October 11 / 14.15 Downpatrick

14.15

Good To Yielding

Toals Bookmakers Maiden Hurdle

  • Prize money: £5130.43
  • 2m 1f 65y
  • 7 runners
RTV
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Toals Bookmakers Maiden Hurdle

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

9/2 (Won)

  • Win: £1.84
  • Place: £1.20

Form: 270/2

Last run: 16 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Dual-purpose maiden; last seen finishing 2.5l second in 2m2f Listowel handicap hurdle on soft on debut for this yard; will find this company easier and must be respected; handles any ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

4th Aug 2026

Good

2m 0f 142y

19:00 Roscommon

Impero

11st 12lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Cian Collins

By far the most talented of these over hurdles (rated 140) and he jumped accurately before tiring on his chase debut at Kilbeggan over 2m4f; nowhere near as good dropped back to 2m (good) at Wexford on latest and questions to answer now.

100/30

5th

1

30th Jun 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

14:20 Wexford

Impero

11st 12lb

J: Ben Harvey

T: Cian Collins

Smart five-time winner over hurdles and ran well in two useful handicaps in May; 3-1, jumped well out in front before tiring on chase debut over 2m4f at Kilbeggan; could be hard to beat over this trip.

5/2

7/2

  • Place: £2.70

Form: 4

Last run: 7 days

W: 11st 4lb

4 yo Filly

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Flat recruit; 0-6 in that sphere but is a half-sister to a 2m hurdle winner and she caught the eye on her hurdling debut when fourth of 18 at Gowran (2m, good) last week, closing all the way to the line; big player with further improvement likely.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

4

18th Sep 2026

Good

2m 1f 165y

14:47 Downpatrick

Whispering Hopes

11st 7lb

J: Mr E P Powell

T: Liam Lennon

Dual-purpose maiden placed over hurdles for Gordon Elliott; poor first two runs for this yard before fair third of 15 in Down Royal maiden hurdle (2m4f) in April; needs improvement returning from a break.

12/1

3rd

12

12th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 170y

13:55 Down Royal

Whispering Hopes

10st 13lb

J: Mr E P Powell

T: Liam Lennon

Dual-purpose maiden had been placed over hurdles for Gordon Elliott but has been poor in two starts for this yard (both here) and needs improvement on her best form anyway.

20/1

8th

19

17th Mar 2026

Yielding

2m 1f 105y

13:18 Down Royal

Whispering Hopes

10st 11lb

J: Mr E P Powell

T: Liam Lennon

Placed three times in nine attempts hurdling for Gordon Elliott, all on decent ground; down the field over C&D on stable debut eight weeks ago.

66/1

Form: 232223 BF

Last run: 11 days

W: 11st 11lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Dual-purpose maiden; 0-11 and rated 109 over hurdles; has finished second or third in his last eight starts; beaten favourite five times; looks sure to run his race again but he's risky for win purposes.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

14th Oct 2026

Good To Firm

2m 3f 85y

Class 4

13:25 Wetherby

In The Trenches

11st 8lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Jennie Candlish

Proved hard to win with when with Gavin Cromwell (1-32 over jumps) but doubled his winning tally in a three-runner novice handicap chase at Warwick on 15th chase start (3m, good to firm, tongue-tie tried) on last month's stable debut; respected on that form.

5/6

1st

2

22nd Sep 2026

Good To Firm

3m 0f 0y

Class 4

13:55 Warwick

In The Trenches

11st 6lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Jennie Candlish

He's raced 38 times (14 of them over fences) and his sole win came in a maiden hurdle at Downpatrick (2m3f, good) in June; not at his best on his final few outings for Gavin Cromwell (fences/hurdles) but he's a contender if at the top of his game on this stable debut; changed hands for 12,500gns last month; wears a first-time tongue-tie.

3/1

Form: 9

Last run: 46 days

W: 11st 11lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Fair run in a 1m2f claimer last year on sole start for Ger Lyons; struggled here on his hurdling debut in August; well beaten back on the Flat at Navan last month; readily passed over.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

3

(10)

17th Jan 2025

Standard

1m 4f 0y

19:15 Dundalk (AW)

Ravelli

9st 8lb

J: Donagh O’Connor

T: John C McConnell

towards rear, some headway inside final furlong, never near to challenge

10/1

3

(10)

17th Jan 2025

Standard

1m 4f 0y

19:15 Dundalk (AW)

Ravelli

9st 8lb

J: Donagh O’Connor

T: John C McConnell

Modest hurdles form but some improvement when making some late headway in a 1m2f maiden here last week; could get into the frame.

