2026 Juveniles

[Lobos]

Very Nice from Narciso today.. 6/1 still seems fair enough, he’s very likely to be the Mullins number 1 at the DRF now

Agree. One to beat. Vauban beaten first time up and then dominated. Looks like him all over again.

 

[darlojim]

Vibes reallll strong on NH though.

And cromwell with his

Vibes were right Narciso Has, seems to have improved loads for his debut (shock horror)

Lets see if the Manlaga vibes are also correct tomorrow.. PP/BF making the early move pushing her out to 25s pre race.

Bertutea equally good today, but maybe not G1 material. Reminded me of Bunting (same race win aswell iirc)

 

[Lobos]

Still think Manita will stick her ring into the hat

 

[Runragged]

Vibes were right Narciso Has, seems to have improved loads for his debut (shock horror)

Lets see if the Manlaga vibes are also correct tomorrow.. PP/BF making the early move pushing her out to 25s pre race.

Bertutea equally good today, but maybe not G1 material. Reminded me of Bunting (same race win aswell iirc)

Narciso Has was 9 3/4 lengths ahead of Adrienne when the pair finished 2nd and 3rd behind Mange Tout. Now he was 11 lengths ahead. Maybe he hasn't improved as much as may be thought? Think he was flattered by the 2nd and 3rd favs running below par as well. Though arguably, Barbizon had beaten Ben Hur by 4 lengths previously and there was just 1 1/2 lengths between them here so that form line may be poor anyway.

Mange Tout for me is the one to take with the form being franked.

 

[darlojim]

Narciso Has was 9 3/4 lengths ahead of Adrienne when the pair finished 2nd and 3rd behind Mange Tout. Now he was 11 lengths ahead. Maybe he hasn't improved as much as may be thought? Think he was flattered by the 2nd and 3rd favs running below par as well. Though arguably, Barbizon had beaten Ben Hur by 4 lengths previously and there was just 1 1/2 lengths between them here so that form line may be poor anyway.

Mange Tout for me is the one to take with the form being franked.

Tbf to Narciso Has though he was doing all the donkey work today as opposed to the last day. Mange Tout still a big contender though, would have been interesting had she ran today but saved for another day I suppose.

Be an interesting couple months ahead, with new recruits popping up with entries!

 

[riccirich]

Few vibes around that manlaga doesn't show much at home. Probably contributing to her drift for tomorrow and the triumph.

They don't go to the well at home though, just because she supposedly doesn't show a lot on the bridle doesn't mean she won't respond when push comes to shove.

 

[Kauto’s star]

Few vibes around that manlaga doesn't show much at home. Probably contributing to her drift for tomorrow and the triumph.

They don't go to the well at home though, just because she supposedly doesn't show a lot on the bridle doesn't mean she won't respond when push comes to shove.

Thanks for the update rich. Watching brief for me anyway as not an easy introduction (for all I backed her AP ages ago)

 

[ComplyOrDie]

An extremely tough assignment for Manlaga today! Macktoad & Sonic Pioneer very good on their respective debuts.

She's going to have to be pretty special to dispatch of them two first time out, IMO.

Yard don't sound confident which is not ideal.

I'll take a not too far off 2nd or 3rd. As long as she's not out the back of the TV!!

 

[Kauto’s star]

An extremely tough assignment for Manlaga today! Macktoad & Sonic Pioneer very good on their respective debuts.

She's going to have to be pretty special to dispatch of them two first time out, IMO.

Yard don't sound confident which is not ideal.

I'll take a not too far off 2nd or 3rd. As long as she's not out the back of the TV!!

100% the race is tough, hope she shows more on the track than at home….

 

[Runragged]

Feel like if Manlaga is going to win a Triumph then she should be up to winning this. In the last 15 years Countrywide Flame is the only British winner to have been beaten over hurdles. All of Henderson's recent 5 winners of the race were also unbeaten.

 

[EnvoiAlien]

She'll do well to beat Macktoad, but imagine if she does..
Skelton also has a nice one at Kempton, form of his win has some substance behind it too.

