October 11 / 14.15 Downpatrick

14.15

Good To Yielding

Toals Bookmakers Maiden Hurdle

  • Prize money: £5130.43
  • 2m 1f 65y
  • 7 runners
RTV
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Toals Bookmakers Maiden Hurdle

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

9/2 (Won)

  • Win: £1.84
  • Place: £1.20

Form: 270/2

Last run: 16 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Dual-purpose maiden; last seen finishing 2.5l second in 2m2f Listowel handicap hurdle on soft on debut for this yard; will find this company easier and must be respected; handles any ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

24th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 51y

Class 2

15:03 Kelso

Impero

12st 0lb

J: Danny Gilligan

T: Cian Collins

Took this in good style 12 months ago; lightly raced since but advanced his form after nine months off when second of ten in 2m1f handicap at Killarney 15 days ago; up 4lb here but this Irish challenger rates a player.

3/1

2nd

1

9th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 0y

15:00 Killarney

Impero

11st 12lb

J: Carl Millar

T: Cian Collins

Five hurdle wins came on goodish ground at 2m-2m4; last success came when 10l in front at Kelso last May; not at his best at Stratford next time, nor on the Flat at Galway when last seen; has won after a break before.

5/1

7/2

  • Place: £2.70

Form: 4

Last run: 7 days

W: 11st 4lb

4 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Flat recruit; 0-6 in that sphere but is a half-sister to a 2m hurdle winner and she caught the eye on her hurdling debut when fourth of 18 at Gowran (2m, good) last week, closing all the way to the line; big player with further improvement likely.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

12

12th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 170y

13:55 Down Royal

Whispering Hopes

10st 13lb

J: Mr E P Powell

T: Liam Lennon

Dual-purpose maiden had been placed over hurdles for Gordon Elliott but has been poor in two starts for this yard (both here) and needs improvement on her best form anyway.

20/1

8th

19

17th Mar 2026

Yielding

2m 1f 105y

13:18 Down Royal

Whispering Hopes

10st 11lb

J: Mr E P Powell

T: Liam Lennon

Placed three times in nine attempts hurdling for Gordon Elliott, all on decent ground; down the field over C&D on stable debut eight weeks ago.

66/1

14th

20

20th Jan 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 1f 33y

12:50 Down Royal

Whispering Hopes

10st 11lb

J: Mr E P Powell

T: Liam Lennon

Placed three times in nine attempts hurdling for Gordon Elliott, all on better ground; surprise to see her featuring on yard debut.

14/1

Form: 232223 BF

Last run: 11 days

W: 11st 11lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Dual-purpose maiden; 0-11 and rated 109 over hurdles; has finished second or third in his last eight starts; beaten favourite five times; looks sure to run his race again but he's risky for win purposes.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

15th May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 4f 90y

19:05 Kilbeggan

In The Trenches

11st 12lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

A long-standing 32-race maiden who has proved frustrating but consistent, finishing runner-up 13 times; 12 chase runs, beaten 5l into fifth at Wexford eight days ago in handicap off 112; one of his best efforts came over this C&D last year; capable of winning a contest of this nature.

7/1

5th

1

7th May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 0f 0y

17:35 Wexford

In The Trenches

12st 0lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

Long-standing maiden; has run well in defeat over fences and hurdles, including runner-up in 2m2f Cork handicap chase, most recently beaten under 2l when fifth of 8 in steadily-run 2m Tramore novice handicap chase last month; ground to suit and definite contender.

13/2

5th

4

19th Apr 2026

Soft

1m 7f 110y

17:00 Tramore

In The Trenches

11st 7lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

Long-standing maiden; has run well in defeat over fences and hurdles; heavy ground a valid excuse on latest and is 4lb lower than when a 9l runner up in a much stronger race than this at Cork (17.5f, good) in October; has run well here before and he's a player.