10/1

6th

1

(1)

10th Jan 2025

Standard

1m 2f 150y

19:30 Dundalk (AW)

Ravelli

9st 10lb

J: Donagh O’Connor

T: John C McConnell

Beaten roughly 3l in a claimer on debut for Ger Lyons but shown little on the Flat or over timber since and this is a tough assignment.

25/1

Form: U

Last run: 7 days

W: 11st 11lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Record of 0-11 on the Flat; has shown little on the level in six starts for McConnell and no better when unseating his rider at the first on his hurdling debut at Gowran last week; best watched.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

(3)

2nd Oct 2025

Good To Yielding

1m 4f 77y

17:20 Bellewstown

Hangry

9st 7lb

J: Donagh O’Connor

T: John C McConnell

25-race maiden; one of his better efforts when fourth of 14 at Down Royal last month; needs to prove himself on slower ground.

6/1

7

(15)

5th Sep 2025

Good

1m 4f 194y

19:24 Down Royal

Hangry

9st 9lb

J: Donagh O’Connor

T: John C McConnell

24-race maiden (0-13 on Flat) whose recent Navan run leaves him with lots to find.

20/1

Form: 5

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 11lb

4 yo Colt

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Made little impact when trained by Ger Lyons and despite running well in third at Down Royal on the Flat latest is now 0-15 in that sphere; made little impact on sole hurdling start here last month.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

29th Sep 2026

Good

2m 3f 188y

Class 5

15:45 Sedgefield

Hijo De La Luna

11st 1lb

J: Bruce Lynn

T: Simon West

AW Flat winner when visored for the first time, in February (8.5f); sound run back over hurdles when keeping-on third at Kelso this month (2m2f, good to firm); 2m4f should suit; each-way chance.

5/1

3rd

4

16th Sep 2026

Good To Firm

2m 2f 25y

Class 5

16:25 Kelso

Hijo De La Luna

11st 1lb

J: Bruce Lynn

T: Simon West

Has a poor strike-rate of 1-38 under rules; stayed on when the race was all over when fourth of ten at Sedgefield (2m1f, good to firm) last month; others look more likely.

8/1

4th

4

28th Aug 2026

Good To Firm

2m 0f 178y

Class 5

17:00 Sedgefield

Hijo De La Luna

11st 6lb

J: Bruce Lynn

T: Simon West

Poor strike-rate (1-37), finishing down the field at Ripon (1m2f; 25-1) a fortnight ago; nothing special over hurdles either (0-5; beaten 34l at Market Rasen in April), so difficult to consider.

40/1

Form: —

Last run: —

W: 11st 11lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Beaten out of sight in three runs on the Flat, including a maiden claimer at Bellewstown this month; impossible to recommend on his hurdling debut on what he's shown to date.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

7

11th Oct 2024

Good To Yielding

2m 1f 65y

14:15 Downpatrick

Purrrfect Timing

11st 11lb

J: Kieren Buckley

T: Chris Timmons

Beaten out of sight in three runs on the Flat, including a maiden claimer at Bellewstown this month; impossible to recommend on his hurdling debut on what he's shown to date.

40/1

7th

6

(9)

2nd Oct 2024

Soft

0m 7f 205y

13:30 Bellewstown

Purrrfect Timing

9st 4lb

J: Gary Carroll

T: Chris Timmons

towards rear, some headway 1f out, soon no extra

100/1

12th

1

(2)

29th Jun 2024

Good

1m 0f 0y

16:40 Curragh

Purrrfect Timing

10st 4lb

J: Rory Cleary

T: Chris Timmons

Outpaced early and never involved on debut in 5f Navan maiden in May; visored now instead of cheekpieces; impossible to fancy.

100/1

Non-runners

Boston Beach, Kingston Narcissus, Walk The Plank

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €6.80
Straight Forecast €5.83
Trifecta €8.90

Selections

RP RATINGS (IRE):

In The Trenches

SPOTLIGHT:

Whispering Hopes

The Irish Sun:

Whispering Hopes

TOPSPEED:

In The Trenches

POSTDATA:

In The Trenches