October 29 / 15.01 Galway

15.01

Soft

Ann Walsh Memorial Novice Hurdle

  • Prize money: £7309.73
  • 2m 4f 156y
  • 8 runners
RTV
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Ann Walsh Memorial Novice Hurdle

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

4/1 (Won)

  • Win: £4.40
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 355412 D

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Never better than third in five bumper runs but has taken well to hurdling; backed up Sligo maiden win with a creditable second to the smart High Class Hero at Listowel; winner followed up at odds-on in a four-runner Limerick event.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

21st Apr 2025

Soft To Heavy

3m 5f 37y

17:00 Fairyhouse

Sequestered

11st 1lb

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

Easy winner of 3m handicap chase at Leopardstown in December; ran well off revised mark when second over 2m5f at same track at DRF; failed to make any impression in the Ultima at Cheltenham; up against it.

25/1

9

21st Apr 2025

Soft To Heavy

3m 5f 37y

17:00 Fairyhouse

Sequestered

11st 1lb

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

Easy winner of 3m handicap chase at Leopardstown in December; ran well off revised mark when second over 2m5f at same track at DRF; failed to make any impression in the Ultima at Cheltenham; up against it.

25/1

10th

9

11th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 1f 0y

Class 1

14:40 Cheltenham

Sequestered

11st 6lb

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

Irish-trained novice who has improved the last twice, easily winning big-field handicap at Leopardstown (extended 3m, good to yielding) in December then second of 16 at same track (2m5f, yielding); could do with jumping better than last time but this progressive 7yo may have more left in the tank.

14/1

2/1

  • Place: £1.40

Form: 1-2232

Last run: 19 days

W: 11st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Won a 2m Kilbeggan maiden in April and has run well in defeat in novice company up to 3m; showed that he is worthy of his handicap rating when second in a 19-runner contest at Punchestown; his experience should be an asset in a race like this.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

5th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

3m 0f 180y

17:30 Fairyhouse

Stuzzikini

12st 0lb

J: Mr J C Barry

T: Stephanie Ocsko-Moore

Failed to prosper in top staying handicaps after winning the 2024 Troytown for Gordon Elliott; should show the benefit of a point-to-point run at Oldtown in February.

10/1

8/1

  • Place: £2.70

Form: 190-44

Last run: 96 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Won 2m Leopardstown maiden last March; has been running well in Flat handicaps on heavy, fourth over 1m at Leopardstown last Sunday; would get 7lb from Stuzzikini in a handicap.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

9th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 0y

15:00 Killarney

Walhaan

10st 0lb

J: Conor Stone-Walsh

T: Ciaran Murphy

Seven-time Flat winner won a Leopardstown maiden hurdle in March 2023 (2m, good to yielding) but generally moderate form over hurdles since then; the same can be said of his recent outing on the level at Leopardstown last month.

18/1

Form: 442147

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Maiden winner over 2m at Kilbeggan; found wanting since raised in class in novice races over contrasting trips, 2m at Cork and 3m in Listowel race in which Moon D'Orange was fifth.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

15

29th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 145y

19:00 Tramore

Zolpharine

10st 3lb

J: Daniel King

T: John Patrick Ryan

Impressive handicap chase win at Limerick on latest (22.5f, good); now looks to exploit 12lb lower hurdles mark but hasn't won in this sphere since September 2023; in form, though, and can't discount.

3/1

Form: 239-1 D

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Point winner; finished runner-up on rules debut in a bumper at Navan in February (winner and third won franked the form); not quite as good when third in a bumper at the same venue in March; well below form at Fairyhouse on hurdle debut; stayed 2m4f well when winning a maiden at Gowran. runner-up failed to uphold the form at Sligo on Friday.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

26th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 72y

18:30 Ballinrobe

Mint Boy

11st 10lb

J: Patrick M O’Brien

T: Gavin Cromwell

Two-time hurdles winner is 0-6 over fences; unseated when 8-1 at Cheltenham in March; didn't get home in the Irish National in April; cheekpieces now tried; others make more appeal.

