March 26 / 14.25 Limerick

14.25

Soft To Heavy

Way To Paris @ Coolagown Stud Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase (Grade 3)

  • Prize money: £14880.53
  • 3m 0f 120y
  • 6 runners
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Way To Paris @ Coolagown Stud Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase (Grade 3)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

5/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.10
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 21-1F1 D

Last run: 56 days

W: 11st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 145

Form & Verdict
Last season's Boyne Hurdle winner, earning a hurdles rating of 152; second-season novice chaser; won a beginners' event at Galway, relegating today's rival Grandero Bello to third; beaten when falling at the last in the Drinmore at Fairyhouse; awarded Naas Grade 3 event eight weeks ago on the arguably harsh disqualification of Ramillies, sets a good standard.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

7

2nd Mar 2025

Yielding To Soft

2m 2f 72y

14:25 Leopardstown

Thedevilscoachman

11st 2lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: Noel Meade

Four-time winner over hurdles has bounced back to form this season; has finished runner up in Grade 2s the last twice at Gowran and Navan on soft to heavy ground; the drying track here is not in his favour and this trip may be a shade sharp too, albeit he can't be discounted in this company.

5/4

2nd

6

9th Feb 2025

Soft To Heavy

2m 5f 180y

14:40 Navan

Thedevilscoachman

11st 3lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: Noel Meade

prominent, disputing second 8th, went clear with winner approaching last, no impression final 110yds

7/4

2nd

6

9th Feb 2025

Soft To Heavy

2m 5f 180y

14:40 Navan

Thedevilscoachman

11st 3lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: Noel Meade

prominent, disputing second 8th, went clear with winner approaching last, no impression final 110yds

7/4

2/1

  • Place: £1.30

Form: 4-3U21

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Point/maiden hurdle winner; promising 2 1/4l behind Thedevilscoachman on chase debut at Galway; bounced back from an unlucky unseat when beaten a neck by Bronn in what was effectively a match at Fairyhouse, made all for an emphatic win at Gowran last time; clear chance in theory against Thedevilscoachman on these terms.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

18th

6

28th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 3f 81y

15:05 Punchestown

Grandero Bello

11st 5lb

J: Kieren Buckley

T: Eddie & Patrick Harty

Has come up dry since winning a handicap chase at Galway in October 2024; soundly beaten all four starts this term; won his maiden hurdle here but others arrive in better form.

50/1

8th

4

8th Mar 2026

Heavy

3m 0f 174y

16:02 Naas

Grandero Bello

10st 11lb

J: Kieren Buckley

T: Eddie & Patrick Harty

Dual chase winner with last win coming at Galway in October 2024 (2m7f, soft); tailed off in a Grade 2 hurdle on seasonal return at Navan and similar story in a Listed handicap chase back there next time (2m5f, soft to heavy); distant third over hurdles at Gowran last month (2m4f, heavy); back down to winning mark now but others more likely.

12/1

3

3rd May 2025

Yielding

3m 0f 104y

16:15 Punchestown

Grandero Bello

11st 5lb

J: Ricky Doyle

T: Eddie & Patrick Harty

in touch with leaders, dropped to rear 7th

25/1

OUR TIP

Form: 611-13 BF

Last run: 155 days

W: 11st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Two wins last April, a maiden at Tramore and a 24-runner handicap at Punchestown festival; justified favouritism on chasing debut at Listowel festival; ran no sort of race at Cheltenham in November, trainer's post-race explanations then suggest that both trip and ground may be against him here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14th

8

2nd Feb 2025

Yielding

2m 5f 107y

14:45 Leopardstown

Life In The Park

11st 2lb

J: Mike O’Connor

T: Henry De Bromhead

Sole win in 14 chase starts came in 2022; creditable runs in the Plate at Cheltenham and the Galway Plate but more recent 3m efforts have been poor; plenty to find.

25/1

14th

8

2nd Feb 2025

Yielding

2m 5f 107y

14:45 Leopardstown

Life In The Park

11st 2lb

J: Mike O’Connor

T: Henry De Bromhead

Sole win in 14 chase starts came in 2022; creditable runs in the Plate at Cheltenham and the Galway Plate but more recent 3m efforts have been poor; plenty to find.

25/1

18th

11

27th Dec 2024

Good To Yielding

3m 0f 100y

15:00 Leopardstown

Life In The Park

11st 5lb

J: Rachael Blackmore

T: Henry De Bromhead

visibility reduced by fog, midfield

28/1

Form: 4-P92

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 99

Form & Verdict
Dual point winner; modest form in hunter chase starts; surpassed general expectations when second in a rated event at Fairyhouse last time; faces a much stiffer task now.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

23

2nd May 2026

Yielding

3m 0f 104y

15:45 Punchestown

Clonmeen

10st 0lb

J: Daniel King

T: William P Murphy

Not a great strike rate but on song on latest when readily landing 3m1f Fairyhouse handicap last month in first-time blinkers; raised 12lb for that but still 12lb out of handicap here so plenty on his plate.

33/1

1st

18

6th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

3m 0f 120y

17:40 Fairyhouse

Clonmeen

10st 0lb

J: Simon Torrens

T: William P Murphy

Promise here on seasonal reappearance; failed to build on that on next four starts but signs of a revival when staying on for a 9.5l fourth back here (3m, heavy) on latest; blinkers could eke out more but he's 7lb wrong and looks up against it.

33/1

Form: 281PP5 C

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 1lb

9 yo Mare

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
Very useful mare achieved career-best over fences with battling all-the-way win in Grade 2 Florida Pearl Novice at Punchestown in November, pulled-up next two starts, dropped out tamely after a mistake in Thyestes and similar in Grade 2 Ten Up Novice at Navan; again ran poorly at Thurles a month ago; questions to answer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

29th Apr 2023

Good To Yielding

3m 7f 0y

15:10 Punchestown

Darrens Hope

10st 9lb

J: J J Slevin

T: Robert Murphy

Has been a reliable mare in previous seasons ans looked set for a fine campaign when a long-priced Grade 2 winner at this venue last November; has lost form alarmingly and is now tried with blinkers for the first time.

25/1

11

15th Apr 2023

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

16:15 Aintree

Darrens Hope

10st 2lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Robert Murphy

Can lead; has had a fallow spell since winning a Grade 2 novice at Punchestown in November (2m6f, yielding) and little in her latest two handicap starts (in October and January) suggests she has anything in hand off her current mark.

16/1

32

10th Apr 2023

Soft

3m 5f 0y

17:00 Fairyhouse

Darrens Hope

10st 0lb

J: Conor Clarke

T: Robert Murphy

Second reserve; won the Grade 2 Florida Pearl Novice at Punchestown in November (2m6f) but hasn't produced an effort of note since then.

200/1

Form: 902758 C

Last run: 8 days

W: 10st 7lb

9 yo Mare

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
87-rated mare is only making up the numbers; the only positive is that her best form has been at this venue.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

6

18th Apr 2024

Heavy

2m 7f 0y

18:45 Clonmel

Seangoell

10st 0lb

J: J J Slevin

T: Norman Lee

pushed along briefly, briefly led, prominent soon after start, pressed leader from 8th, led narrowly 4 out, joined before 3 out

6/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €3.60
Straight Forecast €4.16
Trifecta €5.30

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Thedevilscoachman

TOPSPEED:

Darrens Hope

RP Ratings (IRE):

Thedevilscoachman

POSTDATA:

Thedevilscoachman

The Irish Sun:

Thedevilscoachman