14:50 Punchestown

Sunday 11 January 2026

All12:2012:5013:2013:5014:2014:5015:20

Sky Bet, For The Fans Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:52 | Winning time: 4m 29.90s

Atlantic Gamble¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Gilligan⁽⁵⁾| T: P J Gilligan

125/1

Once-raced maiden over hurdles. Fairly useful winner at 9f on flat. First run since leaving William Knight when eighth of 17 in novice hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy, 66/1) on NH debut 16 days ago. Needs to build on it.

Form: 8

Convincing¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Eoin Walsh| T: Ciaran Murphy

125/1

Fair maiden on the Flat. Once-raced maiden. Tenth of 17 in novice hurdle at Limerick (16f, heavy, 125/1) on NH debut 16 days ago.

Form: 0

Embrace The Day²⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell

33/1

€10,000 3-y-o, Fascinating Rock gelding. Dam, very useful 2m-2½m hurdle/chase winner, also 1¼m winner on Flat. Won his sole start in points in May so he's an interesting hurdling newcomer for good yard.

Form: 1

I Started A Joke¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Philip Byrnes| T: C Byrnes| OR: 121| BF

8/11

Useful bumper winner who has started well in this sphere, fourth of 18 in novice hurdle (evens) at Limerick (16f, heavy) 14 days ago, especially as he blundered 4 out. Holds leading form claims.

Form: 160/434

Large Steps¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jordan Gainford| T: C Collins

80/1

Once-raced maiden. 18/1, fifth of 10 in novice hurdle at Down Royal (17.2f, soft) on NH debut 16 days ago. Can take a step forward here.

Form: 5

Laxxio¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny Mullins| T: A Mullins

100/1

A three-time Flat winner in Germany for Marcel Weiss. Well held when fell last in novice hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, good, 80/1) on NH debut 16 days ago. Needs to take a big step forward.

Form: F

Navagio^h¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Kieren Buckley| T: Ciaran Murphy

150/1

A fairly useful Flat winner. 150/1, not knocked about when 12th of 22 in Leopardstown maiden hurdle (2m) on his debut in this sphere on Boxing Day. Capable of better.

Form: 0

Ocean Of Dreams¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Simon Torrens| T: Gary McGill

125/1

Fair Flat winner for Archie Watson. Set a lot to do when ninth of 15 in 2m4f Leopardstown maiden hurdle on his hurdling bow last month. Can take a step forward.

Form: 9

Ozark's Walk¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Brian Barry⁽⁷⁾| T: R Dunne

50/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Thirteenth of 22 in novice hurdle (100/1) at Leopardstown (16f, good) on hurdles bow 16 days ago.

Form: 0/2420

Playtime^h¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Kevin Sexton| T: G Elliott

12/1

Fair 1m4f Flat winner for Andrew Balding. Hinted at promise on hurdling bow when eighth of 21 in Leopardstown maiden on Boxing Day. Sure to improve for good yard.

Form: 8

Poet's Gale⁷⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Daniel King| T: A J Martin

100/1

Failed to build on debut promise when last of 8 in bumper at Galway (16.4f, good to soft, 18/1) 78 days ago. Makes hurdles debut with more required.

Form: 58

Port Mor

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Ricky Doyle| T: E Griffin

40/1

Dam, placed on second of 2 starts over hurdles, is a half-sister to smart hurdler/chaser (17f-21f winner) Le Tranquille and fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser (stays 3m) Karl Philippe. The market can guide for this Yeats gelding.

Form:

Sound As A Bell¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mark Walsh| T: G P Cromwell

40/1

Twice-raced maiden. Seventh of 17 in novice hurdle (28/1) at Limerick (16f, heavy) 16 days ago. Needs to go forward now.

Form: 31/07

Springhill Warrior³¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

5/2

Promising second of 12 in juvenile hurdle at Navan (16f, heavy, 11/2) on NH debut. Off 10 months but stable is having good spell so this son of Capri should have more to offer.

Form: 2/

The Shanty Field¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Michael Kenneally⁽⁷⁾| T: D Queally

200/1

Twice-raced maiden. Sixteenth of 18 in novice hurdle (150/1) at Limerick (16f, heavy) 14 days ago.

Form: 00

Golden Wings^h²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Gilligan| T: G Elliott

80/1

Once-raced maiden. Hooded, ninth of 15 in bumper at Naas (16f, heavy, 33/1) on NH debut 27 days ago. Makes hurdles debut with more needed.

Form: P9

Let It Settle⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Shane Fitzgerald| T: G P Cromwell

100/1

Fair form in bumpers but weakening when fell 3 out in novice hurdle at Cork (16.9f, good to soft, 40/1) on hurdles bow 8 days ago. Could still do better.

Form: 546-F

Riskabahia^h1⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

7/2

Won 14.9f maiden at Fontainebleau in 2023 on sole start for Mlle A-S. Pacault. Sent off 11/8 on first run since but raced much too freely when ninth of 22 in novice hurdle at Navan (16f, heavy) on NH debut 56 days ago. Hooded now and can leave that form behind.

Form: 9

Woodstar Lily

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Carl Millar⁽⁵⁾| T: W J Austin

150/1

Hillstar mare. Dam unraced half-sister to 3 winners, including modest hurdler (2m winner) Red Lemonade and fair hurdler (2½m winner) Gold Platinum.

Form:

Red Veil¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: Conor Lamon⁽⁷⁾| T: A Sexton

200/1

Modest maiden on the Flat. Fading sixth of 11 in juvenile hurdle (125/1) at Limerick (16f, heavy) 16 days ago. Has her stamina to prove.

Form: 56

Non-Runners

Press The Button²⁸

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: G P Cromwell J: Keith Donoghue

Tyson Fury¹⁶

Weight: 11-12| Age: 9

T: D Hogan J: D G Hogan

Lyreen Og⁴⁹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: A J Martin J: Reserve 1

Albus¹⁶

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Reserve 2

Gerrymandering¹⁶

Weight: 11-12| Age: 8

T: W J McLernon J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

I Started A Joke (8/11), Springhill Warrior (5/2), Riskabahia (7/2), Tyson Fury (5/1), Press The Button (10/1), Playtime (12/1), Albus (25/1), Embrace The Day (33/1), Lyreen Og (33/1), Sound As A Bell (40/1), Port Mor (40/1), Ozark's Walk (50/1), Golden Wings (80/1), Large Steps (80/1), Laxxio (100/1), Poet's Gale (100/1), Let It Settle (100/1), Gerrymandering (100/1), Atlantic Gamble (125/1), Convincing (125/1), Ocean Of Dreams (125/1), Navagio (150/1), Woodstar Lily (150/1), The Shanty Field (200/1), Red Veil (200/1)

I STARTED A JOKE possesses much the best form on show so this useful bumper scorer is fancied to deservedly get off the mark over hurdles. Willie Mullins' Riskabahia proved much too free when only ninth on his debut in this sphere at Navan and could take a big step forward now fitted with a hood. Winning pointer Embrace The Day brings a fair bit of potential starting out under Rules and could also have a say, while Springhill Warrior, Playtime and Tyson Fury all need factoring in too.