December 11 / 14.20 Cork

12:15 12:45 13:15 13:45 14:20 14:50 15:20

Choose race

Cork

12:15 12:45 13:15 13:45 14:20 14:50 15:20

Newcastle (AW)

12:08 12:38 13:08 13:38 14:10 14:43 15:13

Punchestown

12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:35 15:05 15:35

Southwell

12:23 12:53 13:23 13:53 14:28 14:58 15:28

14.20

Yielding To Soft

Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase (Grade 2)

Prize money: £49579.83
2m 0f 160y
5 runners

RTE1

View Course

Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase (Grade 2)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

1st

1

J: Sean O’Keeffe

1/4 (Won)

Win: £1.10

Form: /1211- CD

Last run: 229 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 176

Form & Verdict

Top-class chaser is now 7-8 over fences, really coming of age final two starts last season in Queen Mother Champion Chase and when thrashing stablemate Chacun Pour Soi in Champion Chase at Punchestown, picking up well off a slow pace; looks set for a similar campaign this season and last year's winner once again expected to make short work of these rivals.

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

3rd

2

28th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 0f 98y

18:05 Punchestown

11st 12lb

J: Danny Mullins

Rolled back the years with a dominant win at Fairyhouse on latest, his first start at 2m4f for almost six years; won this in 2022 and 2023 but he's a 12yo now and Paul Townend prefers the chances of Il Etait Temps; probably vulnerable to younger legs dropped back in trip.

16/1

1st

1

6th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 3f 180y

16:20 Fairyhouse

11st 10lb

J: Paul Townend

High class operator in his pomp; has won eleven chases, including six at the top table; however, it seems like time is catching up with the 12yo and he was well held by Found A Fifty at Cork in December; tailed off at Leopardstown on latest in first-time cheekpieces (discarded); last ran at this trip in 2020; others preferred.

9/2

4th

1

1st Feb 2026

Soft To Heavy

2m 1f 0y

14:10 Leopardstown

11st 12lb

J: Paul Townend

Top-class chaser won the Champion Chase in 2022-23 while he previously won a Grade 1 novice over C&D; returned after a long absence last season and wasn't at his best, but still capable of smart form; was third to Found A Fifty in a Cork Grade 2 on return but will have to improve a fair bit on that; does handle testing ground well; cheekpieces added.

8/1

2nd

4

J: Rachael Blackmore

T: Henry De Bromhead

13/2

Form: F36/1- CD

Last run: 392 days

W: 11st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 147

Form & Verdict

Decent sort who took his chase mark to a career-high when winning C&D handicap over a year ago on soft, jumping really well; has missed two intended seasonal reappearances due to quicker ground but has his ground here and could be the one to chase Energumene home.

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

3

8th Jul 2024

Good

2m 4f 125y

17:00 Roscommon

11st 8lb

J: Keith Donoghue

Useful jumper for Henry De Bromhead but regressive in four runs for Gordon Elliott and current wellbeing is a big issue; cheekpieces added.

13/2

6th

4

21st Apr 2024

Soft

2m 5f 80y

11st 10lb

T: Gordon Elliott

in touch with leaders

7/2

6th

4

21st Apr 2024

Soft

2m 5f 80y

11st 10lb

T: Gordon Elliott

in touch with leaders

7/2

3rd

3

Born By The Sea

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

33/1

Form: 00-235 D

Last run: 135 days

W: 11st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 136

Form & Verdict

Decent sort, whose career highlight came when winning last year's Galway Blazers over 2m6f, absent since fifth in same race this summer; has some form over 2m at a lesser level and very much up against it here on seasonal debut.

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

11th

9

3rd Feb 2025

Soft To Heavy

3m 0f 193y

13:00 Punchestown

Born By The Sea

11st 4lb

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

Talented on his day but hasn't produced his best for some time; pulled up in his last two starts in point-to-points; can only be watched on his Cross Country debut.

16/1

11th

9

3rd Feb 2025

Soft To Heavy

3m 0f 193y

13:00 Punchestown

Born By The Sea

11st 4lb

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

Talented on his day but hasn't produced his best for some time; pulled up in his last two starts in point-to-points; can only be watched on his Cross Country debut.

16/1

10th

6

2nd Aug 2024

Good

2m 6f 111y

Born By The Sea

11st 4lb

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

midfield

12/1

OUR TIP

4th

2

7/1

Form: 31222- C

Last run: 238 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 157

Form & Verdict

Useful handicapper over hurdles but much better novice chaser last season, Grade 1 winner at Limerick over Christmas and close second in Navan Grade 2 arguably his best effort; no match for impressive Galopin Des Champs on final start at Fairyhouse; admirable sort probably best at 2m4f so very stiff task taking on the top 2-miler here on seasonal return.

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

4

29th Apr 2023

Good To Yielding

2m 3f 30y

17:30 Punchestown

11st 5lb

Promising novice chase campaign last term; below form in two runs this term including back over timber last time when fifth of six (Beacon Edge third); needs to bounce back; engaged here Thursday.

20/1

2

27th Apr 2023

Yielding To Soft

2m 7f 130y

18:00 Punchestown

11st 11lb

Useful novice hurdler won a Grade 1 novice over fences in 2021 and some fine runs in defeat after, mostly behind Galopin Des Champs; well beaten back over hurdles last time but can improve from that.

25/1

5th

5

10th Apr 2023

Yielding

2m 4f 0y

16:50 Fairyhouse

11st 3lb

in rear but in touch with leaders, pushed along before 2 out, weakened after 2 out

16/1

5

T: Martin Brassil

25/1

Form: /0022- D BF

Last run: 225 days

W: 11st 4lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict

Quite smart handicap hurdler, narrowly beaten in last season's Coral Cup and also second in a very competitive Punchestown contest; won a three-year-old chase at Auteuil in 2019 on his only previous start over fences so inexperience could be a negative here and trip on the short side.

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

4th

3

24th Nov 2024

Yielding

2m 3f 150y

14:25 Punchestown

11st 12lb

J: Mr Derek O’Connor

T: Martin Brassil

prominent

5/2

4th

3

24th Nov 2024

Yielding

2m 3f 150y

14:25 Punchestown

11st 12lb

J: Mr Derek O’Connor

T: Martin Brassil

prominent

5/2

Non-runners

Fastorslow

+o+e Accumulators

	Payout
Exacta	€3.00
Straight Forecast	€2.74
Trifecta	€9.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Energumene

RP Ratings (IRE):

Energumene

TOPSPEED:

Energumene

POSTDATA:

Energumene

The Irish Sun:

Energumene