Randox Maiden Hurdle

OUR TIP

1st

2

Eben Zaabeel

J: Daniel King

T: A J Martin

4/1 (Won)

Win: £1.91
Place: £1.10

Form: 0-

Last run: 148 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Colt

OR: —

Form & Verdict

Showed first bit of promise for this yard when a close third in a 1m4f soft-ground Limerick handicap in June, staying on late under tender handling; horse subsequently suspended for 60 days due to jockey being found not to have achieved best possible placing; Galway Hurdle winning trainer-jockey combination; could well be thereabouts.

Place / No / Draw	Date / Going / Distance / Class	Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer	Verdict	Starting price
2nd 1	3rd Oct 2026 Good 2m 1f 162y Class 4	14:37 Fontwell Eben Zaabeel 11st 9lb J: Sean Bowen T: A J Martin	Fairly useful Flat maiden in his British days; absent 550 days before his 2026 hurdles/Flat campaign but got off the mark on latest start, leading on the run-in at 10-11 in a 2m2f maiden hurdle at Downpatrick (2m2f, good); high on the list despite his penalty.	13/8
1st 2	31st Aug 2026 Good 2m 1f 165y	14:12 Downpatrick Eben Zaabeel 11st 12lb J: Daniel King T: A J Martin	Showed first bit of promise for this yard when a close third in a 1m4f soft-ground Limerick handicap in June, staying on late under tender handling; horse subsequently suspended for 60 days due to jockey being found not to have achieved best possible placing; Galway Hurdle winning trainer-jockey combination; could well be thereabouts.	4/1

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

2nd

1

3rd Oct 2026

Good

2m 1f 162y

Class 4

11st 9lb

Fairly useful Flat maiden in his British days; absent 550 days before his 2026 hurdles/Flat campaign but got off the mark on latest start, leading on the run-in at 10-11 in a 2m2f maiden hurdle at Downpatrick (2m2f, good); high on the list despite his penalty.

13/8

1st

2

31st Aug 2026

Good

2m 1f 165y

11st 12lb

Showed first bit of promise for this yard when a close third in a 1m4f soft-ground Limerick handicap in June, staying on late under tender handling; horse subsequently suspended for 60 days due to jockey being found not to have achieved best possible placing; Galway Hurdle winning trainer-jockey combination; could well be thereabouts.

4/1

3rd

4

Fairy Meadow

J: Donagh Meyler

T: Emmet Mullins

20/1

Place: £7.50

Form: F/0

Last run: 38 days

W: 11st 12lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict

Never a factor on his stable debut after 18 months off at Kilbeggan last month; probably better than that but hard to fancy.

Place / No / Draw	Date / Going / Distance / Class	Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer	Verdict	Starting price
8th 4	18th Sep 2026 Good 2m 1f 165y	13:37 Downpatrick Fairy Meadow 11st 4lb J: Donagh Meyler T: Emmet Mullins	Step forward on third start over C&D (good) 18 days ago when third of nine but was still beaten 15l; further improvement needed to figure here.	14/1
3rd 4	31st Aug 2026 Good 2m 1f 165y	14:12 Downpatrick Fairy Meadow 11st 12lb J: Donagh Meyler T: Emmet Mullins	Never a factor on his stable debut after 18 months off at Kilbeggan last month; probably better than that but hard to fancy.	20/1
11th 3	24th Jul 2026 Good 2m 2f 200y	17:05 Kilbeggan Fairy Meadow 11st 4lb J: Donagh Meyler T: Emmet Mullins	150-1, tailed off when fell last on belated debut for Tom Dreaper in Fairyhouse maiden in January 2025; hooded here on yard debut and market should be informative.	16/1

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

8th

4

18th Sep 2026

Good

2m 1f 165y

11st 4lb

Step forward on third start over C&D (good) 18 days ago when third of nine but was still beaten 15l; further improvement needed to figure here.

14/1

3rd

4

31st Aug 2026

Good

2m 1f 165y

11st 12lb

Never a factor on his stable debut after 18 months off at Kilbeggan last month; probably better than that but hard to fancy.

20/1

11th

3

24th Jul 2026

Good

2m 2f 200y

11st 4lb

150-1, tailed off when fell last on belated debut for Tom Dreaper in Fairyhouse maiden in January 2025; hooded here on yard debut and market should be informative.

16/1

4th

1

Cap Bernat

J: Danny Mullins

T: Robin McNeilly

14/1

Form: 42/05-

Last run: 442 days

W: 11st 12lb

13 yo Gelding

OR: —

Form & Verdict

Veteran went close in a 2m3f bumper (good) here two years ago and returned to this track on both starts last year when just okay form over hurdles; returns from 14 months' absence but not discounted in a weak race.

Place / No / Draw	Date / Going / Distance / Class	Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer	Verdict	Starting price
6th 3	19th Sep 2026 Good 2m 5f 0y	16:02 Navan Cap Bernat 11st 12lb J: Danny Mullins T: Robin McNeilly	Placed in a Downpatrick bumper (2m3f, good) but that was in 2024; rated 87 after three run over hurdles, all at Downpatrick; beaten 30l when fourth on latest after break; much more needed.	50/1
4th 1	31st Aug 2026 Good 2m 1f 165y	14:12 Downpatrick Cap Bernat 11st 12lb J: Danny Mullins T: Robin McNeilly	Veteran went close in a 2m3f bumper (good) here two years ago and returned to this track on both starts last year when just okay form over hurdles; returns from 14 months' absence but not discounted in a weak race.	14/1

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

6th

3

19th Sep 2026

Good

2m 5f 0y

11st 12lb

Placed in a Downpatrick bumper (2m3f, good) but that was in 2024; rated 87 after three run over hurdles, all at Downpatrick; beaten 30l when fourth on latest after break; much more needed.

50/1

4th

1

31st Aug 2026

Good

2m 1f 165y

11st 12lb

Veteran went close in a 2m3f bumper (good) here two years ago and returned to this track on both starts last year when just okay form over hurdles; returns from 14 months' absence but not discounted in a weak race.

14/1

8th

8

Nelliestar

J: Paddy Cleary

T: Thomas Patrick McGettigan

100/1

Form: 08

Last run: 12 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Filly

OR: —

Form & Verdict

Modest Flat performer and well beaten in two starts over hurdles; easy to pass over.

Place / No / Draw	Date / Going / Distance / Class	Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer	Verdict	Starting price
15	5th Oct 2026 Good 2m 0f 0y	15:05 Fairyhouse Nelliestar 10st 5lb J: Paddy Cleary T: Thomas Patrick McGettigan	No worthwhile form on Flat or over hurdles; 80-1 when unseated at the first at Downpatrick last month on handicap debut.	50/1
9	18th Sep 2026 Good 2m 1f 165y	14:47 Downpatrick Nelliestar 10st 5lb J: Alan O’Sullivan T: Thomas Patrick McGettigan	Modest Flat performer and well beaten in three starts over hurdles; handicap debut; others preferred.	40/1
8th 8	31st Aug 2026 Good 2m 1f 165y	14:12 Downpatrick Nelliestar 11st 5lb J: Paddy Cleary T: Thomas Patrick McGettigan	Modest Flat performer and well beaten in two starts over hurdles; easy to pass over.	100/1

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

15

5th Oct 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

15:05 Fairyhouse

Nelliestar

10st 5lb