12:48 Down Royal

Friday 26 December 2025

All11:4012:1512:4813:2313:5814:3315:08

Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle (0-100)

Off time: 12:48 | Winning time: 4m 23.7s

Mary's Pride^t⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Sarah Kavanagh⁽⁴⁾| T: E Cawley| OR: 100

12/1

Showed ability when third of 12 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (25/1) 76 days ago. Disappointed when eighth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Cork (4/1) 54 days ago, going backwards from previous encouraging effort. Tongue strap back on and remains well treated on best form.

Form: 9000-38

Monroes Hollow^p1²¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Eoghan Finegan⁽⁴⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 98

18/1

Modest performer without a win who finished 11th of 12 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (33/1) 211 days ago when continuing out of sorts and failing to sustain effort. First-time cheekpieces applied.

Form: 647F-00

Aswellasabentley⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Eoin Staples⁽⁴⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 96

10/3

Modest form in handicap hurdles, finishing fourth at Downpatrick 77 days ago. Finished 11th of 21 at Punchestown (5/1) 43 days ago, failing to build on previous promise in heavy conditions. Could show improvement at a more suitable trip.

Form: 88P4-40

Letters To Juliet^h,t²⁰⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Alix Balfe⁽⁴⁾| T: P Downey| OR: 96| BF| D

22/1

Won a 5-runner handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (9/2) in April but disappointed when seventh of 12 at Listowel (9/2) 207 days ago and reported coughing post-race. Will need to be competitive.

Form: UFP1-57

The Toothpicker^t,h¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Carl Millar⁽²⁾| T: D Budds| OR: 94

4/1

Still without a win in 13 starts, finished fifth of 24 in handicap hurdle at Cork (8/1) 19 days ago with tongue strap and hood. May prefer this shorter trip.

Form: 607/4F5

Kingdom Calling^t³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: John Shinnick| T: E McCarthy| OR: 93

14/1

Inconsistent, with only one 4th place at Killarney recently. Poor 9th at Limerick but raced wide. Becoming well treated at least.

Form: 93-0F49

Back To Cali³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Adam Leahy⁽⁴⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 92

12/1

Lightly raced but yet to win in four starts. Fourth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Limerick (25/1) 38 days ago when weakening after being upsides approaching second last. Could improve in handicaps.

Form: 650-504

Watty Show⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Ethan O'Sullivan⁽⁴⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 91

11/1

Shown little in 5 hurdle starts, pulled up in 19-runner handicap at Gowran Park (11/2). Needs significant improvement to be competitive.

Form: 8/059-7P

Ballinearla Girl¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Paddy Cody⁽⁴⁾| T: E Doyle| OR: 90

22/1

Maiden who ran fourth at Listowel before finishing 12th of 24 in a handicap hurdle at Cork (22/1) 19 days ago, let down by jumping. Hood now removed for this race.

Form: 20-4U80

Uncle Gerhard²⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: Anna McGuinness⁽⁴⁾| T: G O'Loughlin| OR: 88

10/1

Ran well in 2022 with a close second and third in handicap hurdles. Eighth of 13 at Thurles (14/1) 29 days ago, shaped better than beaten distance suggests on second start back from a long absence and has slipped below last winning mark.

Form: 532P/08

Bruno From Mars^t1³⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Ivan Ryan⁽⁴⁾| T: Conor Maxwell| OR: 86

28/1

Poor hurdle record, pulled up at Naas (100/1) 355 days ago, tongue strap replaces hood. First run for new trainer.

Form: 8800/PP-

Ringcreevy Diamond^t1³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Richard Condon⁽²⁾| T: C A McBratney| OR: 85

80/1

Has shown little in four maiden starts, finishing 11th of 17 in a hurdle at Punchestown (125/1) 201 days ago. May show more in handicap debut with first-time tongue strap.

Form: 40-00P

Centaq³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Patrick M O'Brien⁽²⁾| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 82

15/2

Had two promising second-place finishes at Downpatrick in handicap hurdles earlier in the autumn. Finished 12th of 17 in a handicap hurdle at Thurles (8/1) 36 days ago, again running below form. Could show improved form returning to Down Royal where previous best efforts have come.

Form: 742290

Patrick Street^t⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Conor Smithers⁽⁴⁾| T: A Kinirons| OR: 82

25/1

Had a better run when third at Punchestown in September but has since disappointed, finishing 10th of 18 in a flat handicap at Galway (25/1) 60 days ago. Cheekpieces removed for this return to hurdles. Without a win in 19 races.

Form: 60-96

Chesterbaylad³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: Ross Berry⁽⁴⁾| T: Ms H P Markham| OR: 78

20/1

Yet to win in 10 starts over hurdles with generally poor form, finishing 13th of 17 in handicap hurdle at Thurles (25/1) 36 days ago, never dangerous. Difficult to see significant improvement at current level.

Form: 5098P0

Give Her Hollie^b1,t²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Finn Brickley⁽⁴⁾| T: C Collins| OR: 77

66/1

Led early before fading badly when last of 13 at Thurles (40/1) 29 days ago and wears first-time blinkers.

Form: 70P7-P0

Boston Bobby^p²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Conor Clarke⁽⁴⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 76

16/1

One decent run in five when fifth of 17 at Listowel in September before disappointing as 5/1 chance when 11th of 13 in handicap hurdle at Thurles 29 days ago. Current mark looks too high.

Form: 20-5PB0

Sunwalk⁴⁸³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Sean Cleary-Farrell⁽⁴⁾| T: S Neville| OR: 74

66/1

Finished 11th of 14 in handicap hurdle at Wexford (25/1) 483 days ago, racing freely before weakening. Without a win in 17 races.

Form: 00/59P0-

Avandra^p²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Dylan Kidd⁽⁴⁾| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 72

40/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (12/1) 24 days ago and continues to show poor form.

Form: 6-5776P

Esticky End¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Shane Markey⁽⁴⁾| T: Tom McGuinness| OR: 72

9/1

Inconsistent performer who ran on to finish sixth of 14 in flat handicap at Dundalk (25/1) 14 days ago having dwelt at the start. Not certain to be in the same mood today.

Form: PP9-PR5

Non-Runners

Southey²⁵

Weight: 11-6| Age: 5

T: S R B Crawford J: Reserve 1

Hello Yes⁹⁸

Weight: 10-8| Age: 6

T: S McParlan J: Reserve 2

Scary Askari⁵²

Weight: 11-8| Age: 5

T: S McParlan J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Aswellasabentley (10/3), The Toothpicker (4/1), Southey (7/1), Centaq (15/2), Esticky End (9/1), Uncle Gerhard (10/1), Watty Show (11/1), Back To Cali (12/1), Mary's Pride (12/1), Kingdom Calling (14/1), Boston Bobby (16/1), Scary Askari (16/1), Hello Yes (16/1), Monroes Hollow (18/1), Chesterbaylad (20/1), Letters To Juliet (22/1), Ballinearla Girl (22/1), Patrick Street (25/1), Bruno From Mars (28/1), Avandra (40/1), Sunwalk (66/1), Give Her Hollie (66/1), Ringcreevy Diamond (80/1)

KINGDOM CALLING has been inconsistent but is becoming well treated as a result. Centaq returns to Down Royal where he's posted two promising seconds earlier this autumn. Mary's Pride has the tongue strap refitted and remains well treated on previous Fairyhouse form.