December 29 / 14.55 Leopardstown

14.55

Soft

I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £12394.96
  • 2m 4f 0y
  • 16 runners
ITV4
View Course
I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 16 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

3/1 (Won)

  • Win: £2.80
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 1-4456

Last run: 30 days

W: 10st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Long-priced Punchestown bumper winner in April; has picked up enough hurdling experience to be considered a live possibility in his first handicap; market moves may confirm an impression he is ready to strike.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

16th

21

29th Apr 2023

Good To Yielding

2m 3f 30y

17:30 Punchestown

Green Glory

10st 0lb

J: Phillip Enright

T: C Byrnes

Justified favouritism in a Leopardstown handicap in December; last of four finishers in the 20-runner Lanzarote on very testing ground when last seen 105 days ago; effectively 5lb lower here (1lb wrong at weights) and there's potential for more to come on just his third handicap start.

10/1

4th

16

14th Jan 2023

Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 2

14:40 Kempton

Green Glory

10st 8lb

J: Philip Byrnes

T: C Byrnes

Unexposed contender who represents a very shrewd Irish trainer; justified favouritism with 1l success under Philip Byrnes at Leopardstown (2m4f, soft) last month when making handicap debut; should be capable of further progress; has to be feared.

4/1

1st

10

29th Dec 2022

Soft

2m 4f 0y

14:55 Leopardstown

Green Glory

10st 12lb

J: Philip Byrnes

T: C Byrnes

towards rear, bit short of room soon after start

3/1

10/1

  • Place: £1.90

Form: 8-1 D

Last run: 46 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Second in a point, unplaced in a bumper; goes straight into handicap company with what seems a high rating after beating the well-exposed Kilbree Warrior in a maiden at Navan in November.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

17th Mar 2025

Good

2m 3f 140y

16:12 Down Royal

Spirit Of Legend

11st 11lb

J: Phillip Enright

T: Henry De Bromhead

Hurdles winner is 0-7 chasing, having failed to complete on three of those; still not a fluent jumper although penultimate Fairyhouse effort was a solid one; hard to be confident in.

9/2

8th

1

11th Jan 2025

2m 5f 203y

14:51 Fairyhouse

Spirit Of Legend

12st 0lb

J: Phillip Enright

T: Henry De Bromhead

held up in rear

16/1

8th

1

11th Jan 2025

2m 5f 203y

14:51 Fairyhouse

Spirit Of Legend

12st 0lb

J: Phillip Enright

T: Henry De Bromhead

held up in rear

16/1

10/1

  • Place: £1.90

Form: 215F51

Last run: 23 days

W: 10st 10lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Showed a fair standard of form in bumpers, highlighted by a front-running win at Tipperary in July; opened her hurdles account at the fourth attempt, seeing out the trip well in a 2m5f maiden at Tramore; this may prove too competitive on handicap debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

2

(11)

19th May 2026

Good

1m 4f 30y

19:42 Cork

Gaoth Chuil

10st 2lb

J: Colin Keane

T: T M Walsh

Decent NH mare, winning a bumper and three times over hurdles at up to 3m; recent chase form not quite at same level but useful; previous two Flat runs include decent fourth in 1m7f Leopardstown amateur maiden last summer; would probably appreciate a stiffer test.

10/1

3rd

12

24th Apr 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 6f 70y

18:59 Kilbeggan

Gaoth Chuil

11st 5lb

J: Shane O’Callaghan

T: T M Walsh

Three-time hurdle winner with some excellent efforts in competitive handicaps; second behind Perceval Legallois at DRF last season off 133; ran to a good level on chase debut over C&D a year ago; failed to repeat that until last month's Cork second, confirming winning potential

7/2

Form: 7403-0

Last run: 46 days

W: 10st 5lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
Showed some ability in maiden hurdles last year and ran creditably when third on his handicap hurdle debut at Naas in January; entitled to need the race at Navan last month; should be much sharper now, and addition of tongue-tie could help.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

16

1st Aug 2025

Good

2m 6f 111y

18:00 Galway

Neveradullmoment

11st 1lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: J P Dempsey

Galway specialist with all three wins having come at the track; back-to-back winner over hurdles and fences here last term at 2m and 2m6f on soft and good to yielding; well beaten in two starts in May in Punchestown and Ballinrobe; he's up 12lb since his chase win last season, but he loves this place.

11/1

15

26th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 72y

18:30 Ballinrobe

Neveradullmoment

11st 0lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: J P Dempsey

1-13 over fences; won back to back races at Galway last August-September including a chase (22.5f, gd-yld) off 113; well-beaten off this mark on return from six months off when behind a couple of these at Punchestown; others make more appeal.

