14.45
HeavyWexford Festival Opera Maiden Hurdle
- Prize money: £5482.3
- 2m 4f 0y
- 13 runners
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Runners: 13 runners
Type: Hurdle Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Showers
Abandoned
Form: 7-
Last run: 187 days
W: 10st 13lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
11 |
11th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 3m 0f 210y Class 1 |
11st 7lb |
Irish 7yo whose broadly progressive form switched to chasing this season features a comfortable win at Roscommon (sole attempt over 3m1f; good) in the summer and good second in Thurles handicap (2m5f, yielding) last time; still reasonably unexposed and looks interesting back up in distance. |
6/1 |
|
2nd 2 |
18th Jan 2026 Yielding 2m 4f 198y |
11st 11lb |
Winning pointer and twice successful over hurdles for Pat Doyle; took third behind subsequent Galway Plate winner Western Fold on chasing debut before comfortably justifying favouritism next time at Roscommon (3m1f, good); made stable debut back from a break in a five-runner novice event at Fairyhouse last time when a distant fourth (2m5f, soft); shaped as though he would come on for the run that day. |
8/1 |
|
1 |
9th Jun 2025 Good 3m 1f 24y |
11st 12lb |
Winning pointer who won twice over hurdles, including a 3l defeat of Heroes Rise at Thurles in December; matched that RPR when third on recent chase debut; good chance. |
3/1 |
Abandoned
Form: —
Last run: —
W: 10st 13lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4th 1 |
8th May 2026 Good 2m 5f 89y Class 5 |
12st 0lb |
Gifted a 2m4f Uttoxeter race two starts back (soft), and 3m was clearly too far last time; not wholly convincing, but his one win on merit came at this time of year in 2024 on good (2m4f); tongue-tie added. |
3/1 |
|
3rd 8 |
28th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 3m 0f 10y Class 4 |
11st 6lb |
Ex-Irish 7yo; well held in his first three runs for Dan Skelton and he was around 17l down when he was gifted a race here (2m4f, soft) two weeks ago; this is a deeper contest and he has work to do to back up in trip. |
8/1 |
|
1st 3 |
14th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 2m 4f 0y Class 4 |
11st 9lb |
Well treated on best Irish form but has rather lost his way, latterly for new stable; best watched unless the market suggests a resurgent display is likely. |
8/1 |
Abandoned
Form: 0-
Last run: 187 days
W: 10st 13lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
21st Feb 2026 Heavy 2m 7f 165y |
12st 0lb |
Leopardstown handicap hurdle winner in March 2024 (3m, soft to heavy); still in contention when falling at Cork on second chase start in November (2m5f, yielding); tailed off at Down Royal last time (2m4f, good to yielding); may do better in these conditions on handicap chase debut. |
14/1 |
|
5th 6 |
17th Mar 2025 Good To Yielding 3m 1f 100y |
11st 12lb |
in rear |
10/1 |
Abandoned
Form: 00
Last run: 8 days
W: 10st 13lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5th 9 |
4th Mar 2026 Heavy 2m 7f 180y |
11st 2lb |
One win from 20 starts over hurdles; that win came over 2m4f at Punchestown on heavy ground in February last year off 78; good effort when third of 24 at Fairyhouse on New Year's Day (2m4f, yielding) but way below that level at Navan; a little hard to trust. |
7/1 |
Abandoned
Form: 3-
Last run: 187 days
W: 10st 13lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3 |
30th Oct 2025 Good 2m 2f 66y |
11st 10lb |
Maiden was a close second at Punchestown last year over 2m7f; has been poor in a hurdle and chase start this year so has to return to best. |
10/1 |
|
3 |
30th Oct 2025 Good 2m 2f 66y |
11st 10lb |
Maiden was a close second at Punchestown last year over 2m7f; has been poor in a hurdle and chase start this year so has to return to best. |
10/1 |
|
6 |
25th Jul 2025 Good 2m 4f 5y |
11st 5lb |
Went close at Punchestown in October (2m7f, gd-yld) and just 1lb higher here; should strip fitter for spin over hurdles at that venue in June and has placed at this trip over timber; not discounted back over fences. |
12/1 |
Abandoned
Form: P
Last run: 23 days
W: 10st 13lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5 |
3rd Feb 2025 Good To Soft 1m 7f 182y Class 4 |
11st 7lb |
Kept on for third in soft-ground Down Royal bumper for Gordon Elliott in 2023 but left that stable after two very disappointing runs; now back over hurdles for new yard; hooded for first time; probably best watched. |
16/1 |
|
5 |
3rd Feb 2025 Good To Soft 1m 7f 182y Class 4 |
11st 7lb |
always behind, lost touch and pulled up after 3 out |
16/1 |
Abandoned
Form: 80
Last run: 30 days
W: 10st 13lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 6 |
9th May 2026 Good 3m 2f 0y |
10st 11lb |
