February 08 / 14.50 Navan

14.50

Heavy

William Hill Boyne Hurdle (Grade 2)

  • Prize money: £23086.96
  • 2m 5f 180y
  • 6 runners
RTV
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William Hill Boyne Hurdle (Grade 2)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

15/8 (Won)

  • Win: £2.10
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 9-3112 D BF

Last run: 17 days

W: 11st 3lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 147

Form & Verdict
Suited by testing conditions; won Pertemps Qualifier over this trip at Punchestown before readily taking less competitive 2m6f Clonmel conditions event; better again in 3m Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran when clear second to a 159-rated rival.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

7

4th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 150y

15:20 Down Royal

Staffordshire Knot

11st 12lb

J: James Smith

T: Gordon Elliott

Quality sort reached his peak when winning a Navan Grade 2 hurdle over 2m6f in February; however, jumped badly right and was poor in the Pertemps Final last time; posted two decent chase runs in 2024 and should be difficult to beat if jumping soundly.

2/5

1

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 213y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Staffordshire Knot

12st 0lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Never got seriously involved when ninth in the 2m5f handicap at last year's Festival; 2m6f-3m has proved just the ticket this winter with three wins (including the Punchestown qualifier) and a second, with last two outings in Grade 2; they were all in the mud but good to soft was fine earlier in career; tough customer and Gordon Elliott won this three times in a row not so long ago, twice with Sire Du Berlais among the topweights.

16/1

1st

6

8th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 5f 180y

14:50 Navan

Staffordshire Knot

11st 3lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Suited by testing conditions; won Pertemps Qualifier over this trip at Punchestown before readily taking less competitive 2m6f Clonmel conditions event; better again in 3m Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran when clear second to a 159-rated rival.

15/8

9/2

  • Place: £1.90

Form: 12136- C

Last run: 293 days

W: 11st 3lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 145

Form & Verdict
Won the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham two seasons ago, then third to Dancing City in 3m Grade 1 at Punchestown; won two small-field Grade 2 chases at this venue last season and finished third in the Brown Advisory; sixth in the Irish Grand National, running off a mark of 154; hurdles rating of 145 is the lowest of this sextet.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

28th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 4f 90y

16:08 Navan

Better Days Ahead

11st 8lb

J: Sam Ewing

T: Gordon Elliott

Won the 2024 Martin Pipe, then third to Dancing City in 3m Grade 1 at Punchestown; won two small-field Grade 2 chases at this venue last season and finished third in the Brown Advisory; sixth in the Irish Grand National; returned with a satisfactory second behind a shorter-priced stablemate in the Boyne Hurdle here; capable sort is again the stable's number two.

7/2

2nd

5

8th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 5f 180y

14:50 Navan

Better Days Ahead

11st 3lb

J: Danny Gilligan

T: Gordon Elliott

Won the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham two seasons ago, then third to Dancing City in 3m Grade 1 at Punchestown; won two small-field Grade 2 chases at this venue last season and finished third in the Brown Advisory; sixth in the Irish Grand National, running off a mark of 154; hurdles rating of 145 is the lowest of this sextet.

9/2

6th

1

21st Apr 2025

Soft To Heavy

3m 5f 37y

17:00 Fairyhouse

Better Days Ahead

11st 12lb

J: Mr R James

T: Gordon Elliott

Won the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham last year, then third to Dancing City in 3m Grade 1 at Punchestown; 2-4 over fences, including Grade 2 at Navan over 3m on soft to heavy, when jumped notably well; on better ground, failed to confirm form with Stellar Story when third in the Brown Advisory; big burden for a novice, rider's 7lb claim a major asset.

11/1

Form: 1P1-43 CD

Last run: 70 days

W: 11st 8lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 152

Form & Verdict
Seven hurdle wins, including this race last season, when he beat the well-fancied Thedevilscoachman by 7l; pulled up in the Coral Cup before restored to form in winning a 2m4f Grade 2 at Fairyhouse (Colonel Mustard, beaten under 3l in fourth); well below best in this venue's Lismullen Hurdle (won by Colonel Mustard) on reappearance; tailed off in Hatton's Grace.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

2

25th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 80y

18:35 Ballinrobe

Maxxum

11st 9lb

J: Danny Gilligan

T: Gordon Elliott

Smart stayer over hurdles (dual Grade 2 winner); not done much chasing but returned to this discipline to win small-field contest at Clonmel and his Grade 3-fourth at Killarney was perfectly respectable; jumping will be tested here in first handicap; trainer going for four in a row in this.

11/2

4th

4

11th May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 4f 100y

18:37 Killarney

Maxxum

11st 0lb

J: Danny Gilligan

T: Gordon Elliott

Best known for his hurdling exploits but made it 2-4 over fences in winning a conditions chase at Clonmel last month (2m4f, soft); this is harder but he's clearly in good heart and likely to run well.

