12:43 Punchestown

Sunday 23 November 2025

All11:4312:1312:4313:1713:5214:2715:0015:35

Donohue Marquees Novice Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:47 | Winning time: 4m 23.30s

Joueur Masque^h¹⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 126| C

7/2

Won 22-runner novice hurdle (8/11) at this course (16.4f, good) 169 days ago, easily. Hood back on. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Should improve again for leading stable.

Form: 1/48-1

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

County Final^t⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Sean Flanagan| T: E McNamara| OR: 120

5/1

Promising individual. Won 16-runner novice hurdle (evens) at Navan (19f, good to soft) 64 days ago, driven clear. Makes handicap hurdle debut from a very fair-looking mark.

Form: 851

Friary Road^t⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Shane O'Callaghan⁽⁵⁾| T: T M Walsh| OR: 120| C

11/1

Promising type. 11/4, pulled up in novice hurdle at Killarney (17f, good to soft) 49 days ago, behind when pulled up before last. Makes handicap hurdle debut and he can bounce back.

Form: 1157-1P

Cappa Hill^t⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny Gilligan| T: Sean Allen| OR: 116| D

7/1

3/1, career best when winning 8-runner handicap hurdle at Tipperary (16.1f, good to soft) 49 days ago, well on top finish. 6 lb rise asks for more.

Form: 438-311

Captain Ryan Matt³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 116

11/2

Winner in hurdle at Tramore in August. 7/1, respectable sixth of 12 in handicap hurdle at this course (20.2f, good to soft) 39 days ago.

Form: 522-156

King In Love^h²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: S Aherne| OR: 111

11/2

14/1, career best when winning 11-runner handicap hurdle at Cork (16f, good to soft) 21 days ago. This is a deeper race.

Form: 12P-3P1

Allo Al Khawaneej¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Philip Byrnes| T: C Byrnes| OR: 110

50/1

Winner in hurdle at Kilbeggan in April. 50/1, eighth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (16.1f, heavy) 15 days ago. Stable having good spell but more needed from this mark.

Form: 61-438

Couldntmakeitup^t¹⁰⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Aidan Kelly⁽³⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 102

50/1

13/2 and tongue strap on for 1st time, creditable third of 9 in novice hurdle at Ballinrobe (23f, good) 104 days ago. Back down in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Something to find on form.

Form: 53-26U3

Kotkito Bello^p²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Calum Hogan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 100

7/2

Fair winner at 18f in chases. 4/1, career best when winning 11-runner novice chase at Thurles (18.3f, good to soft) on debut over fences 24 days ago, driven out. Switches from chase to hurdles.

Form: 8-43931

Forecasts

Kotkito Bello (7/2), Joueur Masque (7/2), County Final (5/1), Captain Ryan Matt (11/2), King In Love (11/2), Cappa Hill (7/1), Friary Road (11/1), Couldntmakeitup (50/1), Allo Al Khawaneej (50/1)

COUNTY FINAL justified strong support in a big-field novice at Navan in September and from a very fair opening mark, he can continue the good work. There's depth to this handicap, with Friary Road and Joueur Masque head the list of dangers.