28/1

Form: 0426P-

Last run: 243 days

W: 11st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Bumper winner in 2019; highly tried over hurdles at times, including when tailed off in a Grade 2 contest at Fairyhouse on his final start last season; jockey booking is a positive, but otherwise hard to make a strong case on handicap/seasonal debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

16th

4

28th Dec 2023

Yielding

2m 4f 0y

12:40 Leopardstown

Hollow Sound

12st 0lb

J: Ricky Doyle

T: Luke Comer

led, headed and raced in second 3rd, briefly led 4th

25/1

7th

2

12th Dec 2023

Soft To Heavy

2m 3f 56y

13:30 Punchestown

Hollow Sound

12st 0lb

J: Ricky Doyle

T: Luke Comer

Bumper winner, inconsistent over hurdles, though ran well to take second in a 22-runner maiden here last winter; pulled up in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham; lacks the benefit of a recent outing.

25/1

22

17th Mar 2023

Soft

2m 4f 56y

Class 2

17:30 Cheltenham

Hollow Sound

10st 10lb

J: Charlie O’Dwyer

T: Luke Comer

Ran creditably in maiden hurdle at Punchestown (2m4f, yielding; clear second) last month; however, rather exposed (now 0-9 in this sphere) and looks unlikely to go one better in this hot handicap.

50/1

Form: U35-41

Last run: 207 days

W: 11st 3lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Was running for the 12th time over hurdles when landing a Kilbeggan maiden during the summer; has fair handicap form last season (including when fourth in this race), but is now 10lb higher than when second in a Gowran contest in January.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

16

4th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 5f 45y

15:15 Fairyhouse

The Gradual Slope

10st 5lb

J: Miss N Lockhead Anderson

T: Sean O O’Brien

Won a valuable staying handicap chase at the 2024 Punchestown festival; ordinary form since then, although did well to maintain contact with top-class performers when 66-1 outsider of four at Down Royal on St Patrick's Day; flattered by proximity but the run implies a return to form; rider doing well in point-to-points, 8-22 this season.

14/1

Form: 8835

Last run: 9 days

W: 10st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Way out of his depth in a Grade 2 event on latest; moderate third previously in a 2m maiden at Thurles; looked in need of a longer trip then and was described as a difficult ride when the stewards looked into his running-and-riding.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

5

21st Sep 2025

Yielding To Soft

2m 1f 150y

16:58 Listowel

Captains Nephew

11st 1lb

J: Tiernan Power Roche

T: P J Rothwell

Still 7lb above the mark at which he gained his last chase win in March 2024, tough task on his first outing since the Punchestown festival; behind Dutch Scultz (fourth) but on the positive side, he was in front of Gaelic Art and Jasko Des Dames in that race.

12/1

7th

8

1st May 2025

Yielding

2m 0f 75y

15:05 Punchestown

Captains Nephew

10st 10lb

J: G B Noonan

T: P J Rothwell

sweating

25/1

7th

8

1st May 2025

Yielding

2m 0f 75y

15:05 Punchestown

Captains Nephew

10st 10lb

J: G B Noonan

T: P J Rothwell

sweating

25/1

Form: 635-20

Last run: 47 days

W: 10st 3lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Good effort when runner-up in 2m4f Listowel handicap in June; could feature back in handicap company with the benefit of an outing in a maiden at Naas last month.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

5

13th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 3f 122y

14:18 Punchestown

Gringo Dainay

11st 5lb

J: Brian Hayes

T: John Queally

0-12; some good runs in defeat in 2023 but shown very little since returning from 628 days off in two maiden hurdle outings; fair mark back in handicap company if first-time cheekpieces help spark a revival.

14/1

9th

5

13th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 3f 122y

14:18 Punchestown

Gringo Dainay

11st 5lb

J: Brian Hayes

T: John Queally

0-12; some good runs in defeat in 2023 but shown very little since returning from 628 days off in two maiden hurdle outings; fair mark back in handicap company if first-time cheekpieces help spark a revival.

14/1

7th

5

10th Dec 2024

Yielding

2m 0f 122y

13:50 Punchestown

Gringo Dainay

11st 12lb

J: Brian Hayes

T: John Queally

0-11 over hurdles; placed three times, including a close third in a 2m Wexford handicap hurdle in March 2023; not seen again until down the field in a recent maiden at Tipperary

50/1

Form: -16422

Last run: 69 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Downpatrick 2m3f maiden hurdle winner in July; has run well in good company since, notably when second in a Punchestown conditions event won by Darver Star last time; had 135-rated subsequent winner Tax For Max behind when second at Sligo in October; could feature in first handicap.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

1

29th May 2026

Good

1m 7f 110y

17:55 Tramore

Typical Thomas

11st 12lb

J: Conor Smithers

T: James Andrew Fahey

Two-time chase winner but losing run stretches back to October 2023; off since okay run on the Flat at Listowel last September; poor record when fresh; others preferred.

