December 26 / 12.13 Down Royal

12.13

Good To Yielding

Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle (IRE Incentive Race)

  • Prize money: £9915.97
  • 2m 1f 0y
  • 7 runners
RTV
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Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle (IRE Incentive Race)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

8/1 (Won)

  • Win: £13.10
  • Place: £3.90

Form: 0-3

Last run: 39 days

W: 11st 10lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Huge effort at Clonmel considering the lack of any convincing form prior to that when third behind The Four Skies; seems to be getting his skates on and stable know what is required to beat Bleu D'Enfer on a line through Sandor Clegane, so interesting to gauge the market strength.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

6

26th Sep 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

15:55 Listowel

Ifiwerearichman

10st 11lb

J: Alan O’Sullivan

T: Paul Nolan

Fairly lightly raced, including some good efforts over fences, since landing big pot at Galway in 2023; back over hurdles this year and seems to have retained his ability; ran well in a strong Bellewstown handicap two starts back; 2m6f seemed too far for him at Galway festival, but it was by no means a bad run.

12/1

8th

12

1st Aug 2026

Good

2m 6f 108y

15:12 Galway

Ifiwerearichman

10st 11lb

J: Eoin Staples

T: Paul Nolan

Won a valuable 2m handicap here in 2023 and won over fences after; solid runs at Wexford and Bellewstown lately, with the latter run looking better after the win of Putapoundinthejar in the Galway Hurdle; can run a sound race if staying.

16/1

6th

3

4th Jul 2026

Good

2m 1f 40y

18:18 Bellewstown

Ifiwerearichman

11st 10lb

J: Alan O’Sullivan

T: Paul Nolan

Won a handicap at the Galway festival in 2023 and a Punchestown novice chase in December 2024; ran only twice last season; higher rated as a chaser; bright display when third in a conditions hurdle at Wexford in May; could go well here.

10/1

11/4

  • Place: £2.30

Form: 335-24 D

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 1lb

7 yo Mare

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Consistent operator has promised to deliver the goods on a couple of occasions, notably when narrowly losing out in a mares' maiden at Thurles on penultimate start; not as good when fourth at same in the interim and remains open to attack, but holds the top RPR on offer here and race conditions suit her.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

(6)

13th May 2024

Good

1m 4f 40y

19:25 Roscommon

Mollys Glory

9st 4lb

J: Danny Sheehy

T: M C Grassick

Bumper/hurdle winner who stays 3m over jumps; never dangerous at 100-1 in a 1m2f Cork maiden last month.

14/1

Form: 3/1-8

Last run: 43 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Limerick bumper winner may have needed it a shade when third at Cheltenham on the back of a 285-day absence; brother to hurdle winner Magnor Glory will know what awaits here and clearly has the engine to cause some problems on hurdling debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

5

20th Aug 2026

Good

2m 1f 0y

17:08 Killarney

Black Bamboo

10st 12lb

J: Donagh Meyler

T: John Joseph Murphy

Bumper and maiden hurdle winner was out of form last season, beaten 27l+ in three starts over hurdles; hard to recommend.

33/1

9th

5

18th Jan 2026

Yielding

1m 7f 168y

13:40 Thurles

Black Bamboo

11st 6lb

J: Ricky Doyle

T: John Joseph Murphy

Bumper and maiden hurdle winner but out of form both over hurdles and fences last year; hard to recommend him at the moment.

33/1

OUR TIP

Form: 2 BF

Last run: 57 days

W: 11st 3lb

4 yo Filly

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Facile Monksgrange 'point' winner on debut for Harley Dunne (runner-up won a mares' maiden hurdle on next start); short price to oblige on second start and looked set for victory until pounced on late by a shock 66-1 winner when hitting the crossbar at Galway; showed a few quirks close home on the latter occasion and whilst clearly talented, needs to bring her 'A' game.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13

7th May 2024

Yielding To Soft

2m 1f 31y

19:20 Ballinrobe

Mel Monroe

11st 5lb

J: Kevin Sexton

T: Gordon Elliott

prominent, jumped left 6th, disputed lead 5 out, mistake 3 out, raced in second when mistake and fell 2 out

