December 26 / 14.33 Down Royal

14.33

Good To Yielding

McMahon McKay Hospitality And Leisure Hunters Chase

  • Prize money: £4957.98
  • 3m 0f 0y
  • 10 runners
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McMahon McKay Hospitality And Leisure Hunters Chase

Runners: 10 runners

Type: Hunter Chase

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

OUR TIP

15/8 (Won)

  • Win: £2.80
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 1312-1 CD

Last run: 213 days

W: 12st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Beaten favourite when third in this last year; giant strides in the interim, chasing home Billaway in the Champion Hunters at Punchestown and two from two in the interim, latest when winning a Portrush 'point' on his return from a 141-day break; afforded the utmost respect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

3rd Jun 2024

Good

3m 0f 0y

16:50 Listowel

Vaucelet

12st 3lb

J: Mr S Cotter

T: D M Christie

in touch with leaders, briefly went third 5 out, went third before 2 out, no impression when bad mistake and unseated last

5/1

4th

8

24th May 2024

Good

3m 4f 165y

19:35 Downpatrick

Vaucelet

12st 0lb

J: Mr B O’Neill

T: D M Christie

High-class hunter when at his best but that hasn't been for some time; second in Punchestown Champion Hunter Chase in 2022 (to Billaway) and 2023 and also found Billaway too good in this race last year; finished upsides his old rival when well held at this year's Punchestown festival; better for that after four months off but hard to be bullish.

4/1

4th

8

24th May 2024

Good

3m 4f 165y

19:35 Downpatrick

Vaucelet

12st 0lb

J: Mr B O’Neill

T: D M Christie

High-class hunter when at his best but that hasn't been for some time; second in Punchestown Champion Hunter Chase in 2022 (to Billaway) and 2023 and also found Billaway too good in this race last year; finished upsides his old rival when well held at this year's Punchestown festival; better for that after four months off but hard to be bullish.

4/1

12/1

  • Place: £1.80

Form: 02/13- C

Last run: 241 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Already a winner of two hurdle races, three chases and a point-to-point; found life tough when last seen out at Punchestown in the Champion Hunters behind Billaway, and has a lot to find with Vaucelet on that run alone, although he did beat him when winning this race last year.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

13th Jun 2026

Good

2m 3f 100y

15:45 Downpatrick

Dorking Cock

11st 12lb

J: John Shinnick

T: S R B Crawford

3-20 over fences but no win of any description since November 2023; soundly beaten in a hunter chase here in May (3m5f, good to yielding); others make more appeal.

18/1

4th

3

22nd May 2026

Good To Yielding

3m 4f 165y

20:00 Downpatrick

Dorking Cock

12st 0lb

J: Mr S Connor

T: S R B Crawford

Has won three over hurdles and fences; ran well at times in defeat in points and hunter chases last season but has to do much better today.

12/1

12/1

  • Place: £3.40

Form: 3/53P/ D

Last run: 1009 days

W: 12st 0lb

10 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Made a race of it with Vaucelet when runner-up at Portrush on the back of a huge layoff (693-days) in October; clearly retains plenty of ability and if he can reproduce that effort, he won't be far away.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

16th

3

13th Apr 2023

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 2

16:05 Aintree

Coastal Tiep

12st 0lb

J: Mr B G Crawford

T: S R B Crawford

Absent for two years before three respectable efforts this season, even if he was beaten a long way in the latest of them; fourth in this in 2019 but hard to see him matching that now.

33/1

3rd

4

22nd Jan 2023

Yielding To Soft

3m 0f 149y

16:10 Thurles

Coastal Tiep

11st 7lb

J: Mr S Connor

T: S R B Crawford

didn't jump with fluency, pressed leaders on outer, mistake 7th, pushed along 3 out, no impression when pecked on landing 2 out, ridden when went modest third last, kept on, no match for first two

13/2

3rd

2

26th Dec 2022

Good To Yielding

3m 0f 0y

14:33 Down Royal

Coastal Tiep

12st 0lb

J: Mr S Connor

T: S R B Crawford

Made a race of it with Vaucelet when runner-up at Portrush on the back of a huge layoff (693-days) in October; clearly retains plenty of ability and if he can reproduce that effort, he won't be far away.

