February 09 / 15.15 Thurles

15.15

Yielding

Leugh Rated Novice Hurdle

  • Prize money: £8353.98
  • 2m 4f 0y
  • 6 runners
RTV
View Course
Leugh Rated Novice Hurdle

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Scattered showers

5/4 (Won)

  • Win: £3.70
  • Place: £1.90

Form: 422510 D

Last run: 40 days

W: 11st 4lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Underlined his progression when readily landing a handicap hurdle over this trip at Cork in November; ran no race under a 9lb penalty at Punchestown last time; suited by the race conditions and hard to beat if coming back to his previous form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

26th Nov 2023

Soft

2m 5f 0y

14:50 Cork

Riaan

11st 8lb

J: Danny Gilligan

T: Gordon Elliott

in touch with leaders, prominent after 2nd, went second after 7th

5/1

4th

2

17th Sep 2023

Good

2m 1f 0y

16:20 Listowel

Riaan

11st 7lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Progressive sort last term, winning twice over hurdles before finding the Coral Cup too demanding; off for five months before a lively front-running display on his chase debut at Wexford; all three wins have been over 2m4f so the trip could be an issue.

9/4

1st

7

11th Aug 2023

Good To Yielding

2m 3f 170y

18:40 Wexford

Riaan

11st 12lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Progressive sort last term, winning twice over hurdles before finding the Coral Cup too demanding; off five months and probably needs a career best on chase debut but hard to put a line through.

3/1

2/1

  • Place: £1.10

Form: 132

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Expensive purchase from France; respectable debut in a Gowran maiden hurdle in November but no match for the useful Three Card Brag at Fairyhouse; holds entries in the Ballymore and the Albert Bartlett but would need to win this well to justify that.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12

17th Mar 2023

Soft

2m 4f 56y

Class 2

17:30 Cheltenham

Spanish Harlem

11st 2lb

J: Michael O’Sullivan

T: W P Mullins

Bought for 360,000euros after winning his sole start in France; consistent efforts for Willie Mullins without yet making the expected progress, most recently second at Thurles (2m4f, good to yielding); has been untidy with his jumping the last twice but is open to any amount of improvement off this opening mark granted an error-free round and his trainer has won this contest four times with horses who proved handicap snips in hindsight; has to be feared.

9/2

2nd

1

9th Feb 2023

Yielding

2m 4f 0y

15:15 Thurles

Spanish Harlem

11st 8lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

Expensive purchase from France; respectable debut in a Gowran maiden hurdle in November but no match for the useful Three Card Brag at Fairyhouse; holds entries in the Ballymore and the Albert Bartlett but would need to win this well to justify that.

2/1

2nd

2

25th Jan 2023

Soft To Heavy

2m 3f 110y

13:53 Fairyhouse

Spanish Harlem

11st 10lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

raced in second, not fluent 6th, not fluent 3 out, made challenge when pushed along home turn, outpaced when ridden before last, kept on but no match for winner

11/8

OUR TIP

9/2

Form: 22-216 D

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 4lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Gained a deserved success in a Down Royal maiden hurdle in December; can be forgiven a poor run at Fairyhouse latest; stays well and comes into it on his previous form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

3

12th May 2023

Yielding

2m 3f 20y

19:20 Kilbeggan

Eye Van

11st 12lb

J: Niall Moore

T: R P Cody

Record of 1-13 over hurdles and rated 123 in that sphere; some decent runs in defeat lately but was well below form at Punchestown last time; cheekpieces on for chasing debut.