16/1

11

26th Sep 2025

Yielding

1m 6f 0y

17:25 Listowel

Typical Thomas

11st 0lb

J: Miss H Heffernan

T: James Andrew Fahey

Hurdles rating of 113 leaves him with a lot to find in this company; tailed off in a Thurles conditions hurdle in March and not much better in two most recent handicap chase starts; exceedingly unlikely.

40/1

7

16th Jun 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 4f 51y

19:48 Kilbeggan

Typical Thomas

10st 4lb

J: Peter Smithers

T: James Andrew Fahey

Did well to win 2m2f Listed handicap chase at Cork off 119 in 2023 but hasn't run to that level since, most recently when too keen in first-time cheekpieces at Tipperary last month; handicapper quite slow to relent.

20/1

Form: 5471PF D

Last run: 35 days

W: 10st 13lb

5 yo Mare

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Decisive winner of a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle on good ground in October; pulled-up in a Listed mares' contest at Limerick since; took a heavy fall in a novice event at Thurles five weeks ago.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

3

21st Jan 2024

Yielding

2m 5f 132y

14:10 Thurles

Time To Rocco

11st 7lb

J: Michael O’Sullivan

T: Colin Motherway

Latest win came in a 2m2f mares chase here in March; consistent since without winning, most recently behind R'Eveleyn Pleasure at Cork; should get closer but others preferred.

7/1

4th

2

6th Jan 2024

Heavy

2m 4f 0y

15:07 Cork

Time To Rocco

11st 7lb

J: Danny Gilligan

T: Colin Motherway

Won a 2m2f mares' event at Thurles last March; has done most of her racing in conditions races; soundly beaten in fourth behind the useful Brides Hill in a mares' handicap at Fairyhouse last month; probably vulnerable off this mark.

6/1

4th

6

3rd Dec 2023

Soft

2m 4f 0y

11:55 Fairyhouse

Time To Rocco

10st 11lb

J: Danny Gilligan

T: Colin Motherway

towards rear, not fluent 1st

7/1

OUR TIP

Form: 2-1618 D

Last run: 47 days

W: 11st 8lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
Easy winner of a maiden at Bellewstown in July; made a winning handicap at Listowel in September; both wins over this trip on good ground; never in the hunt in 2m5f Cheltenham handicap won by fellow Irish raider Unanswered last time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

22nd Mar 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 1f 0y

17:05 Navan

Elle Perfecta

12st 3lb

J: Shane Fitzgerald

T: C A Murphy

midfield, outpaced and dropped to rear 6th, lost touch 8th

14/1

7

9th Jun 2024

Good

2m 4f 55y

14:20 Punchestown

Elle Perfecta

10st 13lb

J: Shane Fitzgerald

T: C A Murphy

held up in rear

14/1

Form: 21580F D

Last run: 11 days

W: 11st 3lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

17th Aug 2025

Good

2m 6f 0y

16:30 Tramore

Starzov

10st 3lb

J: Simon Torrens

T: P J Rothwell

Won twice over hurdles; no sign of similar form over fences; fell here in May, tailed off at Downpatrick last month, pulled up at Wexford last time.

25/1

12

6th Aug 2025

Good

3m 1f 70y

19:17 Wexford

Starzov

10st 0lb

J: Calum Hogan

T: P J Rothwell

Won twice over hurdles; no sign of similar form over fences; tailed off at Downpatrick last month; trainer has a better chance with Prince Zaltar.

16/1

4

14th Jul 2025

Good

2m 3f 100y

16:28 Downpatrick

Starzov

11st 6lb

J: Tiernan Power Roche

T: P J Rothwell

Dual hurdles winner but regressive last season; two chase efforts don't make him an obvious contender now on handicap debut unless first-time tongue-tie brings improvement.

10/1

Form: 40-212 D

Last run: 132 days

W: 10st 13lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Decisive winner of an ordinary maiden hurdle over this trip at Roscommon; absent since remote second in a three-runner conditions event at Kilbeggan August
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

25th Aug 2025

Good

2m 7f 65y

19:43 Ballinrobe

Mister Beeton

11st 12lb

J: Shane Fitzgerald

T: Shane Nolan

Dual hurdle winner, including over 3m, well held latest at Bellewstown; 0-4 chasing, emptying quickly at Roscommon in June.

