December 31 / 12.35 Punchestown

12.35

Yielding

Your Free Entry Sponsored By Tote Ireland Beginners Chase

  • Prize money: £6669.57
  • 2m 7f 209y
  • 7 runners
RTV
View Course
Your Free Entry Sponsored By Tote Ireland Beginners Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

11/4 (Won)

  • Win: £3.00
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 215-22 C

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Two-time winner over timber, including a maiden at this track; solid efforts in first two chases; beaten a short head by Sa Majeste at Tipperary last month and 1.5l by Dancing City over this C&D (yielding) three weeks ago; has an experience edge over High Class Hero and that could be key; big chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

30th Apr 2026

Yielding

4m 1f 11y

15:40 Punchestown

Shannon Royale

11st 12lb

J: Conor Stone-Walsh

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Won a 3m beginners' chase for Gordon Elliott last season; lost form and has failed to show anything like his best since joining this team; has reportedly bled, including when a remote seventh behind Vanillier over this course in February.

25/1

5th

2

29th Mar 2026

Yielding To Soft

3m 4f 120y

16:27 Downpatrick

Shannon Royale

11st 7lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Won a 3m beginners' chase for Gordon Elliott last season; lost form and has failed to show anything like his best since joining this team; reported to have bled from the nose at Cheltenham handicap on New Year's Day; reportedly bled again in Punchestown cross-country event

16/1

7th

2

4th Feb 2026

Heavy

3m 0f 193y

12:28 Punchestown

Shannon Royale

11st 11lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Very useful hurdler and last track success came here in 3m beginners chase just over a year ago (yielding) for Gordon Elliott; well held here in 2m6f handicap in November and reported to have bled from the nose when pulled up in 3m2f Cheltenham handicap on New Year's Day, having not jumped well; questions to answer on cross-country debut.

8/1

15/8

  • Place: £1.50

Form: 111P2-

Last run: 244 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Classy hurdler; 4-6 over timber and rated 148 in that sphere; was beaten just 0.5l in a Grade 1 novice hurdle here on his last start in May; has experience in point-to-points; stable form a slight concern but he holds leading form claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

2nd May 2026

Yielding

3m 0f 104y

15:45 Punchestown

High Class Hero

11st 12lb

J: Sean Cleary-Farrell

T: W P Mullins

Sole chase win came in 2m7f beginners' here last season but some fine runs in competitive handicaps, fourth in last season's bet365 Gold Cup and this term when second in 2m6f handicap here and most notably chasing clear leader when blundering last in 4m2f Aintree National and weakening late on when fifth of 16 finishers (good-to-soft); tendency to jump left is a negative but could go well if putting it all together here (in-form rider's claim a positive).

10/1

5th

18

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

High Class Hero

10st 11lb

J: James Bowen

T: W P Mullins

One positive is his staying-on third over an extended 3m4f in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown (good; 5lb higher today) last April; another is that he's trained by Willie Mullins, who described him in November as likely to be "an ideal type for the Grand National"; after a solid reappearance, he's been pulled up in good handicaps on his last two outings but both were in the mud and he got loose before the latest, which presumably didn't help.

50/1

1

8th Mar 2026

Heavy

3m 0f 174y

16:02 Naas

High Class Hero

11st 12lb

J: Anna McGuinness

T: W P Mullins

Four-time hurdles winner; won Punchestown beginners' chase last February; beaten at short odds in a Thurles Grade 3 next time; better effort upped to 3m4f at Sandown when third (good); positive seasonal return at Punchestown when a 4.5l runner-up (2m6f, soft to heavy); weakened before three out and pulled up in Thyestes last time (3m1f, heavy); must shoulder top weight here again.

10/1

Form: 11P32- C BF

Last run: 251 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Second runner for yard; two-time winner over hurdles, including a Grade 2 novice, and rated 140; best form is on testing ground so would appreciate a drop of rain and Paul Townend prefers his stablemate.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

12th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 20y

Class 2

13:43 Ayr

Loughglynn

11st 11lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: W P Mullins

0-3 over fences but has run well in defeat the last twice and this Grade 2 novice hurdle winner is open to further improvement in this discipline, for a top Irish trainer who won this 12 months ago; respected.

7/2

2

12th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 20y

Class 2

13:43 Ayr

Loughglynn

11st 11lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: W P Mullins

took keen hold, prominent

7/2

2nd

6

20th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 6f 150y

13:55 Punchestown

Loughglynn

11st 12lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: W P Mullins

Two wins over hurdles, including a Grade 2 novice over 2m7f at Limerick, rated 140; satisfactory third on chase debut at this venue, 10l behind stablemate High Class Hero; unlikely to reverse that form in view of his failure to make the frame at Navan.

