handicap debut, winning the Fred Winter at Cheltenham (2m, gd-sft) by 2.25l off 130; steps into Grade 1 company for the first time and very much respected.	5/1
1st 9	10th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 2m 0f 87y Class 1	14:40 Cheltenham Saratoga 11st 6lb J: Mark Walsh T: Padraig Roche	Six Flat runs for Aidan O'Brien, best form at 1m6f/2m; jumping was ropey in his first two defeats over hurdles but that part of his game improved when a rallying second in a rated hurdle at Naas (soft to heavy) that has delivered four of the last seven winners of this race; probably peaking at the right time when this has all the hallmarks of a long-term plan; seems versatile ground-wise; lots to like.	13/2
2nd 6	7th Feb 2026 Soft 1m 7f 158y	13:05 Naas Saratoga 11st 0lb J: Mark Walsh T: Padraig Roche	Flat winner for Ballydoyle over 1m6f on heavy (rated 92); promising hurdles debut when never-nearer third (3.25l behind Minella Boss) at Punchestown on New Year's Eve and probably similar level of form in C&D maiden last month, still novicey in jumping; gives the impression improvement likely given better jumping.	9/1

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

1st

11

2nd May 2026

Yielding

2m 0f 0y

11st 0lb

Flat winner for Aidan O'Brien; hinted there was a bigger performance in him when placed in first three maiden hurdles, one over this C&D (yielding) and twice at Naas on softer ground; duly delivered the goods on handicap debut, winning the Fred Winter at Cheltenham (2m, gd-sft) by 2.25l off 130; steps into Grade 1 company for the first time and very much respected.

5/1

1st

9

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 87y

Class 1

11st 6lb

Six Flat runs for Aidan O'Brien, best form at 1m6f/2m; jumping was ropey in his first two defeats over hurdles but that part of his game improved when a rallying second in a rated hurdle at Naas (soft to heavy) that has delivered four of the last seven winners of this race; probably peaking at the right time when this has all the hallmarks of a long-term plan; seems versatile ground-wise; lots to like.

13/2

2nd

6

7th Feb 2026

Soft

1m 7f 158y

11st 0lb

Flat winner for Ballydoyle over 1m6f on heavy (rated 92); promising hurdles debut when never-nearer third (3.25l behind Minella Boss) at Punchestown on New Year's Eve and probably similar level of form in C&D maiden last month, still novicey in jumping; gives the impression improvement likely given better jumping.

9/1

2nd

2

Bartholomew

J: Ricky Doyle

T: Martin Brassil

11/1

Place: £2.30

Form: 41 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 0lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict

Minor promise in three runs on the Flat (rated 76); nice run on hurdles debut at Leopardstown in December; built on that to land a Cork maiden (yielding) under a positive ride in a first-time tongue tie (retained), beating a 121 rated horse by 10l; this is harder but he's well-regarded and unexposed; could go well, though the forecast rain is a concern.

Place / No / Draw	Date / Going / Distance / Class	Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer	Verdict	Starting price
2nd 2	2nd May 2026 Yielding 2m 0f 0y	16:55 Punchestown Bartholomew 11st 0lb J: Ricky Doyle T: Martin Brassil	Minor promise in three runs on the Flat (rated 76); nice run on hurdles debut at Leopardstown in December; built on that to land a Cork maiden (yielding) under a positive ride in a first-time tongue tie (retained), beating a 121 rated horse by 10l; this is harder but he's well-regarded and unexposed; could go well, though the forecast rain is a concern.	11/1
1st 1	5th Apr 2026 Good To Yielding 2m 0f 70y	13:15 Cork Bartholomew 11st 7lb J: Ricky Doyle T: Martin Brassil	Ability on the Flat and again on hurdling debut when a 6.75l fourth of 19 in a Leopardstown maiden (2m, yielding) in December; off since and could go close if the new tongue tie ekes out a bit more.	13/2
3 (8)	16th Oct 2025 Yielding 1m 4f 0y	16:10 Curragh Bartholomew 9st 8lb J: Nathan Crosse T: N Stokes	Not a bad effort on debut over 1m2f at this course behind a potentially smart sort; similar run at Dundalk since and will have to improve a fair bit for this extra trip.	22/1

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

2nd

2

2nd May 2026

Yielding

2m 0f 0y

11st 0lb

Minor promise in three runs on the Flat (rated 76); nice run on hurdles debut at Leopardstown in December; built on that to land a Cork maiden (yielding) under a positive ride in a first-time tongue tie (retained), beating a 121 rated horse by 10l; this is harder but he's well-regarded and unexposed; could go well, though the forecast rain is a concern.