10/1

Form: 9

Last run: 46 days

W: 11st 11lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Fair run in a 1m2f claimer last year on sole start for Ger Lyons; struggled here on his hurdling debut in August; well beaten back on the Flat at Navan last month; readily passed over.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

3

(10)

17th Jan 2025

Standard

1m 4f 0y

19:15 Dundalk (AW)

Ravelli

9st 8lb

J: Donagh O’Connor

T: John C McConnell

towards rear, some headway inside final furlong, never near to challenge

10/1

3

(10)

17th Jan 2025

Standard

1m 4f 0y

19:15 Dundalk (AW)

Ravelli

9st 8lb

J: Donagh O’Connor

T: John C McConnell

Modest hurdles form but some improvement when making some late headway in a 1m2f maiden here last week; could get into the frame.

10/1

6th

1

(1)

10th Jan 2025

Standard

1m 2f 150y

19:30 Dundalk (AW)

Ravelli

9st 10lb

J: Donagh O’Connor

T: John C McConnell

Beaten roughly 3l in a claimer on debut for Ger Lyons but shown little on the Flat or over timber since and this is a tough assignment.

25/1

Form: U

Last run: 7 days

W: 11st 11lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Record of 0-11 on the Flat; has shown little on the level in six starts for McConnell and no better when unseating his rider at the first on his hurdling debut at Gowran last week; best watched.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

(3)

2nd Oct 2025

Good To Yielding

1m 4f 77y

17:20 Bellewstown

Hangry

9st 7lb

J: Donagh O’Connor

T: John C McConnell

25-race maiden; one of his better efforts when fourth of 14 at Down Royal last month; needs to prove himself on slower ground.

6/1

7

(15)

5th Sep 2025

Good

1m 4f 194y

19:24 Down Royal

Hangry

9st 9lb

J: Donagh O’Connor

T: John C McConnell

24-race maiden (0-13 on Flat) whose recent Navan run leaves him with lots to find.

20/1

Form: 5

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 11lb

4 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Made little impact when trained by Ger Lyons and despite running well in third at Down Royal on the Flat latest is now 0-15 in that sphere; made little impact on sole hurdling start here last month.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

3

5th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 125y

Class 5

16:33 Market Rasen

Hijo De La Luna

11st 9lb

J: Bruce Lynn

T: Simon West

Seemingly aided by first-time visor when winning basement-grade AW race in February but was below that form on latest Flat start, and this is his first hurdle run since he was pulled up here (2m4f, good) on handicap debut last June; no headgear today; others have more pressing claims.

14/1

8th

7

(11)

25th Mar 2026

Standard

1m 2f 0y

Class 6

17:52 Lingfield (AW)

Hijo De La Luna

9st 9lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Simon West

Finally off the mark when beating Desiderata at Wolverhampton a month ago; always in the right place in a messy affair (first-time visor) that night and history suggests he's no good thing to reproduce the effort.

8/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 11lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Beaten out of sight in three runs on the Flat, including a maiden claimer at Bellewstown this month; impossible to recommend on his hurdling debut on what he's shown to date.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

7

11th Oct 2024

Good To Yielding

2m 1f 65y

14:15 Downpatrick

Purrrfect Timing

11st 11lb

J: Kieren Buckley

T: Chris Timmons

Beaten out of sight in three runs on the Flat, including a maiden claimer at Bellewstown this month; impossible to recommend on his hurdling debut on what he's shown to date.

40/1

7th

6

(9)

2nd Oct 2024

Soft

0m 7f 205y

13:30 Bellewstown

Purrrfect Timing

9st 4lb

J: Gary Carroll

T: Chris Timmons

towards rear, some headway 1f out, soon no extra

100/1

12th

1

(2)

29th Jun 2024

Good

1m 0f 0y

16:40 Curragh

Purrrfect Timing

10st 4lb

J: Rory Cleary

T: Chris Timmons

Outpaced early and never involved on debut in 5f Navan maiden in May; visored now instead of cheekpieces; impossible to fancy.

100/1

Non-runners

Boston Beach, Kingston Narcissus, Walk The Plank

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €6.80
Straight Forecast €5.83
Trifecta €8.90

Selections

RP RATINGS (IRE):

In The Trenches

SPOTLIGHT:

Whispering Hopes

The Irish Sun:

Whispering Hopes

TOPSPEED:

In The Trenches

POSTDATA:

In The Trenches