16/1

7

5th Jul 2025

Good

3m 0f 116y

20:00 Bellewstown

Mister Beeton

11st 7lb

J: Shane Fitzgerald

T: Shane Nolan

Dual hurdle winner ran well over fences at times last winter including behind Grade 1 winner Croke Park; poor last hurdle start and twice over fences since.

22/1

Form: 4-841

Last run: 21 days

W: 10st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Odds-on maiden winner at Clonmel three weeks ago, due to run in the 12.35 at this venue on Wednesday.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

2

15th Sep 2023

Yielding

2m 5f 181y

16:15 Ballinrobe

Conna Cottage

11st 13lb

J: Mr A D Bustin

T: C Byrnes

Won a Clonmel maiden hurdle last December and some decent runs in defeat since; moved to this yard after being 4th in a Sligo claiming hurdle last time; of interest.

6/1

2nd

6

10th Aug 2023

Good

2m 1f 185y

17:05 Sligo

Conna Cottage

11st 0lb

J: Patrick M O’Brien

T: Gavin Cromwell

Clonmel maiden winner on soft ran okay on last month's comeback in 3m Bellewstown handicap; not one to rule out off a handy weight given his rider's claim.

11/2

4th

8

8th Jul 2023

Good

3m 0f 0y

20:00 Bellewstown

Conna Cottage

11st 0lb

J: Sean Flanagan

T: Gavin Cromwell

Maiden winner who ran okay in a Leopardstown handicap next time; jumping has let him down over fences the last twice but of interest back hurdling.

16/1

Form: 24/P/P

Last run: 55 days

W: 10st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Fair form two seasons ago; pulled-up lame after the first on comeback in a maiden at Down Royal won by his stablemate American Mike; not an obvious betting proposition against that background, but perhaps the market will tell a different story.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

7th Jan 2023

Soft

3m 0f 0y

13:37 Cork

Thunder Down Under

11st 12lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Respectable handicap form in 2020; pulled up in two starts since returning from 29 months off in November; very hard to know what to expect here.

10/1

11

29th Dec 2022

Soft

2m 4f 0y

14:55 Leopardstown

Thunder Down Under

10st 12lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

midfield, not fluent 2nd, mistake 5th, dropped to rear when jumped slightly right 7th

10/1

17

21st Dec 2022

Yielding

2m 6f 110y

14:07 Fairyhouse

Thunder Down Under

11st 12lb

J: Kevin Sexton

T: Gordon Elliott

Reserve; had some decent form a few season's ago but was pulled-up lame on return from a long absence and has to bounce back from that.

Form: 640-54 BF

Last run: 18 days

W: 10st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Let down by his jumping when favourite at Cork last time; potentially interesting; declared as reserve for 1.10 event here on Wednesday.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

7

(3)

28th Aug 2025

Standard

2m 0f 102y

Class 3

19:15 Southwell (AW)

Hardy Bloke

8st 4lb

J: Shay Farmer

T: Brian Ellison

8yo former hurdler/chaser who turned his attentions to the Flat last summer; enjoyed a solid spell in soft-ground staying handicaps in the autumn and produced a career best in this code when winning over C&D (Dreams Adozen fourth) on his reappearance in April; found the Northumberland Vase too warm when last seen two months ago but he's not discounted.

8/1

18

(17)

28th Jun 2025

Standard

2m 0f 56y

Class 2

14:40 Newcastle (AW)

Hardy Bloke

8st 12lb

J: Ben Robinson

T: Brian Ellison

8yo who is a former hurdler/chaser; enjoyed a solid spell in soft-ground staying handicaps on the Flat last autumn, and produced a career best in this code when winning by 3l on his reappearance at Southwell (2m, Tapeta) two months ago; a 5lb rise isn't harsh and he could be involved.

16/1

1st

7

(3)

30th Apr 2025

Standard

2m 0f 102y

Class 5

20:40 Southwell (AW)

Hardy Bloke

9st 2lb

J: Shay Farmer

T: Brian Ellison

nudged along early, in rear, steady headway and in touch with leaders over 3f out, headway to lead over 1f out, kept on well

7/2

Non-runners

Starzov, Mister Beeton, Conna Cottage, Hardy Bloke

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €12.80
Straight Forecast €11.08
Tricast €36.94
Trifecta €40.70

Selections

POSTDATA:

Spirit Of Legend

SPOTLIGHT:

Green Glory

RP Ratings (IRE):

The Gradual Slope

The Irish Sun:

Spirit Of Legend

TOPSPEED:

Green Glory