3/1

13

7th May 2024

Yielding To Soft

2m 1f 31y

19:20 Ballinrobe

Mel Monroe

11st 5lb

J: Kevin Sexton

T: Gordon Elliott

prominent, jumped left 6th, disputed lead 5 out, mistake 3 out, raced in second when mistake and fell 2 out

3/1

17

15th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 4f 56y

Class 2

17:30 Cheltenham

Mel Monroe

10st 12lb

J: Ben Harvey

T: Gordon Elliott

Ran well over 2m4f here in October but this is a stiffer assignment and she has shown no further progress, well-held third to notable stablemate at Navan (Listed) most recently; sole win over hurdles came in an ordinary race last summer; others preferred.

50/1

Form: 0-52

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 10lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict
First worthwhile piece of form when second, albeit no match for the winner, at Punchestown; no disgrace in coming out second best that day considering the winner now looks a lively one for Cheltenham in March, and with the penny seemingly now dropping, has to be considered a big player here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

16th Oct 2026

Good

1m 7f 214y

Class 4

15:47 Uttoxeter

Bleu Denfer

12st 0lb

J: Harry Brown

T: Donald McCain

Winless below an extended 2m3f, but 18l second to a thriving 4yo over C&D latest (good) under Harry Brown; enjoys a significant race-fitness edge over all of his rivals in what looks a marginally weaker 0-120.

11/2

2nd

1

15th Sep 2026

Good

1m 7f 214y

Class 4

15:00 Uttoxeter

Bleu Denfer

12st 2lb

J: Harry Brown

T: Donald McCain

Has a modest strike-rate of 1-22 over fences, the win coming at Carlisle over 2m4f in April 2025 in first-time cheekpieces (retained since) when trained in Ireland; has been below his best on last two runs and drops back in trip; others hold stronger claims.

8/1

6th

4

31st Aug 2026

Good

2m 5f 34y

Class 3

16:55 Cartmel

Bleu Denfer

11st 13lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald McCain

Has modest 2-31 strike-rate under rules but came second over 2m4f on two of his first three starts after a wind op in March, and looked stretched by 3m when below that form last month; versatile regarding ground and enters calculations.

14/1

Form: 0-F07

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 8lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Disappointing debut run in a Fairyhouse bumper (14-1) and no progress in three starts over hurdles in the interim; has plenty to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

19th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 3f 110y

Class 5

14:50 Lingfield

Macs Xpress

10st 5lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Clare Ellam

Maiden who was big prices and well held throughout 2025; goes without regular headgear but hard to foresee a good run from out of the weights.

66/1

11

31st Oct 2025

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

15:40 Uttoxeter

Macs Xpress

10st 3lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Clare Ellam

Pulled up on both outings this season (2m4f/2m7f) and now 0-29 over hurdles; drops back to about 2m and swaps cheekpieces for first-time visor here; very difficult to enthuse over.

50/1

11

31st Oct 2025

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

15:40 Uttoxeter

Macs Xpress

10st 3lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Clare Ellam

Pulled up on both outings this season (2m4f/2m7f) and now 0-29 over hurdles; drops back to about 2m and swaps cheekpieces for first-time visor here; very difficult to enthuse over.

50/1

Form: —

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Had a lot on his plate on debut but showed little of note and hard to make a case for him on this occasion; a work in progress gelding.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

20th

7

30th Mar 2023

Soft

2m 7f 130y

16:52 Naas

Sculduggery

11st 9lb

J: Mike O’Connor

T: Dermot A McLoughlin

Tailed off in three maiden hurdles so far but signs in her pedigree that this new trip could suit; any market support would be worth noting.

16/1

12th

11

12th Feb 2023

Yielding

2m 0f 0y

13:40 Navan

Sculduggery

11st 12lb

J: Ricky Doyle

T: Dermot A McLoughlin

Finished last in maiden hurdles at Fairyhouse and Down Royal in December; can be ruled out

100/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €77.60
Straight Forecast €51.15
Trifecta €138.10

Selections

RP Ratings (IRE):

Mollys Glory

SPOTLIGHT:

Bleu D'enfer

The Irish Sun:

Mel Monroe

TOPSPEED:

Ifiwerearichman

POSTDATA:

Mollys Glory