13.20
Yielding To SoftFranciscan Well Rated Novice Hurdle
- Prize money: £7439.13
- 2m 1f 33y
- 8 runners
Runners: 8 runners
Type: Hurdle Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Showers
5/1 (Won)
- Win: £9.40
- Place: £2.30
Form: 37-1F7 CD
Last run: 22 days
W: 11st 12lb
7 yo Gelding
OR: 118
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2 |
17th Apr 2026 Soft 2m 5f 91y Class 2 |
11st 11lb |
Improved form since this hood went on, comfortably defying a penalty in novice hurdle at Down Royal (2m1f, soft) in January before respectable efforts in 2m Listed/Grade 3 races; however, further improvement is needed back in a handicap and he has to prove his stamina. |
25/1 |
|
4th 2 |
8th Mar 2026 Heavy 2m 0f 77y |
11st 5lb |
Both wins have been at Down Royal, notably in first-time hood when ready success in rated novice in January (soft); last of four however following month in steadily-run Punchestown Listed novice maiden in November (8l off runner-up Lazare De Star) on softer ground; good bit to find here and ground remains a concern. |
14/1 |
4/1
- Place: £1.90
Form: 363-15
Last run: 17 days
W: 11st 1lb
7 yo Gelding
OR: 107
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 7 |
26th Mar 2026 Soft 2m 0f 0y |
11st 12lb |
Downpatrick maiden hurdle winner in May 2025; ran just okay in two novice hurdles since; travelled well before finding little when sixth on handicap debut at Down Royal lto; step back in trip looks a good move on chase debut; wouldn't want the ground too soft. |
6/1 |
|
6th 12 |
17th Mar 2026 Yielding 2m 4f 86y |
10st 13lb |
Point-to-point winner; off the mark at the third attempt in maiden hurdles at Downpatrick last May (2m3f, good) on his final run before a break; Well beaten in two outings in novice company in January; could be a different proposition on handicap debut. |
8/1 |
|
3rd 7 |
20th Jan 2026 Yielding To Soft 2m 1f 33y |
11st 1lb |
Point-to-point winner; off the mark at the third attempt in maiden hurdles at Downpatrick last May (2m3f, good) on his final run before a break; made late progress on reappearance at Cork, ending up 6l behind third-placed Spinola Bay; might not be much between them now. |
4/1 |
12/1
Form: 9656-
Last run: 294 days
W: 11st 4lb
6 yo Colt
OR: 110
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
11th 4 |
24th Apr 2026 Good To Yielding 2m 0f 110y |
11st 10lb |
AW winner; fifth behind subsequent chase Grade 1 winner Koktail Divin in a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown (2m4f, yielding); flattered by that detail; pulled up in a Bellewstown maiden hurdle last week; has plenty of weight, hard to fancy. |
20/1 |
|
1 |
18th Apr 2026 Yielding 2m 1f 30y |
11st 12lb |
Front-runner is 1-28 under rules (the win coming on AW in 2024) and was disappointing at Dundalk when last seen; 0-5 over hurdles, with his best effort a 14.5l fifth behind subsequent Grade 1 winner Koktail Divin at Leopardstown (2m4f, yielding); probably flattered by that placing, but it's interesting that Jack Kennedy takes the ride (2-5 riding for this trainer). |
9/1 |
|
8th 2 (5) |
27th Mar 2026 Standard 2m 0f 0y |
10st 1lb |
Beat Numidia by 2.25l here over 10.5f in his sole win from 27 starts in 2024; generally poor form in 2025; decent 4l fourth here in January (10.5f) but beaten 28l over hurdles last time; tries this trip on the Flat for the first time. |
13/1 |
10/1
Form: 6-3420
Last run: 37 days
W: 11st 3lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 109
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
11th 11 |
17th Mar 2026 Yielding 2m 4f 86y |
10st 13lb |
Best maiden hurdle effort when runner-up at Downpatrick last August over 2m6f on good ground; finished in midfield on handicap debut at Navan; 6l behind Youlita when fifth here in January, may struggle to reverse that form |
