Punchestown
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FRS Fencing Handicap Hurdle
Starts in
Awaiting result
All Runners — sorted by TrackLab Score
Good Value
TrackLab Insight
Back in the saddle just five days after finishing a narrow second at Musselburgh, which is an unusually quick turnaround for any horse. The good news is that today's wet ground suits her — she wins 1 in 4 races on soft ground, her best surface by some margin. The bad news is she has never won on a galloping track, and Punchestown is exactly that.
Runs again after just 5 days
Good Value
TrackLab Insight
The market favourite and the most fascinating unknown in this field — this horse has raced exactly once in its life, won that race, and hasn't been seen since. The trainer himself admitted he was 'dumbfounded' by that debut victory, which tells you how hard it is to know what to expect next. It carries top weight and has never raced on wet, muddy ground like today, so there are real questions to answer.
Never raced on soft ground
Lightly raced (1 career races)
Trainer in best form (2 from 13 last 2wk)
Market favourite (8.0)
Good Value
TrackLab Insight
Trained by the most powerful yard in Irish racing and ridden by a Mullins stable regular, which always commands attention in a field this big. He finally got off the mark at Thurles in March after five near-misses, but then finished a well-beaten seventh at Fairyhouse three weeks ago. Like several rivals here, he has never raced on soft, wet ground — a significant unknown at Punchestown today.
Never raced on soft ground
Trainer Quotes
Nov 2025
"He didn't win a bumper, although he shaped quite nicely in one at Fairyhouse in February. He wants a trip and was second in his point for Richard Black. He'll head straight over jumps with a view to starting him off in staying maiden hurdle. 17-11-25"
TrackLab Insight
Arrives here on the back of a win at Wetherby five weeks ago, which is solid recent form, but today's wet ground is completely uncharted territory — he has never raced on a soft or muddy surface. He's also making the jump from British racing to an Irish track for the first time, and the market has moved against him, drifting from 8s out to 11s. Plenty to prove in new conditions.
Never raced on soft ground
Trainer Quotes
Nov 2025
"He probably wants two and a half miles, but he was a bit keen when chasing home what is a fair horse in Un Sens A La Vie at Market Rasen in October so we kept him at the minimum trip at Exeter last time. He bumped into another nice horse in Lisbane Park there, but it was another solid run. 18-11-25"
TrackLab Insight
The best career win rate in the field — 2 wins from 7 races, roughly 1 in every 3 — but the crucial catch is that he hasn't raced in over seven months. His last run was a win at Downpatrick last summer, and returning from that kind of break in a 28-horse field on wet ground is a big ask. The jockey and trainer are both in decent recent form, which gives the yard some cause for optimism.
Best career win rate in field (1 in 4)
TrackLab Insight
Six races in and still finding his feet, but there's a win on the board and a third-place finish at Leopardstown last month that shows he can get competitive. His best record comes on soft-ish ground, winning 1 from 4 on yielding conditions, which is the closest parallel to today. That said, he finished eighth on his most recent start at Down Royal, and the market has drifted him out significantly.
Best record on this ground (1 from 4)
TrackLab Insight
Only four career races in, so there's still plenty of the story left to write, but the last chapter wasn't encouraging — a distant 12th at Fairyhouse three weeks ago after winning at Limerick before that. The price has drifted sharply since markets opened, suggesting those who know aren't confident, and the hood it wears is worth noting for a young horse still learning the ropes.
Placed in 2 of last 3 races
TrackLab Insight
Won at Leopardstown two months ago and followed it up with a second-place finish at Downpatrick a month later — that's two solid results from three recent runs, and she arrives in reasonable form. She wears cheekpieces and a tongue strap, which suggests the team have worked to get the best out of her. At 14s in a 28-runner field, she's one of the more interesting mid-market options.
Placed in 2 of last 3 races
TrackLab Insight
Carries the lowest weight in the field, which is an advantage in a race where the top horses are lumping around significant burdens. The recent form is modest — 6th and 7th in the last two completed runs — but she's only four years old, the youngest in the field, and still developing. She has also unseated her rider on a recent start, suggesting there's still some rough edges to smooth out.
Carries lowest weight in field
TrackLab Insight
The jockey, Donagh Meyler, is the form jockey here — winning 4 from 17 rides in the last two weeks, the best recent record of any rider in this field. The horse itself is harder to fancy, with one win from 17 races and a seventh-place finish on his latest start at Bellewstown last month. The pair have only combined for one win together from 134 attempts, which tempers enthusiasm.
Jockey in best form (4 from 17 last 2wk)
TrackLab Insight
One of the more experienced horses in the field with 39 races under his belt, but the price has drifted badly — out from 11s to 20s — which is never a good sign. His last win came at Dundalk nearly five months ago, and he has never won on a galloping track, which is a problem at Punchestown. He also wears cheekpieces, a device some trainers use to sharpen focus, suggesting he can be a little casual.