12/1

Form: 2297F- C

Last run: 387 days

W: 12st 0lb

12 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Prolific winner over the years and in the frame both starts so far 'pointing'; lot of water under the bridge since his last victory (2019) but more than capable of mixing it with the best here; definite shout.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

8

26th Dec 2022

Good To Yielding

3m 0f 0y

14:33 Down Royal

Snow Falcon

12st 0lb

J: Mr Pat Taaffe

T: Noel Meade

Prolific winner over the years and in the frame both starts so far 'pointing'; lot of water under the bridge since his last victory (2019) but more than capable of mixing it with the best here; definite shout.

15/2

Form: P2740- C

Last run: 320 days

W: 12st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
One from eleven in 'points'; showed signs of getting back into the swing of things when fifth of ten runners behind January Jets at Kirkistown in November, although this demands a whole lot more.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

24th May 2024

Good

3m 4f 165y

19:35 Downpatrick

Samurai Cracker

12st 0lb

J: Mr O McGill

T: Mrs Caroline McCaldin

Capable performer but over three years winless and hasn't shown his best in points or under Rules for quite a while; not a bad effort when third to smart type at Toomebridge earlier this month.

12/1

7

24th May 2024

Good

3m 4f 165y

19:35 Downpatrick

Samurai Cracker

12st 0lb

J: Mr O McGill

T: Mrs Caroline McCaldin

Capable performer but over three years winless and hasn't shown his best in points or under Rules for quite a while; not a bad effort when third to smart type at Toomebridge earlier this month.

12/1

5th

4

28th Aug 2023

Good

2m 1f 165y

17:25 Downpatrick

Samurai Cracker

11st 13lb

J: Mr O McGill

T: Mrs Caroline McCaldin

Former useful hunter chaser is winless for over two years and not been at his best for some time; was mostly point-to-pointing over the winter and weakened tamely in Perth handicap last time having had a summer break.

12/1

Form: P/301-

Last run: 252 days

W: 12st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Dual 'point' winner struggled when the chips were down at Borris House behind Brain Power; entitled to strip a good deal fitter now but looks up against it with quite a bit of ground to make up on the latter (21l).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

28th Apr 2023

Yielding

3m 0f 0y

18:35 Punchestown

Down The Highway

12st 0lb

J: Mr M J Love

T: Ciaran Murphy

Cork winner last April, third to Dinny Lacey when bidding for a repeat early this month; huge task now after a recent point-to-point defeat.

50/1

3rd

3

10th Apr 2023

Yielding

2m 4f 0y

16:45 Cork

Down The Highway

12st 0lb

J: Mr M J Love

T: Ciaran Murphy

towards rear, headway 4 out, soon pushed along, mistake 3 out, soon ridden, hampered by faller 2 out, kept on and went third run-in

14/1

6th

4

26th Dec 2022

Good To Yielding

3m 0f 0y

14:33 Down Royal

Down The Highway

12st 0lb

J: Mr T J Love

T: Ciaran Murphy

Dual 'point' winner struggled when the chips were down at Borris House behind Brain Power; entitled to strip a good deal fitter now but looks up against it with quite a bit of ground to make up on the latter (21l).