4/1

Form: 6-0470

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Modest form over hurdles; beaten 89l on chase debut at Naas two weeks ago; out of his depth in this company.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

5

18th Jan 2025

Soft

3m 0f 0y

14:20 Navan

Jeel Des Mottes

11st 12lb

J: Shane Fitzgerald

T: M J Tynan

prominent

25/1

8th

5

18th Jan 2025

Soft

3m 0f 0y

14:20 Navan

Jeel Des Mottes

11st 12lb

J: Shane Fitzgerald

T: M J Tynan

prominent

25/1

4th

4

31st Dec 2024

Yielding

2m 7f 209y

12:35 Punchestown

Jeel Des Mottes

11st 12lb

J: Shane Fitzgerald

T: M J Tynan

Modest form over hurdles; beaten 89l on chase debut at Naas two weeks ago; out of his depth in this company.

66/1

Form: F112-6 D

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
2-5 over hurdles including a wide-margin Grade 2 novice win at Haydock in February on heavy ground; finished a 1.75l second on his chase debut on soft to heavy at Cork in March; beaten 48l at Naas on return from an absence; should strip fitter but may need softer ground than this.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

7

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 0y

Class 1

14:00 Cheltenham

Now Is The Hour

11st 7lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

Second-season novice who has improved significantly of late, winning Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park (3m1f handicap, heavy) in January; something of a fortunate winner that day and needs to improve again.

40/1

1st

13

22nd Jan 2026

Heavy

3m 1f 0y

15:30 Gowran Park

Now Is The Hour

11st 1lb

J: Eoin Staples

T: Gavin Cromwell

Grade 2 winner over hurdles; 0-9 over fences but might have given Haiti Couleurs something to think about in the 3m6f National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham had he not come down two out; no show in the Irish National; good third to Final Demand in Navan beginners' on return; only midfield in the 3m5f Porterstown before a better effort when fourth in the Paddy Power.

9/1

15

21st Apr 2025

Soft To Heavy

3m 5f 37y

17:00 Fairyhouse

Now Is The Hour

10st 13lb

J: Conor Stone-Walsh

T: Gavin Cromwell

2023 point winner; won a 3m Grade 2 novice hurdle on heavy at Haydock last season; shaped promisingly on fourth chase start, when not far off today's rival Kinturk Kalanisi and subsequent Scottish National winner Captain Cody at Navan; around two lengths off Haiti Couleurs when falling at the second-last at Cheltenham; a leading contender.

6/1

OUR TIP

Form: 112-85 C

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
3-8 over hurdles (rated 123), including two handicap wins at this track on soft and heavy ground; no impact in first two chases here, including over this C&D on latest; may need softer ground and will get a chase mark after this.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

17

6th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 5f 110y

15:15 Fairyhouse

Buachaillbocht

10st 8lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: T M Walsh

Three-time hurdle winner won a novice chase at this meeting last year; third on seasonal return in a Navan handicap hurdle but last two efforts over fences have not been encouraging; back over timber now and new headgear combination needs to revive.

20/1

13

8th Mar 2026

Heavy

3m 0f 174y

16:02 Naas

Buachaillbocht

10st 0lb

J: Shane O’Callaghan

T: T M Walsh

Three hurdle wins and got off the mark over fences at Fairyhouse last April in a novice chase (2m4f, soft to heavy); joint favourite for the Paddy Power at Leopardstown over Christmas when a solid sixth (3m1f, yielding); never looked comfortable in Grade 3 handicap chase last time back at that venue (2m6f, soft); chance if bouncing back despite being 3lb wrong.

10/1

Form: 117/3- D

Last run: 385 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
3-5 over hurdles and rated 131 in that sphere; beaten 19l on his chase debut over this C&D over a year ago but the heavy ground wouldn't have suited him; these conditions will suit better and he can make his presence felt if fit for his return from a 385-day absence.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

11th Oct 2025

Yielding

3m 0f 104y

15:27 Fairyhouse

Grand Soir

11st 12lb

J: Alex Harvey

T: John C McConnell

Three-time winner over hurdles in 2022; hasn't had much racing since; fourth in a Wexford beginners' chase in March but below that level at Kilbeggan next time; questions to answer.

12/1

8th

4

25th Apr 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 6f 120y

19:25 Kilbeggan

Grand Soir

11st 12lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: John C McConnell

prominent

8/1

8th

4

25th Apr 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 6f 120y

19:25 Kilbeggan

Grand Soir

11st 12lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: John C McConnell

prominent

8/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €6.30
Straight Forecast €5.35
Trifecta €15.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Shannon Royale

The Irish Sun:

High Class Hero

POSTDATA:

Shannon Royale