January 19 / 12.20 Thurles

12.20

Good

Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle (IRE Incentive Race)

  • Prize money: £9752.07
  • 2m 3f 172y
  • 7 runners
RTV
View Course
Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle (IRE Incentive Race)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

OUR TIP

2/1 (Won)

  • Win: £2.88
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 72

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Left his debut behind when runner-up at Down Royal last month; beaten 10l but the winner looks like a nice prospect and he was a long way clear of the third; should go well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

9

25th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 54y

18:05 Ballinrobe

Scalpnagoon

11st 12lb

J: Sam Ewing

T: Gordon Elliott

2-7 over hurdles and rated 122 in that sphere; promise in two of three chase starts and rated 120 over fences; beaten 7l over 19.5f (good) at Down Royal latest when a mistake two out proved costly; ground fine here and shorter trip a plus; big player.

15/8

2nd

6

4th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 150y

15:20 Down Royal

Scalpnagoon

11st 12lb

J: Kevin Healy

T: Gordon Elliott

Second runner for yard; a 122-rated hurdler won twice over hurdles last year before losing his form badly; ran well enough behind a subsequent Punchestown winner at Cork on second chase start; can go well.

6/1

3rd

5

5th Apr 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 1f 45y

16:45 Cork

Scalpnagoon

11st 12lb

J: Jordan Gainford

T: Gordon Elliott

Dual hurdle winner but lost his form badly in that sphere last few runs; was poor on chasing debut at Thurles in February; not easy to fancy and a tongue-tie added.

20/1

5/1

  • Place: £1.20

Form: 06-734

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 6lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Has improved this season, finishing runner-up in a Tipperary maiden hurdle on return before a 10l fourth in a stronger race at Limerick three weeks ago; unproven on quicker ground but should be involved if he handles it.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

27th May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 4f 0y

18:49 Wexford

Happy Me

11st 4lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: W J Burke

Placed in four of his 14 starts over hurdles; well exposed now; unlikely to make the breakthrough in this company.

12/1

6th

9

11th May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 4f 50y

17:05 Killarney

Happy Me

11st 4lb

J: Alan O’Sullivan

T: W J Burke

Has had 13 starts over hurdles and rated 100; unlikely to contend.

50/1

9

12th Oct 2025

Good

2m 4f 100y

14:52 Cork

Happy Me

11st 4lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: W J Burke

Second runner for yard; some fine runs in defeat in maiden hurdles last season but was well below form on last two starts; could get involved if back to his best after a break.

11/2

Form: 323

Last run: 34 days

W: 12st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Placed in a Fairyhouse bumper on rules debut before a narrow defeat in a Clonmel maiden hurdle when nearly making all; didn't settle when third in a Naas bumper since; potential pace angle here and one to consider; wears a first-time tongue-tie.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

26th Sep 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

14:42 Worcester

Romany Brown

11st 10lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Ben Case

Signed off in Ireland with maiden hurdle win at Killarney (2m1f, good) in May but managed only third when warm favourite for modest novice here (2m, good) on stable debut in June; needs a much better performance today.

20/1

1

7th Jun 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

16:20 Worcester

Romany Brown

11st 9lb

J: Jack Quinlan

T: Ben Case

There's some substance to the maiden hurdle he won at Killarney a month ago (2m1f, good) before changing hands for £42,000; should be hard to beat provided he's settled in to his new surroundings.

Evs

1st

14

11th May 2025

Good

2m 1f 0y

13:55 Killarney

Romany Brown

11st 4lb

J: Jack Doyle

T: P M J Doyle

0-3 in bumpers and 0-2 over hurdles but has run well in defeat; beaten a head in a maiden hurdle at Clonmel in November last year; solid fourth in a Kilbeggan bumper (15.5f, good) after three months off in April (just behind Fillyoureyes); leading form claims back over hurdles.

