June 18 / 16.05 Downpatrick

16.05

Good

Dunlop Homes Rated Novice Hurdle

  • Prize money: £5743.36
  • 2m 1f 65y
  • 9 runners
RTV
View Course
Dunlop Homes Rated Novice Hurdle

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

4/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.40
  • Place: £1.20

Form: U2261-

Last run: 59 days

W: 11st 8lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Readily landed a Kilbeggan maiden hurdle in April; respectable efforts on the Flat since, including over 1m7f at Leopardstown on Thursday; should go well if this doesn't come too soon.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

31st May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 4f 80y

17:00 Kilbeggan

Charlie Luciano

11st 6lb

J: Sam Ewing

T: Noel Meade

Four-time hurdles winner achieved a peak rating of 129 in that sphere; 0-8 over fences and rated 114; pulled up at Fairyhouse on final 2025 start, and badly out of form over hurdles before that.

20/1

3

4th Nov 2025

Soft

3m 0f 82y

12:15 Fairyhouse

Charlie Luciano

11st 12lb

J: Donagh Meyler

T: Noel Meade

Four-time hurdles winner achieved a peak rating of 129 in that sphere; 0-8 over fences and rated 119; pulled up on last start over fences and badly out of form over timber the last twice; others appeal more.

10/1

3

4th Nov 2025

Soft

3m 0f 82y

12:15 Fairyhouse

Charlie Luciano

11st 12lb

J: Donagh Meyler

T: Noel Meade

Four-time hurdles winner achieved a peak rating of 129 in that sphere; 0-8 over fences and rated 119; pulled up on last start over fences and badly out of form over timber the last twice; others appeal more.

10/1

OUR TIP

2/1

  • Place: £1.10

Form: 2/422- BF

Last run: 272 days

W: 11st 10lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Unlucky not to win a handicap hurdle last summer; has come back this year in terrific form, winning both starts on the Flat last month; and likely to take plenty of beating here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

7

(1)

12th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 182y

19:40 Killarney

Sequoiaspirit

11st 7lb

J: Mr L Hackett

T: Ray Hackett

Strong stayer with the form to feature off this mark but he has been very quiet in two runs over hurdles this year.

10/1

14

5th Apr 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 3f 0y

15:00 Cork

Sequoiaspirit

10st 10lb

J: Liam Quinlan

T: Ray Hackett

Is just 1-27 over hurdles and was well beaten here last time after a break; can improve on that but plenty others preferred.

40/1

8th

1

19th Mar 2026

Yielding To Soft

3m 0f 45y

16:30 Cork

Sequoiaspirit

11st 12lb

J: Liam Quinlan

T: Ray Hackett

Last three runs in 2025 were over shorter trips; best form has been at 2m6f, including when second at Killarney last August; each-way chance.

13/2

7/2

  • Place: £2.00

Form: 000-91

Last run: 6 days

W: 11st 5lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Much improved performance when staying on strongly to land a 2m handicap hurdle at Roscommon on Monday; up 10lb for that but likely that she is improving and every chance of going close again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

7

18th Jun 2023

Good

2m 1f 65y

16:05 Downpatrick

Prioritise

11st 5lb

J: Thomas Reilly

T: John C McConnell

Much improved performance when staying on strongly to land a 2m handicap hurdle at Roscommon on Monday; up 10lb for that but likely that she is improving and every chance of going close again.

7/2

1st

5

12th Jun 2023

Good

2m 0f 46y

18:18 Roscommon

Prioritise

11st 10lb

J: Ben Harvey

T: John C McConnell

70-rated on the Flat; jumping has been an issue in this sphere; late headway when beaten 15l on second handicap start at Tipperary.

20/1

15

3rd Jun 2023

Good

2m 0f 175y

19:00 Tramore

Prioritise

11st 10lb

J: Sean Flanagan

T: John C McConnell

Form: O/3-06

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Won his sole point-to-point on returning from a year off the track; disappointing since from 2m3f to 3m and others look much more likely.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

18th Jun 2023

Good

2m 1f 65y

16:05 Downpatrick

Hans Gruber

11st 10lb

J: E Walsh

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Won his sole point-to-point on returning from a year off the track; disappointing since from 2m3f to 3m and others look much more likely.

25/1

6th

7

19th May 2023

Good

2m 2f 165y

17:00 Downpatrick

Hans Gruber

11st 4lb

J: Mr J Dunne

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Point' winner last December has shown some ability in six hurdle starts but was disappointing in handicap company last time; work to do.

16/1

10th

1

11th May 2023

Soft

2m 3f 25y

19:48 Clonmel

Hans Gruber

12st 0lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Good level of maiden form for James Motherway; won point-to-point after long absence in December before decent third in 3m Cork maiden hurdle, despite taking keen hold; interesting back in trip for handicap debut.