Won over fences at Tipperary and Listowel up to 3m last year; struggled off higher marks in softer ground after but could do better back on a sound surface. |
8/1 |
|
15th 4 |
2nd May 2026 Yielding 2m 0f 0y |
12st 6lb |
122-rated chaser, best form over much further than this, trip may be on sharp side. |
8/1 |
|
8th 3 |
22nd Mar 2026 Soft To Heavy 2m 3f 120y |
11st 9lb |
Both wins have been at around 3m including Listowel handicap in September; well held on softer ground of late so would appreciate some drying; trip possibly on the short side and Walsh prefers Miss Pronounciation. |
12/1 |
Abandoned
Form: U
Last run: 30 days
W: 10st 13lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6th 3 |
13th Apr 2026 Good 2m 7f 95y Class 4 |
11st 12lb |
Consistent and progressive 7yo who made all to score by 6l at Lingfield (2m7f, good to soft) on latest outing; has fitness to prove after 137-day break but could plausibly be seen to even better effect on the forecast faster ground here. |
7/2 |
Abandoned
Form: 3-3U
Last run: 30 days
W: 10st 13lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 9 |
28th Apr 2026 Yielding 3m 0f 213y |
11st 10lb |
Progressive in the first half of the season; won the Galway Plate, beat subsequent Savills Chase winner Affordale Fury at Gowran in October; second to Kaid d'Authie in an unsatisfactory four-runner DRF event; faded from three out in Brown Advisory; badly hampered and unseated two out in Fairyhouse Grade 1 won by Fleur In The Park. |
12/1 |
|
8 |
5th Apr 2026 Yielding To Soft 2m 4f 0y |
11st 10lb |
Progressive last summer, winning the Galway Plate (extended 2m6f, good), and a defeat of subsequent Savills Chase winner Affordale Fury at Gowran Park (2m4f, yielding to soft) in October; second to Kaid d'Authie in an unsatisfactory four-runner DRF event; faded from three out in Brown Advisory |
10/1 |
|
10th 15 |
11th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 3m 1f 0y Class 1 |
11st 7lb |
Progressive last summer, winning the Galway Plate (extended 2m6f, good), and he beat subsequent Savills Chase winner Affordale Fury at Gowran Park (2m4f, yielding to soft) in October; good second to Kaid d'Authie at Dublin Racing Festival last time and enters each-way calculations. |
12/1 |
Abandoned
Form: 7-8362
Last run: 28 days
W: 10st 13lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: 113
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
25th May 2026 Good 2m 6f 100y |
11st 12lb |
Dual-purpose two-time winning hurdler; won C&D maiden hurdle last May and added a Listed handicap hurdle at the Galway festival in August; well beaten off revised mark twice since; decent run on the Flat at Killarney 13 days ago, but more needed back over timber in new headgear combination. |
12/1 |
|
5th 9 (3) |
12th May 2026 Good 2m 0f 182y |
11st 3lb |
No closer than 14l in three Flat maidens (for Michael Hourigan) and better known as a jumper, having won a Listed handicap hurdle at last year's Galway festival; could be dangerous off this low a mark. |
7/2 |
|
8th 1 |
4th Apr 2026 Yielding To Soft 2m 7f 170y |
11st 12lb |
Twice successful early in the season on joining this yard, notably valuable 2m7f Galway handicap (good); didn't feature in Pertemps Qualifier at Cheltenham in October and absent since; likes good ground so possibly best watched on return here. |
20/1 |
Abandoned
Form: —
Last run: —
W: 10st 13lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
No Results Found |
Abandoned
Form: —
Last run: —
W: 10st 6lb
4 yo Filly
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
9 |
25th May 2026 Good 2m 7f 80y |
10st 8lb |
Better chaser than hurdler; couple of wins over 2m6f last summer, but much stiffer task here after a layoff and O'Keeffe prefers yard's other runner. |
14/1 |
|
1st 1 |
29th Sep 2025 Yielding 2m 5f 146y |
11st 12lb |
Dual hurdle winner but this winning pointer was always likely to do better over fences and she jumped well when winning a beginners' for mares at Tramore (2m6f, good); useful RPR suggests this mark will be fine. |
11/4 |
Abandoned
Form: 0-
Last run: 260 days
W: 10st 6lb
4 yo Filly
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
12 |
15th Jul 2024 Good 2m 5f 185y |
11st 4lb |
Far from setting any course records at present; first-time cheekpieces will need to do the trick; remains too speculative. |
50/1 |
|
12th 10 |
2nd Jun 2024 Good 3m 1f 32y |
11st 7lb |
Remote sixth in a maiden at Downpatrick last time; hard to take positives from her overall form, though she is relatively young and may improve. |
20/1 |
Verdict
The form of JOYEUX VINO’s debut third is working out well and with the likelihood of improvement stepping up in trip, he might be worth chancing against promising point winners Brave Fortune and Jasmin De Cotte. Winning Smut looks like a solid each-way contender after a career best last time. [Phill Anderson]