100/30

Form: 5

Last run: 24 days

W: 10st 13lb

5 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Runner-up in a point but was tailed off on rules bow last month.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

13th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 0y

19:50 Punchestown

Written In My Soul

11st 1lb

J: Eoghan Finegan

T: E D Delany

Weakened into sixth of 18 at Down Royal on handicap debut in March (2m5f, yielding); returns to this sphere following two poor efforts over fences.

22/1

13

20th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 5f 160y

18:42 Tramore

Written In My Soul

11st 5lb

J: Jordan Gainford

T: E D Delany

85-rated hurdler, last of five finishers at Down Royal on chase debut, can be left out of calculations

25/1

5th

6

12th Apr 2026

Good

2m 4f 88y

16:07 Down Royal

Written In My Soul

11st 5lb

J: Jordan Gainford

T: E D Delany

Placed in sole point-to-point; finished sixth of 18 on handicap hurdle debut here last month off a mark of 87 (2m5f, yielding); a fair bit to do based on that on ratings for chase debut.

33/1

Form: 15-080

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 10lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Won a Killarney bumper in May 2023 but has gone backwards in four runs since and has a bit to prove now.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

12

30th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 80y

16:26 Listowel

Big Dispute

10st 12lb

J: Alan O’Sullivan

T: Kevin Thomas Coleman

Struggled after winning a bumper on debut; staged a revival last summer when placed in three maiden hurdles; well backed and ran creditably in a Cork rated novice hurdle last time when third (2m2f, good); getting the hang of things and should be thereabouts.

9/1

3rd

6

10th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 65y

14:05 Cork

Big Dispute

10st 13lb

J: Sean Flanagan

T: Kevin Thomas Coleman

Two previous trainers; struggled after winning a bumper on debut; staged a revival last summer when placed in three maiden hurdles (including over 2m4f here), setting the pace each time; ran well in decent Flat maiden here last month on first start for Kevin Coleman and won't mind good ground; 1lb wrong.

10/1

6th

2

(4)

24th Apr 2026

Yielding

1m 2f 100y

18:45 Cork

Big Dispute

10st 7lb

J: Robbie Colgan

T: Kevin Thomas Coleman

Rated 104 over hurdles; debut Killarney bumper winner in 2023; hit the frame last three maiden hurdles in 2025; Flat debut for Kevin Coleman; market will guide.

20/1

Form: 0-

Last run: 626 days

W: 11st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Didn't show much in a bumper in 2023 but bolted up on return to point company last month; might want further than this on return to rules.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

7

20th Mar 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

15:02 Cork

Initiateur

11st 12lb

J: Phillip Enright

T: L J Archdeacon

in touch with leaders, not fluent 6th

16/1

5th

9

9th Mar 2025

Soft

2m 3f 109y

14:10 Naas

Initiateur

11st 12lb

J: Phillip Enright

T: L J Archdeacon

Point winner; was in third when coming down at Thurles on hurdle debut in January; had made errors earlier in that contest and needs to jump better to get in the mix against some of these.

50/1

6

19th Jan 2025

Good

2m 3f 172y

12:20 Thurles

Initiateur

11st 6lb

J: Kevin A Murphy

T: L J Archdeacon

jumped left, didn't always jump with fluency, in rear early, bumped rival 1st, pulled way into lead before 4th, soon clear, hung left before 5th

16/1

Form: 678C86

Last run: 18 days

W: 11st 1lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Shown very little in seven starts so far; now tried with a hood.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

10

22nd Feb 2024

Soft

2m 0f 88y

16:53 Thurles

Only You Norah

10st 13lb

J: Mr Finian Maguire

T: Donal Commins

Order Of St George filly; unraced dam closely related to 7f 2yo Group 3 winner Thousand Words and prolific 1m4f-2m1f winner Wordiness; yard don't get many bumper winners.

100/1

Non-runners

Attaboyarchie

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €6.90
Straight Forecast €6.93
Trifecta €14.40

Selections

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Attaboyarchie

SPOTLIGHT:

Scalpnagoon

TOPSPEED:

Scalpnagoon

POSTDATA:

Attaboyarchie

The Irish Sun:

Attaboyarchie