25/1

Form: 257/P- CD

Last run: 463 days

W: 12st 0lb

11 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Grade One C&D winner has made an excellent start to life as a 'Pointer', winning all three starts, latest with a nice bit left in the locker from Some Are Lucky; fits into the 'class is permanent' type of category, and could have a bit too much firepower for his rivals here, albeit a hot affair.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

22

17th Mar 2023

Soft

3m 2f 70y

Class 2

16:10 Cheltenham

The Storyteller

12st 0lb

J: Mr J J Codd

T: Gordon Elliott

Won a handicap chase at this meeting in 2018 and very nearly took the Pertemps Final in 2020; good to see him still doing the business in points and he clearly failed to give his running behind Vaucelet at Down Royal in December (favourite); odds-on defeat on latest start reduces his appeal but returning here might get his competitive juices flowing; cheekpieces on for the first time.

14/1

7th

9

26th Dec 2022

Good To Yielding

3m 0f 0y

14:33 Down Royal

The Storyteller

12st 0lb

J: Mr J J Codd

T: Gordon Elliott

Grade One C&D winner has made an excellent start to life as a 'Pointer', winning all three starts, latest with a nice bit left in the locker from Some Are Lucky; fits into the 'class is permanent' type of category, and could have a bit too much firepower for his rivals here, albeit a hot affair.

5/2

Form: 0/564/ C

Last run: 605 days

W: 12st 0lb

12 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Solid return to action at Kirkistown in November but failed to back that up when pulling-up before the last behind The Storyteller at Quakerstown; won this in 2019 but has some questions to answer now; first-time cheekpieces.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

5

26th Dec 2022

Good To Yielding

3m 0f 0y

14:33 Down Royal

Dylrow

12st 0lb

J: Miss A L Fitzgibbon

T: D M Christie

Solid return to action at Kirkistown in November but failed to back that up when pulling-up before the last behind The Storyteller at Quakerstown; won this in 2019 but has some questions to answer now; first-time cheekpieces.

33/1

Form: P/1/6/

Last run: 799 days

W: 12st 0lb

11 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Handy operator on his day for Nicky Henderson and a shade unlucky not to be coming here on the back of a hat-trick of 'point' wins; interesting here on stable debut for Warren Ewing and should give a good account.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

17th Mar 2023

Soft

3m 2f 70y

Class 2

16:10 Cheltenham

Brain Power

12st 0lb

J: Mr D McGill

T: Warren Ewing

High-class performer back in the day for Nicky Henderson when donning the Constitution Hill colours; now a prolific pointer but the RPRs he's been posting in Ireland hint at limitations at this level.

50/1

1

26th Dec 2022

Good To Yielding

3m 0f 0y

14:33 Down Royal

Brain Power

12st 0lb

J: Mr D McGill

T: Warren Ewing

Handy operator on his day for Nicky Henderson and a shade unlucky not to be coming here on the back of a hat-trick of 'point' wins; interesting here on stable debut for Warren Ewing and should give a good account.

7/1

Form: 824-32

Last run: 36 days

W: 12st 0lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 88

Form & Verdict
No match for Brain Power at Tattersalls Farm on his return from a break but almost caused a big shock when forcing a photo finish with the Cheltenham hero Delta Work over the banks at Punchestown in the interim; not without a squeak.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

10

20th Sep 2024

Good

2m 7f 110y

17:00 Downpatrick

Singing Banjo

10st 8lb

J: Mr B J Walsh

T: Barry John Walsh

14yo veteran best known for his exploits over the banks at Punchestown; won a nice pot there in May over 4m1f; stayed on well for fifth over 3m1f at Kilbeggan in a handicap chase last month; will strip fitter for that and can't be written off, but he remains 7lb above his last winning mark; place claims.

12/1

5th

7

23rd Aug 2024

Good

3m 1f 100y

18:55 Kilbeggan

Singing Banjo

11st 7lb

J: Mr B J Walsh

T: Barry John Walsh

midfield, towards rear halfway

14/1

Non-runners

Brain Power, Singing Banjo

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €12.70
Straight Forecast €17.22
Trifecta €74.30

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

The Storyteller

TOPSPEED:

Vaucelet

RP Ratings (IRE):

The Storyteller

POSTDATA:

The Storyteller

The Irish Sun:

The Storyteller