12/1 |
|
5th 6 |
20th Jan 2026 Yielding To Soft 2m 1f 33y |
11st 3lb |
Posted some solid efforts in a Perth bumper and opening three maiden hurdles; best effort runner-up at Downpatrick in August over 2m6f on good ground; finished in midfield on handicap debut at Navan; needs to raise his game now |
10/1 |
|
4 |
25th Aug 2025 Good 2m 5f 180y |
11st 4lb |
Good effort in defeat at Perth on second bumper start; similarly solid runs in defeat both maiden hurdles, at Ballinrobe and over C&D (soft); handles a sound surface too so should go well. |
100/30 |
9/4
Form: 53-113 BF
Last run: 17 days
W: 11st 7lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 113
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6th 2 |
20th Jan 2026 Yielding To Soft 2m 1f 33y |
11st 7lb |
Came back from a long layoff to start the campaign with back-to-back handicap wins at Navan (soft-to-heavy) and Leopardstown (yielding); attempted to make all in a race of this type at Cork but was found wanting after a mistake two out; fitted with cheekpieces now. |
9/4 |
|
3rd 9 |
19th Oct 2024 Good 2m 5f 0y |
11st 10lb |
towards rear |
7/2 |
|
5th 5 |
10th Oct 2024 Soft 2m 0f 0y |
11st 11lb |
Showed ability when fourth on second bumper start; was never dangerous but did run on when making hurdling debut at Roscommon; should be sharper for that. |
7/1 |
8/1
Form: 755
Last run: 44 days
W: 11st 4lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8th 8 |
5th Nov 2022 Good To Soft 2m 0f 51y Class 4 |
11st 0lb |
Virtually friendless in the market when tailed-off fifth of eight on debut at Carlisle (2m1f, good to soft) last month; best watched. |
66/1 |
|
5th 5 |
13th Oct 2022 Good To Soft 2m 1f 33y Class 5 |
11st 2lb |
in rear, headway on outer 5f out, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 2f out |
66/1 |
14/1
Form: 3-4996
Last run: 22 days
W: 11st 3lb
7 yo Gelding
OR: 109
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5 |
20th Jan 2026 Yielding To Soft 2m 1f 33y |
11st 3lb |
Would have gone close to beating the useful Bowensfire at Limerick last January but for a last-flight fall; has failed to make any progress since then; as a result, he has plenty to prove at this stage; trainer won a similar race at Fairyhouse last week. |
14/1 |
|
2 |
19th Oct 2025 Good 2m 0f 70y |
11st 12lb |
Modest form in three bumpers but looked set to win over C&D on hurdling debut back in January when falling at the last; was then a solid third at Wexford when last seen; can run well if ready enough after a break. |
4/1 |
|
3rd 1 |
17th Mar 2025 Good To Yielding 2m 0f 0y |
11st 12lb |
midfield, headway and went third before 2 out, no match for first two |
7/2 |
100/30
Form: 088-82
Last run: 68 days
W: 11st 1lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 107
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
9th 12 |
18th Apr 2026 Yielding 2m 1f 30y |
11st 4lb |
Frankel gelding was narrowly denied in a Punchestown handicap in November (2m, heavy); weakening when fell at the final flight at Down Royal in a novice hurdle when last seen in January (2m1f, soft); has the form to win a race of this nature. |
13/2 |
|
8 |
20th Jan 2026 Yielding To Soft 2m 1f 33y |
11st 1lb |
Frankel gelding is closely related to Group 1 Hong Kong Vase winner Jenko; 13-race maiden; narrowly denied off 103 in a 2m Punchestown handicap two months ago; winner Powerful won again at the same venue recently, having been unplaced behind Spinola Bay at Leopardstown |
100/30 |
+o+e Accumulators
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | €41.10 |
| Straight Forecast | €39.39 |
| Trifecta | €174.70 |
Selections
The Irish Sun:
Spinola Bay