16/1

5th

2

26th Apr 2023

Yielding To Soft

2m 3f 180y

16:45 Punchestown

Eye Van

11st 12lb

J: Niall Moore

T: R P Cody

prominent, pushed along and lost position after 3 out, ridden and detached from 2 out

12/1

13

10th Apr 2023

Yielding

2m 5f 155y

16:15 Fairyhouse

Eye Van

10st 13lb

J: Rachael Blackmore

T: R P Cody

Form: 555

Last run: 9 days

W: 11st 4lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Not disgraced in a couple of bumpers and a Limerick maiden hurdle; much more needed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

13

25th Nov 2023

Good To Soft

3m 0f 58y

Class 1

14:20 Haydock

Fine Margin

10st 9lb

J: Brian Hayes

T: W P Mullins

Half-brother to very useful 2m hurdler Belfast Banter; trained hitherto by Matthew Daly, easily best efforts coming this February in novice/maiden hurdles at 2m4f and 2m (unraced beyond 2m4f under rules); a lot more is needed on this handicap/seasonal debut for new connections but the switch to Willie Mullins has to catch the eye.

10/1

9th

6

26th Apr 2023

Yielding To Soft

2m 3f 180y

16:15 Punchestown

Fine Margin

11st 3lb

J: Danny Mullins

T: Matthew A Daly

Has run respectably in maiden and novice hurdles without winning and can win one of those in time but faces some stiff opposition today.

33/1

2nd

1

25th Feb 2023

Yielding

2m 0f 110y

14:10 Fairyhouse

Fine Margin

11st 10lb

J: Kevin Sexton

T: Matthew A Daly

towards rear of midfield early, headway before 3 out, close up when switched right and pushed along on inner before 2 out, went second approaching last, ridden and no extra but kept on run-in

7/2

Form: -81145

Last run: 62 days

W: 11st 4lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Bolted up in a Tipperary bumper and decisive winner of a Limerick maiden hurdle; more exposed stepping up in class twice since but capable of a good showing here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

5

4th Nov 2023

Good To Soft

2m 0f 110y

Class 3

15:28 Ayr

Kiki Badger

10st 13lb

J: Daryl Jacob

T: Anthony McCann

Made no significant progress after last autumn's winning hurdle debut but returned from break with two encouraging chase runs this autumn (behind Rexem on first occasion) and has each-way claims here.

10/1

4th

6

7th Oct 2023

Soft

2m 0f 110y

13:55 Fairyhouse

Kiki Badger

11st 12lb

J: A P Heskin

T: Anthony McCann

Bumper/hurdles winner; fair third on first chase attempt at Galway, with the shorter-priced Annexation back in fifth; more on his plate now.

10/1

3rd

3

11th Sep 2023

Good To Yielding

2m 2f 54y

18:15 Galway

Kiki Badger

11st 12lb

J: A P Heskin

T: Anthony McCann

pressed leader, joined leader after 6th, led narrowly 7th, headed and lost second from last, soon no extra, no match for first two

14/1

Form: 0F7170 C

Last run: 50 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
33-1 winner of a mares maiden hurdle here in November; no show twice since but indicated last time as though the step up in trip would suit; could outrun her likely odds.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

5

2nd Nov 2023

Soft

2m 0f 13y

14:40 Thurles

Navy Waves

11st 9lb

J: Evan Dwan

T: Mrs Julie Cashin

33-1 maiden winner on this card last year but well beaten all starts since.

33/1

11th

14

23rd Sep 2023

Yielding To Soft

2m 4f 0y

15:20 Listowel

Navy Waves

11st 5lb

J: Evan Dwan

T: Mrs Julie Cashin

Won a Thurles maiden hurdle last winter but has shown very little since and cheekpieces need to spark a revival.

22/1

10th

13

25th Aug 2023

Good

2m 3f 0y

17:35 Kilbeggan

Navy Waves

11st 2lb

J: Evan Dwan

T: Mrs Julie Cashin

Surprise winner of Thurles maiden last November but has shown very little since, dropping away tamely here last month.

33/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €16.80
Straight Forecast €15.31
Trifecta €49.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Riaan

POSTDATA:

Spanish Harlem

TOPSPEED:

Kiki Badger

RP Ratings (IRE):

Riaan

The Irish Sun:

Spanish Harlem