5/1

1st

3

2nd Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

16:30 Clonmel

Maxxum

11st 0lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Better known as a hurdler, with seven wins in that sphere up to 3m; was below form at Leopardstown last time in first-time cheekpieces; did win on chasing debut in 2023 but was pulled up on last start in this sphere in 2024; however, is seemingly the choice of Jack Kennedy so commands maximum respect.

11/8

Form: 45-118 C

Last run: 50 days

W: 11st 8lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 148

Form & Verdict
Win record has not reflected his ability for much of his career; only one success before this season's victories in a conditions race at Sligo and 2m4f Grade 2 at this venue; needs to bounce back now having been tailed off in the Long Walk at Ascot.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13th

7

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 1

14:40 Cheltenham

Colonel Mustard

11st 7lb

J: John Shinnick

T: Mrs Lorna Fowler

Two races this autumn (one a 2m4f Grade 2 from The Yellow Clay) were his first wins for ages and he wasn't disgraced on latest outing; third in the 2022 County and fifth in this race last year in his only two handicaps at this meeting, but he's higher in the weights today and is now an 11yo, so can't be the percentage call.

33/1

4th

3

8th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 5f 180y

14:50 Navan

Colonel Mustard

11st 8lb

J: John Shinnick

T: Mrs Lorna Fowler

Win record has not reflected his ability for much of his career; only one success before this season's victories in a conditions race at Sligo and 2m4f Grade 2 at this venue; needs to bounce back now having been tailed off in the Long Walk at Ascot.

9/2

1st

1

24th Oct 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 1f 112y

14:35 Sligo

Colonel Mustard

11st 12lb

J: John Shinnick

T: Mrs Lorna Fowler

Just one win over hurdles but has been placed plenty of times including in graded races; was fifth in the Coral Cup before a fourth in a Fairyhouse Grade 2; was runner-up in this race last year after a similar absence so has to be respected as the top-rated in the field.

2/1

OUR TIP

Form: /2719- CD

Last run: 283 days

W: 11st 12lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 158

Form & Verdict
Winning favourite in this race two years ago; ran only four times last season; second to Crambo in the Long Walk at Ascot; way below his best in the Galmoy at Gowran; restored to form when beating Strong Leader in Aintree Grade 1; had another off-day at the Punchestown festival; 9lb penalty makes this a stiff task on seasonal debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

4

7th May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 7f 0y

18:38 Wexford

Hiddenvalley Lake

11st 12lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Henry De Bromhead

Classy hurdler rated (154) some way superior to these, career highlight when winning 3m Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree just over a year ago; only fifth when attempting repeat win there last month but looks a class apart from these rivals if anyway fluent in his jumping (wasn't that on sole previous chase start back in December 2023); interesting jockey booking.

8/11

5th

4

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 149y

Class 1

15:05 Aintree

Hiddenvalley Lake

11st 10lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

Well beaten at Punchestown last May and at Navan in February on sole start since; however, this race has brought out the best in him in the last two seasons, as he finished third in 2024 (good to soft) and first last year (good); could bounce back and play another leading role.

6/1

Form: 711-46

Last run: 41 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 153

Form & Verdict
Talented 2m novice last season; backed up a Grade 2 Fairyhouse win when beating three stablemates, including an off-colour Kopek Des Bordes, in a Grade 1 at Punchestown; a poor last of four behind Lossiemouth in the Morgiana and struggled again in Leopardstown event won by the mare; unknown quantity at this trip, half-brother Darasso had smart form up to 2m6f.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

8th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 5f 180y

14:50 Navan

Irancy

11st 12lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: W P Mullins

Talented 2m novice last season; backed up a Grade 2 Fairyhouse win when beating three stablemates, including an off-colour Kopek Des Bordes, in a Grade 1 at Punchestown; a poor last of four behind Lossiemouth in the Morgiana and struggled again in Leopardstown event won by the mare; unknown quantity at this trip, half-brother Darasso had smart form up to 2m6f.

7/1

1st

2

29th Apr 2025

Yielding To Soft

2m 0f 149y

16:15 Punchestown

Irancy

11st 12lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: W P Mullins

Got off the mark over hurdles after a long absence when winning a maiden hurdle at this track in November; didn't handle the track or occasion well when 33l behind Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme Novices' at Cheltenham; bounced back to win a Grade 2 at Fairyhouse since; needs a fair bit more.

14/1

1st

2

29th Apr 2025

Yielding To Soft

2m 0f 149y

16:15 Punchestown

Irancy

11st 12lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: W P Mullins

Got off the mark over hurdles after a long absence when winning a maiden hurdle at this track in November; didn't handle the track or occasion well when 33l behind Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme Novices' at Cheltenham; bounced back to win a Grade 2 at Fairyhouse since; needs a fair bit more.

14/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €4.70
Straight Forecast €4.94
Trifecta €15.50

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Staffordshire Knot

The Irish Sun:

Better Days Ahead

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Staffordshire Knot

TOPSPEED:

Staffordshire Knot

POSTDATA:

Staffordshire Knot