October 11 / 14.55 Punchestown

14.55

Good

Paddy Power Feel Like A Favourite Hurdle

  • Prize money: £8676.47
  • 2m 2f 0y
  • 5 runners
RTV
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Paddy Power Feel Like A Favourite Hurdle

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

6/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.20
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 57-211 C

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 12lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 149

Form & Verdict
Decent type was third in 2020 Champion Hurdle; returned to hurdling last season after not really taking to chasing and has generally been in good form; won conditions events at Kilbeggan and Galway last twice and a repeat of those runs will make him a big player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

1

18th Aug 2023

Good

2m 5f 120y

16:25 Tramore

Darver Star

11st 10lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

Bounced back to form when runner-up at Wexford in March but struggled twice since; not easy to predict and probably needs a career best chase effort to land this off joint-topweight.

6/1

5th

1

7th Jul 2023

Good

2m 3f 170y

19:23 Wexford

Darver Star

11st 12lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

prominent, soon raced in second, pushed along and weakened quickly before 2 out

7/2

1

11th Jun 2023

Good

2m 5f 0y

14:50 Punchestown

Darver Star

11st 13lb

J: Patrick M O’Brien

T: Gavin Cromwell

10-time winner, just one over fences and has been hit and miss in this sphere; decent second in a handicap chase at Wexford followed by a sub-standard effort in a 3m handicap at the festival here; best horse in the race and has a chance but just that bit vulnerable these days.

5/1

50/1

  • Place: £8.20

Form: 00-164 D

Last run: 17 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Won a Downpatrick maiden hurdle in July and a decent fourth in a Listowel novice last time; however, is rated just 119 and has loads to find with all these rivals.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

9

26th Jun 2026

Good

1m 4f 0y

20:30 Curragh

Typical Thomas

12st 0lb

T: James Andrew Fahey

Hurdle and chase winner ran respectably on sole Flat start; not a bad hurdle run last time; chance.

8/1

4th

3

13th Jun 2026

Good

2m 1f 165y

14:00 Downpatrick

Typical Thomas

11st 12lb

J: Conor Smithers

T: James Andrew Fahey

Maiden hurdle winner here in 2022 but hasn't won since taking a Cork chase in 2023; well beaten over fences at Tramore last time; others preferred.

20/1

OUR TIP

Form: 413116 D

Last run: 10 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 133

Form & Verdict
Versatile sort has 11 wins under all rules, including four over hurdles; two wins over fences recently but was poor last time after a bad mistake; could go well from the front but has a bit to find with Darver Star and Abacadabras.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

7

27th Aug 2025

Good

2m 4f 110y

16:53 Bellewstown

Dollar Value

10st 8lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: T G McCourt

Prolific winner under both codes, last two hurdle wins were in claimers at Roscommon and Sligo last summer; fourth to Ahead Of The Posse when attempting repeat Roscommon win on latest but enjoys a big turn around in the weights with that rival here so has to be considered a major player.

11/4

4th

6

7th Jul 2025

Good

2m 4f 125y

16:30 Roscommon

Dollar Value

11st 4lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: T G McCourt

Comfortable winner of this race 12 months ago (on good ground) and ran okay in a handicap 22 days ago when returning from a lengthy break; likely to go well.

4/1

Form: 24PP0-

Last run: 166 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Useful sort for Willie Mullins, winning on the Flat and over hurdles, although has been poor on last number of runs in this sphere; has a fair bit to find with the two principals anyway on yard debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14th

21

26th Oct 2024

Good

3m 0f 0y

16:45 Galway

Dark Voyager

11st 13lb

T: Aidan Melia

didn't always jump with fluency, midfield, lost position when pushed along after 9th

9th

9

(2)

23rd Oct 2024

Yielding

1m 6f 0y

16:50 Navan

Dark Voyager

9st 10lb

J: Dylan Browne McMonagle

T: Aidan Melia

held up in rear

16/1

8th

16

4th Oct 2024

Good

2m 4f 40y

16:45 Gowran Park

Dark Voyager

11st 0lb

J: Kevin Sexton

T: Aidan Melia

Returned to some sort of form on her debut for this trainer when a solid fourth in a 2m2f handicap hurdle at Downpatrick last month; more needed but well-handicapped if coming back to form.

14/1

Form: 4/35-3 C

Last run: 9 days

W: 11st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 152

Form & Verdict
Three-time Grade 1-winning hurdler only ran twice last season but was well below his best on last of those runs over 3m at Leopardstown; just a satisfactory return at Tipperary last time but should improve plenty from it; best-in at these weights if even close to peak form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

11th Oct 2022

Good

2m 2f 0y

14:55 Punchestown

Abacadabras

11st 2lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

midfield, blundered and pecked on landing 5th, lost third and mistake 3 out, soon eased and pulled up, finished lame (jockey said gelding sustained an injury and was pulled up)

4/6

3rd

1

2nd Oct 2022

Good To Yielding

2m 0f 0y

15:35 Tipperary

Abacadabras

12st 0lb

J: Davy Russell

T: Gordon Elliott

soon went modest third, headway before 2 out, disputing second 2 out, ridden when hung left and outpaced approaching last, not fluent last, no extra run-in

11/4

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €63.90
Straight Forecast €33.04
Trifecta €214.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Abacadabras

POSTDATA:

Darver Star

RP Ratings (IRE):

Abacadabras

TOPSPEED:

Abacadabras

The Irish Sun:

Darver Star