 

[Brooker17]

Doesn't look like Manlaga is racing today now

 

[Eggs]

…..Maestro Conti into a general 10-1 after that win.

 

[Odddog]

Very taking from the filly at Chepstow

 

[Eggs]

…W Mullins;

Narcisco Has learned a lot from his first run for us and the change in tactics really worked for him at Leopardstown. He enjoyed jumping out and being positive down to his hurdles and is one that can gallop and jump. I could see him improving the whole way into the spring.

 

[Eggs]

Very taking from the filly at Chepstow

….40-1 TH in Hills ‘Road to Cheltenham’ specials.

Worth noting, when asked about future target, the trainer said ‘Mares Novice Hurdle or even Triumph Hurdle. She is a stayer.’ Not seeing her in any MNH betting.

 

[Lobos]

….40-1 TH in Hills ‘Road to Cheltenham’ specials.

Worth noting, when asked about future target, the trainer said ‘Mares Novice Hurdle or even Triumph Hurdle. She is a stayer.’ Not seeing her in any MNH betting.

If she's a stayer then Triumph will be perfect

 

[Eggs]

….Nicholls talking about TH for Minella Yoga after defeating Act of Innocence. 365 are a best price 20-1.

Nicholls said: “He’s a very nice youngster and I obviously felt I had half a chance by running him against Act Of Innocence and I couldn’t have had a better result to be honest.

“He’s still a bit backwards and green and he will have learned plenty today. I thought we had a nice weight which helped us and he’s a three-year-old but with the size of him, he’s hardly one of those.

“He’s one of the nicest youngsters we have without a shadow of a doubt and he’s going to be better on slower ground as I was a bit nervous about the ground today. He’s got a lot of class.”

He went on: “It’s amazing as he’s just done that and is hardly blowing. We’ve liked what we’ve seen at home and we took him for a gallop at Wincanton and went very very nicely.

“It’s great for Michael (Geoghegan, owner) who has heavily invested and bought a few nice horses with me lately and he’s going to get more involved and it’s fantastic.

“Jumping a bit quicker and all those other things will come and he’s just a gorgeous horse and I’m really thrilled with that.”

Although having downed his elders to remain unbeaten, Nicholls suggested Minella Yoga could revert to racing against his own age group in future, with a trip to Cheltenham on January 24 for the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle a possible appetiser for a Triumph Hurdle bid.

Both Paddy Power and BetVictor make the youngster a 16-1 chance for the Festival in March, with Nicholls adding: “He’ll definitely have an entry for the Triumph and I wouldn’t be afraid of running him in it. You could definitely see him galloping up that Cheltenham hill OK.

“It won’t be the be-all and end-all though and he’s never run on the Flat despite being Flat bred. Ultimately he’ll be a really nice horse in the future.

“I haven’t really thought of a plan beyond today. Trials day is around three weeks away and we could look at that definitely to see where we stand. I would imagine he will take the race today really well but you do have to mind them a little bit.”

 

[Eggs]

Narciso Has 138p from 132p (Timeform)​

French import Narciso Has had come up short on his first start for Willie Mullins when trying to concede 3 lb to the filly Mange Tout in a Grade 3 juvenile hurdle at Fairyhouse last month, but that was a promising effort against a rival with more experience, in what looked the strongest race of its type at that point of the season.

Narciso Has, therefore, headed into the Grade 2 at Leopardstown with strong claims on form and he ran out a dominant winner, improving on his Fairyhouse effort to score by 11 lengths (replay below).

The way he sustained a big move off the home turn was impressive and he is now the highest-rated juvenile in the division, though old rival Mange Tout (132p) is likely to be in receipt of 7 lb when they next meet so should come out with similar claims once her sex allowance is factored in.

 

[Eggs]

….Fantasy World an interesting one highlighted by Mark Howard (see ‘Tipsters Tips’ thread).

Not sure if he’s on anybody’s radar but could run next weekend.