11/1

1st

1

5th Apr 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 0f 70y

11st 7lb

Ability on the Flat and again on hurdling debut when a 6.75l fourth of 19 in a Leopardstown maiden (2m, yielding) in December; off since and could go close if the new tongue tie ekes out a bit more.

13/2

3

(8)

16th Oct 2025

Yielding

1m 4f 0y

9st 8lb

Not a bad effort on debut over 1m2f at this course behind a potentially smart sort; similar run at Dundalk since and will have to improve a fair bit for this extra trip.

22/1

6th

9

One Horse Town

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Harry Derham

33/1

Form: 113220 D

Last run: 50 days

W: 11st 0lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict

British raider from yard that had a Grade 1 winner here earlier this week; won first four starts over hurdles on varying ground; fine run when 2l behind Maestro Conti in Cheltenham Grade 2 in January (2m1f, soft); beaten 13l when runner up in another Grade 2 at Kempton; beaten 26l in the Triumph on latest; much more needed.

Place / No / Draw	Date / Going / Distance / Class	Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer	Verdict	Starting price
6th 9	2nd May 2026 Yielding 2m 0f 0y	16:55 Punchestown One Horse Town 11st 0lb J: Paul O’Brien T: Harry Derham	British raider from yard that had a Grade 1 winner here earlier this week; won first four starts over hurdles on varying ground; fine run when 2l behind Maestro Conti in Cheltenham Grade 2 in January (2m1f, soft); beaten 13l when runner up in another Grade 2 at Kempton; beaten 26l in the Triumph on latest; much more needed.	33/1
13th 14	13th Mar 2026 Good 2m 0f 179y Class 1	13:20 Cheltenham One Horse Town 11st 2lb J: Paul O’Brien T: Harry Derham	Often front-runner; won his first four hurdle races and placed in three better contests since; gave 2lb when 2l second to Maestro Conti in Grade 2 over C&D on penultimate outing, but the winner left the more positive impression; useful but his limitations are likely to be evident again.	50/1
2nd 1	21st Feb 2026 Good To Soft 2m 0f 0y Class 1	13:45 Kempton One Horse Town 11st 5lb J: Paul O’Brien T: Harry Derham	1m4f winner on Flat; has taken well to hurdling, winning his first four races and running up to his best when 2l second to the unbeaten Maestro Conti in Grade 2 at Cheltenham (2m1f, soft) four weeks ago, headed only on run-in; successful over C&D; likely to give another good account of himself.	11/4

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

6th

9

2nd May 2026

Yielding

2m 0f 0y

11st 0lb

British raider from yard that had a Grade 1 winner here earlier this week; won first four starts over hurdles on varying ground; fine run when 2l behind Maestro Conti in Cheltenham Grade 2 in January (2m1f, soft); beaten 13l when runner up in another Grade 2 at Kempton; beaten 26l in the Triumph on latest; much more needed.

33/1

13th

14

13th Mar 2026

Good

2m 0f 179y

Class 1

11st 2lb

Often front-runner; won his first four hurdle races and placed in three better contests since; gave 2lb when 2l second to Maestro Conti in Grade 2 over C&D on penultimate outing, but the winner left the more positive impression; useful but his limitations are likely to be evident again.

50/1

2nd

1

21st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 1

11st 5lb

1m4f winner on Flat; has taken well to hurdling, winning his first four races and running up to his best when 2l second to the unbeaten Maestro Conti in Grade 2 at Cheltenham (2m1f, soft) four weeks ago, headed only on run-in; successful over C&D; likely to give another good account of himself.

11/4

OUR TIP

1