June 08 / 13.22 Punchestown

13.22

Good

Ladbrokes “We Play Together” Novice Hurdle

  • Prize money: £7182.61
  • 2m 0f 170y
  • 6 runners
RTV
View Course
Ladbrokes “We Play Together” Novice Hurdle

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

100/30 (Won)

  • Win: £5.00
  • Place: £1.90

Form: 2530-3

Last run: 7 days

W: 11st 6lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Dual Flat winner who has looked promising over hurdles and hit the frame in a Listowel maiden hurdle last week; needs to take his form to a new level here though back down in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12

17th Nov 2024

Good

2m 0f 87y

Class 1

15:30 Cheltenham

Napper Tandy

11st 3lb

J: James Smith

T: Matthew J Smith

Record of just 1-9 over hurdles, the win gained in uncompetitive field at Punchestown (2m1f, good) in June; ran well at Gowran Park (2m4f) on most recent attempt under this code; now goes into deeper waters.

50/1

12

17th Nov 2024

Good

2m 0f 87y

Class 1

15:30 Cheltenham

Napper Tandy

11st 3lb

J: James Smith

T: Matthew J Smith

Record of just 1-9 over hurdles, the win gained in uncompetitive field at Punchestown (2m1f, good) in June; ran well at Gowran Park (2m4f) on most recent attempt under this code; now goes into deeper waters.

50/1

8/15

  • Place: £1.10

Form: 3571-U D

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 132

Form & Verdict
Won valuable sales bumper at Fairyhouse in 2022 and has been progressive since returning over the last six months, winning a maiden hurdle at Naas in April and would have won a handicap hurdle without an unseat (made very bad error) at the final flight at Killarney last month; hard to beat with a clear round.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

6

9th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 0y

15:00 Killarney

Icare Desbois

10st 9lb

J: Cian Quirke

T: David Harry Kelly

Won a bumper and maiden hurdle over 2m for Willie Mullins in an interrupted career; form for current yard over hurdles and Flat suggests he needs to find a fair bit of improvement.

20/1

20th

21

30th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 7f 110y

16:15 Punchestown

Icare Desbois

10st 3lb

J: Cian Quirke

T: David Harry Kelly

Won a bumper and maiden hurdle over 2m for Willie Mullins in an interrupted career; mixed form on the Flat and over hurdles for this yard; has to do much better raised markedly in trip.

50/1

Form: 32345-

Last run: 241 days

W: 10st 13lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 98

Form & Verdict
0-16 on the Flat and yet to win in five hurdle starts but has run some creditable races in this sphere; has races in her but they're likely to be in handicaps and she's been off 241 days.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

25th Aug 2025

Good

2m 7f 65y

19:43 Ballinrobe

Ta Na La

11st 5lb

J: Shane O’Callaghan

T: T M Walsh

Maiden hurdle winner (rated 109) over an extended 2m4f on good ground at Bellewstown last summer; attracted attention of Stewards (banned for 60 days) on returning from 213-day absence on chase debut at Wexford in May, staying on to chase home a long odds-on shot in 4-runner 2m novice; marked step up in trip here.

11/2

2nd

5

17th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

16:45 Wexford

Ta Na La

10st 13lb

J: Shane O’Callaghan

T: T M Walsh

Maiden hurdle winner over an extended 2m4f on good ground at Bellewstown last summer and showed liking for decent ground when second in 2m Tramore handicap later; absent since October and stiff task on chase debut.

16/1

Form: 387-1 D

Last run: 32 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Clear career best when winning a maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe last month and entitled to come on for that run but has a bit to find to mix it with Icare Desbois.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

26th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 13y

19:30 Ballinrobe

Wandering Rocks

11st 10lb

J: Patrick M O’Brien

T: William Durkan

Dual purpose; won a C&D maiden hurdle (yielding) in May 2024; raced exclusively on the Flat in 2026; cheekpieces replace blinkers worn for last two starts; worth a market check on return to hurdling.

25/1

8th

4

(6)

12th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 182y

19:40 Killarney

Wandering Rocks

11st 11lb

J: Mr A D Bustin

T: William Durkan

Flat/hurdle winner; seemingly perked up by the new blinkers when a rallying third at Dundalk 19 days ago (1m4f); whether he'll be as good again is open to some debate.

10/1

3rd

8

(4)

23rd Apr 2026

Standard

1m 4f 0y

19:45 Dundalk (AW)

Wandering Rocks

9st 0lb

J: Jamie Orr

T: William Durkan

Sole success for this yard came in Ballinrobe maiden hurdle in 2024; fine effort at big odds over C&D after long layoff in January when fourth to Voice Of Reason but unable to back that up in two subsequent starts; new headgear.

20/1

OUR TIP

Form: 6-

Last run: 45 days

W: 11st 6lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Tailed off when 40-1 for a maiden hurdle at Bellewstown in April and enormous step forward required here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

6

21st May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 6f 160y

19:48 Limerick

A Year Older

11st 1lb

J: Ben Harvey

T: Karl Thornton

Won Fairyhouse handicap hurdle (3m2f, yielding) in January and was in contention over the same trip when falling four out over fences at Down Royal last time; raised 4lb for that.

6/1

11

12th Apr 2026

Good

3m 2f 50y

17:07 Down Royal

A Year Older

10st 11lb

J: Ben Harvey

T: Karl Thornton

Sprang a surprise at Fairyhouse (3m2f, yielding) on New Year's Day when returning from a 294-day absence to win comfortably at 40-1 over hurdles; had shown little in his eight previous outings, including when pulled up on only start over fences; form of those in behind bolsters his win; runs off winning mark and he will win if he can back it up now chasing.

7/2

Form: 90

Last run: 5 days

W: 11st 1lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Shown nothing in two starts so far, including yard debut latest.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

5

8th Jun 2024

Good

2m 0f 170y

13:22 Punchestown

Florida Strait

11st 1lb

J: Ricky Doyle

T: David Harry Kelly

in rear throughout, tailed off

200/1

15th

12

3rd Jun 2024

Good

2m 0f 0y

14:50 Listowel

Florida Strait

11st 7lb

J: Sean Flanagan

T: David Harry Kelly

midfield

12/1

9th

3

12th May 2024

Good

2m 1f 0y

17:05 Killarney

Florida Strait

11st 10lb

J: Mr T Hamilton

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Eighth foal; gelding by Australia out of a Montjeu mare, brother to his trainer's Irish Cesarewitch winner Magellan Strait; half-brother to five winners including the versatile Lagostovegas and jumps winner Cool Colonnade; likely contender.

9/4

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €7.30
Straight Forecast €7.35
Trifecta €21.50

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Icare Desbois

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Icare Desbois

TOPSPEED:

Icare Desbois

POSTDATA:

Icare Desbois

The Irish Sun:

Icare Desbois