12/1

Form: 75U-27

Last run: 16 days

W: 11st 11lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Lightly raced horse has had spells with Willie Mullins and Colm Murphy; best run for current trainer when just failing to get up in a 2m maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan last month; disappointing in a Tramore handicap hurdle since; others preferred even if we might not have seen the best of him yet.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

3

27th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 61y

Class 5

20:38 Cartmel

Starman

11st 9lb

J: Mr Felix Foster

T: Joanne Foster

Close second over fences at Catterick in January (1m7f, good) but mainly poor efforts since, the latest in a selling hurdle.

40/1

4th

5

2nd May 2026

Good

2m 0f 48y

Class 4

16:40 Hexham

Starman

11st 1lb

J: Mr Felix Foster

T: Joanne Foster

Three hurdle wins in Ireland during 2023 but a close second over fences at Catterick (about 1m7f, good) in January came from out of the blue and hasn't been repeated since; returns to hurdles with a cloud hanging over him.

14/1

7th

1

5th Apr 2026

Good

2m 1f 43y

Class 5

15:58 Market Rasen

Starman

12st 0lb

J: Mr Felix Foster

T: Joanne Foster

Seemingly back in good form when close second to short-odds favourite at Catterick (1m7f, good) on New Year's Day, his third start for Joanne Foster, but pulled up there twice since and now has it all to prove again; tongue-tie (worn on penultimate start) refitted.

16/1

Form: 80-3

Last run: 20 days

W: 11st 6lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Tailed off in his first two maiden hurdles but showed marked improvement when third over 2m6f at Ballinrobe last month; back in trip here and tried in cheekpieces; still unexposed and an interesting runner.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

2nd Feb 2024

Good To Soft

3m 0f 60y

Class 4

15:25 Southwell

Zettabyte

11st 8lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Henrietta C Knight

Second on chase debut in October (2m3f, soft) but finished 0-9 for Gordon Elliott, not always having much luck; heavy defeat at 50-1 three weeks ago on first run for new yard; usual cheekpieces are restored; bit to prove.

16/1

9th

8

12th Jan 2024

Soft

2m 3f 179y

Class 4

13:30 Wincanton

Zettabyte

11st 6lb

J: James Bowen

T: Henrietta C Knight

Has left Gordon Elliott with a 0-7 record over hurdles (placed once) and 0-2 over fences, not always having much luck; second on chase debut in October (2m3f, soft) and it was 3m on heavy ground when he pulled up in November latest; cheekpieces on last six starts but not today; Henrietta Knight's first runner since 2012 and of some interest judged on those two placings.

9/1

0

9

7th Nov 2023

Heavy

3m 0f 107y

12:28 Fairyhouse

Zettabyte

11st 12lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Initial promise over hurdles but failed to complete in his last three starts before an encouraging chase debut behind shorter-priced stablemate Jenny Flex at Downpatrick a month ago.

5/1

Form: 605-58

Last run: 18 days

W: 11st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
0 from 16 over hurdles and a rating of 80 makes this an impossible task, although ran very well when second in a handicap chase here yesterday
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

15

21st Feb 2024

Heavy

2m 4f 41y

16:25 Punchestown

Monoxide

10st 13lb

J: Philip Byrnes

T: Neill McCluskey

Flat winner; 0-36 over jumps, perhaps some chance of breakthrough after recent second over fences at Down Royal; overall profile makes it hard to be confident.

10/1

2nd

13

23rd Jan 2024

Yielding To Soft

2m 4f 100y

15:30 Down Royal

Monoxide

10st 9lb

J: Philip Byrnes

T: Neill McCluskey

didn't always jump with fluency, led, clear before 4th

16/1

Form: P60-59

Last run: 16 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Best efforts have come in a pair of Killarney maiden hurdles nine months apart; well beaten in a Down Royal handicap latest and first-time blinkers will need to bring about considerable improvement.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

2nd Nov 2023

Soft

2m 2f 66y

12:55 Thurles

Val The Man

11st 12lb

J: Tom Harney

T: Cian Collins

in touch with leaders, not fluent 5th, midfield when fell 8th

25/1

8th

8

18th Jun 2023

Good

2m 1f 65y

16:05 Downpatrick

Val The Man

11st 5lb

J: Aidan Kelly

T: Cian Michael Collins

Best efforts have come in a pair of Killarney maiden hurdles nine months apart; well beaten in a Down Royal handicap latest and first-time blinkers will need to bring about considerable improvement.

14/1

Form: 0636-

Last run: 69 days

W: 11st 7lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Placed over hurdles at Cork in March; set an unenviable task in a Grade 2 hurdle at Fairyhouse last time; should do better here and could sneak a place.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13th

13

(4)

28th Feb 2025

Standard

1m 4f 0y

19:30 Dundalk (AW)

Carslake

8st 10lb

J: Jessica O’Gorman

T: Aengus King

34-race maiden and modest performer under all codes; first start for yard and 5lb wrong.

20/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €8.00
Straight Forecast €6.42
Trifecta €29.50

Selections

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Starman

The Irish Sun:

Charlie Luciano

TOPSPEED:

Prioritise

SPOTLIGHT:

Sequoiaspirit

POSTDATA:

Starman