12:05 Leopardstown

Friday 26 December 2025

All12:0512:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

TRI Equestrian Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:05 | Winning time: 3m 59.5s

Ballyfad³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

7/4

Has looked an excellent prospect in bumpers, supplementing his Down Royal win in 8-runner contest at Punchestown (16.7f, soft, 10/11) 34 days ago. Makes hurdles debut for leading yard and he has to be a major player.

Form: 1-11

Gonewild

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Conor Brassil⁽⁵⁾| T: M Brassil

100/1

Free Eagle gelding. Dam (b94) bumper winner.

Form:

It Will Do Rightly²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: James Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: S Crawley

200/1

Fifteenth of 24 in minor event hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, soft, 80/1) on NH debut 27 days ago.

Form: 0

Las Brisas Boy²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Kieren Buckley| T: E Buckley

200/1

Thrice-raced maiden under NH rules. Sixteenth of 25 in novice hurdle (80/1) at Navan (16f, heavy) 20 days ago.

Form: 0-00

Laxxio^h1¹³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Donagh Meyler| T: A Mullins

80/1

Fairly useful Flat winner, won 12-runner handicap at Hoppegarten (9f, good, 42/10). First run for yard after leaving Marcel Weiss. Wears hood for hurdles debut.

Form:

Le Midnightdancer

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Daniel King| T: G P Cromwell

125/1

€48,000 3-y-o, Cokoriko gelding. Dam, lightly raced over jumps in France, half-sister to French hurdler/chaser (winner up to 23f) Valban and French 17f chase winner El'ban.

Form:

Le Tatoue Madrik²⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell

80/1

22/1, fourteenth of 17 in bumper at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) on NH debut. Off 8 months. Makes hurdles debut.

Form: 0-

Leader D'allier¹⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins

6/5

Won 11-runner Gr 3 bumper at Vichy (11.9f, good, 25/10) 163 days ago by 1¼ lengths from Karla Conti. Makes hurdles debut. Significantly up in trip. First run for yard after leaving Mathieu Pitart and he could be a smart recruit.

Form: 611-1

Mont St Michel⁶⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan

33/1

Useful Flat winner, making jumps debut. Tenth of 12 in minor event at the Curragh (12f, heavy, 9/2) 66 days ago. First run for yard after leaving Aidan O'Brien.

Form:

Playtime^h⁶⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Kevin Sexton| T: G Elliott

66/1

Sixth of 12 in handicap at Catterick (12.1f, good to soft, 18/1) 69 days ago. First run for yard after leaving Andrew Balding but joined another successful stable ahead of hurdles debut.

Form:

Potters Pal¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Gavin Brouder| T: T Cooper

150/1

Fifteenth of 19 in novice hurdle at Cork (16.9f, soft, 40/1) on NH debut 19 days ago.

Form: 4P-40

Straight John

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Jake Coen| T: G Elliott

14/1

€170,000 3-y-o, Doctor Dino gelding. Half-brother to 4 winners, including smart hurdler Botox Has and French hurdle/chase winner Bou Has. Dam French hurdler/chaser (17f-19f winner)

Form:

Thankyouforthedays²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Luke Dempsey| T: J P Dempsey

100/1

Fourth of 11 in bumper (16/1) at Fairyhouse (16f, soft) 27 days ago, not knocked about. Makes hurdles debut.

Form: 8-4

Tim Toe⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| BF| D

11/2

Promising sort. First run since leaving P. M. J. Doyle when second of 16 in novice hurdle at Gowran (16.1f, heavy, 2/7) on hurdles bow 48 days ago, travelling best. Should progress.

Form: 1-2

War Rooms²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Brian Hayes| T: G Keane

100/1

Fairly useful Flat winner. 33/1, twentieth of 25 in novice hurdle at Navan (16f, heavy) on NH debut 20 days ago.

Form: 0

Wilde Words⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Cian Quirke| T: Ms M Mullins

66/1

Eighth of 18 in novice hurdle at Gowran (16.1f, heavy, 40/1) on NH debut 48 days ago.

Form: 78

Your Out Of Line⁵⁷⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁵⁾| T: R O'Sullivan

150/1

Eighth of 10 in claimer (10/1) at Fairyhouse (10f, good to soft), merely passing beaten rivals. Off 19 months. First run for yard after leaving Michael Mulvany.

Form:

Frontier Rose²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Shane Fitzgerald| T: Thomas Coyle

150/1

Poor hurdler. 40/1 and hooded for 1st time, below form ninth of 16 in novice hurdle at Thurles (16f, good to soft) 29 days ago. First run for yard after leaving T. G. McCourt.

Form: 0U6709

Moonlight Paradise³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Philip Donovan⁽³⁾| T: P Nolan

150/1

Fifth of 8 in novice hurdle (33/1) at Thurles (22.5f, good to soft) 36 days ago. Down in trip.

Form: 175

Saveforarainyday⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Simon Torrens| T: G P Cromwell

25/1

Promising individual. Sixth of 22 in novice hurdle at Navan (16f, heavy, 25/1) on NH debut 40 days ago, pulling hard. Likely to improve.

Form: 4-6

Shoda^t¹⁰⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: R Deegan| T: J P O'Brien

8/1

Promising sort. Useful winner at 17f on Flat. 5/4 and tongue strap on for 1st time, won 11-runner handicap at Clonmel (16.6f, soft), just holding on. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Open to progress.

Form: 33-

Forecasts

Leader D'allier (6/5), Ballyfad (7/4), Tim Toe (11/2), Shoda (8/1), Straight John (14/1), Saveforarainyday (25/1), Mont St Michel (33/1), Playtime (66/1), Wilde Words (66/1), Le Tatoue Madrik (80/1), Laxxio (80/1), Gonewild (100/1), Thankyouforthedays (100/1), War Rooms (100/1), Le Midnightdancer (125/1), Frontier Rose (150/1), Potters Pal (150/1), Moonlight Paradise (150/1), Your Out Of Line (150/1), It Will Do Rightly (200/1), Las Brisas Boy (200/1)

A very strong maiden hurdle but the eye is drawn to LEADER D'ALLIER, who was talented enough to win 5 bumpers in his native France and has since transferred to Willie Mullins, he's an exciting recruit. Ballyfad was useful in bumpers so he demands a place on the shortlist, along with Shoda.