One of the more successful in the field (4 career wins)
TrackLab Insight
Ran at the Cheltenham Festival in March — the most prestigious stage in jump racing — and finished 17th, which isn't unusual in that company. His best form before that was a pair of second-place finishes at Punchestown and Listowel, so he does at least know this track. His one career win came on good, dry ground however, and he has no wins on wet ground from his record.
3 straight top-3 finishes
TrackLab Insight
Seven years old with just one win from 22 races — a win rate of roughly 1 in every 22 — which tells its own story. The most recent run was a distant 11th at the Curragh a month ago, following two more modest efforts. The data shows he has never won on a galloping track, and Punchestown is a big, galloping course, making this a tough assignment.
Placed in 2 of last 3 races
TrackLab Insight
Ran just 13 days ago and came home third at Bellewstown, which makes her one of the freshest and most recently tested horses in the field. Among the more experienced runners with 18 career races, she has shown consistent placing ability — seven places from 18 races — even if the wins have been rare. The soft ground is a potential issue, as she has no wins on it from her career record.
Among the more experienced (18 career races)
TrackLab Insight
Four races and no wins, with a best finish of third — this is the only horse in the field yet to win a race, and the odds have drifted from 21s to 42s since markets opened. He also has no experience of soft, wet ground, adding yet another unknown. Trained by the Mullins powerhouse yard, which keeps interest alive, but there's a lot to prove.
Never raced on soft ground
3 straight top-3 finishes
TrackLab Insight
Three consecutive top-three finishes going into a five-month break gives this horse some encouragement, including a win at Sligo last autumn. The soft ground today is the big concern — she has never raced on it, making her record on this surface a complete unknown. The market has moved against her since opening, drifting from 19s out to 28s.
Never raced on soft ground
3 straight top-3 finishes
TrackLab Insight
One of the least experienced horses in the field with just four career races, and hasn't been seen for five months after finishing fifth at Fairyhouse in October. That absence is a concern in a wide-open 28-runner field, and the market has drifted this horse from 23s out to 42s, suggesting confidence is low. There's a win on the record from Downpatrick, but much more is needed here.
Relatively inexperienced (4 career races)
TrackLab Insight
The standout marker says three straight top-three finishes, but the actual recent form tells a different story — 11th and 10th in the last two races, both at Leopardstown. His sole career win came on good, dry ground, and today's wet conditions look against him based on the data. At 30s, the market seems to have the measure of this one.
3 straight top-3 finishes
TrackLab Insight
A horse that has never raced on soft, wet ground — making today's conditions completely uncharted territory. The last run was a distant 19th at Fairyhouse three weeks ago, and despite being trained by one of Ireland's leading yards, the price has drifted heavily from 23s to 38s. Too many unknowns today to make a convincing case.
Never raced on soft ground
TrackLab Insight
Four career wins give this horse some credibility on paper, but the recent form is hard to ignore — a distant 16th at Fairyhouse three weeks ago is the latest chapter. His wins have come on good, dry ground, and he has never won on wet ground, making today's soft conditions a real concern. The market agrees, sending him out at 51s after opening at 34s.
One of the more successful in the field (4 career wins)
TrackLab Insight
The data throws up a remarkable stat — four wins from nine races at Galway, a 44% win rate at that track — but today is Punchestown, and this horse has never won there in six attempts. The last two runs were both a distant 12th, beaten over 64 lengths, and the trainer has drawn a blank in the last two weeks. Hard to make a case for today.
3 straight top-3 finishes
TrackLab Insight
Genuinely interesting on one front — this horse wins 3 from 5 on heavy, waterlogged ground, a 60% win rate that stands out in any field. Today is soft rather than truly heavy, which is a step down from his ideal conditions, and he has never raced on soft ground before. Also worth noting that today's jockey has never partnered this horse before, which adds another unknown.
Never raced on soft ground
Best record at this trip (2 from 5)
TrackLab Insight
The longest absence in the field — this horse hasn't raced in 249 days and his last run ended in a pulled-up finish. That combination of a long layoff and a bad exit is a difficult starting point in a 28-runner field. He wears blinkers and has decent form on soft ground historically, but there are far too many unknowns after such a long break.
Absent 249 days (longest in field)
TrackLab Insight
Rated higher than his odds suggest, but the soft ground today is a significant problem — he has never won on it, from three attempts. His last run was a very distant fourth at Naas nearly six months ago, and the market has drifted him out to 34s, meaning those in the know aren't convinced. One for the watch list rather than the betting slip today.
Unfancied in the market despite a high rating
TrackLab Insight
The only horse in this field with a win at Punchestown, making him the one proven course winner among 28 runners — and that counts for something. He also has a decent record on soft ground, winning 1 from 4 on that surface. The concern is the last run ended in a pulled-up finish at Fairyhouse over three months ago, so there are fitness questions to answer.
Only course winner (1 from 6 here)
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The first number is what you win, the second is what you bet. So 5/2 means you win £5 for every £2. 4/1 means you win £4 for every £1. The bigger the first number, the less likely bookmakers think the horse will win — but the more you'd win if it does.
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