16/1

3

26th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 72y

18:30 Ballinrobe

Mint Boy

11st 10lb

J: Patrick M O’Brien

T: Gavin Cromwell

Two-time hurdles winner is 0-6 over fences; unseated when 8-1 at Cheltenham in March; didn't get home in the Irish National in April; cheekpieces now tried; others make more appeal.

16/1

14th

23

21st Apr 2025

Soft To Heavy

3m 5f 37y

17:00 Fairyhouse

Mint Boy

10st 9lb

J: Kevin Sexton

T: Gavin Cromwell

2-6 over hurdles, rated 137; has reached the same mark over fences despite failing to win in five attempts; fair effort when third over 2m6f at Punchestown in February; among the leading fancies (8-1) for the Kim Muir, made a bad mistake at the 15th and unseated rider; renews rivalry with the first three home.

25/1

OUR TIP

Form: 2337-1 C

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Placed on all three maiden hurdle outings last March/April; out of his depth in a conditions race at the Punchestown festival; course maiden winner over a shorter trip on seasonal debut; same 7lb-claiming rider now; trip should not be a problem.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

26th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 0f 0y

15:12 Clonmel

Free Flowing

11st 12lb

J: Michael Kenneally

T: Norman Lee

Galway maiden hurdle winner in October 2023 on soft, beating a useful rival in Olympic Man; returned from more than two years off the track when tailed off in conditions hurdle in December; finished tamely again when a distant third at this track lto; needs far more on chase debut in first-time cheekpieces but a player if ability remains.

10/1

Form: 0478P-

Last run: 187 days

W: 10st 11lb

6 yo Mare

OR:

Form & Verdict
Struggled in two runs over hurdles last season; point winner, weak form in hunter chases; up against it here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

11

17th Dec 2023

Soft To Heavy

2m 4f 100y

14:55 Navan

Lavinia Fontana

10st 1lb

J: Conor McNamara

T: Ciaran Murphy

prominent, soon went second, slow jump and lost ground 7th

33/1

7th

11

28th Nov 2023

Soft

2m 5f 100y

15:00 Tramore

Lavinia Fontana

11st 4lb

J: E Walsh

T: Ciaran Murphy

Point winner; jumped badly when out of her depth in a novice hurdle at Galway last month; hunter chase form is not very encouraging but she is a relatively young mare with potential for improvement; starts off in handicaps off a low mark.

12/1

7th

8

29th Oct 2023

Soft

2m 4f 156y

15:01 Galway

Lavinia Fontana

10st 11lb

J: Jody McGarvey

T: Ciaran Murphy

Struggled in two runs over hurdles last season; point winner, weak form in hunter chases; up against it here.

66/1

Form: 4-15

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Huge price when fourth in strong Leopardstown maiden last Christmas; won ordinary 2m6f maiden at Cartmel in May; remote fifth over 3m at Cork a fortnight ago on first run after a break; others have stronger claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

15th

9

9th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 58y

Class 2

12:45 Haydock

Moon Dorange

10st 8lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: John C McConnell

Inconsistent chaser who's saved his best for Cheltenham in 2025 and 2026, including a win (his only handicap success) in January 2025 and third at the Festival this March; both were over an extended 2m4f and he's shown his form only once from seven attempts under rules over 3m+; not the percentage call.

16/1

7th

9

15th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 203y

Class 1

14:40 Haydock

Moon Dorange

10st 10lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: John C McConnell

9lb higher when beaten 3.5l by Riskintheground 12 months ago; 0-10 in the meantime but the new visor worked well when a never-nearer third in the Plate at Cheltenham last month and clear claims if he can back that up.

9/1

3rd

22

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 44y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Moon Dorange

10st 2lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: John C McConnell

Pulled up in the 2m4f novice handicap here last March but that was out of character as he had won over that C&D the time before and generally has a good track record; not much of a force this season, though, and he doesn't look in enough form to take advantage of a weights drop; often wears headgear, first-time visor today.

50/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €14.00
Straight Forecast €16.07
Trifecta €90.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Stuzzikini

POSTDATA:

Sequestered

The Irish Sun:

Mint Boy

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Stuzzikini

TOPSPEED:

Stuzzikini