2026 Novice Hurdlers

[Killiney]

MP has ran once in a race where nothing else wanted to get near him or Roc Dino, yet is around 5/1 for the Turners, madness.

Could not agree more in fact I think he’s 4/1. Right from the start of his maiden no horse wanted to know. Maybe Roc Dino for a couple of furlongs. Irish maidens at their worse.

 

[EnvoiAlien]

Could not agree more in fact I think he’s 4/1. Right from the start of his maiden no horse wanted to know. Maybe Roc Dino for a couple of furlongs. Irish maidens at their worse.

Even his P2P looks garbage, I just didn't want to be the one to stick the boot in but I've itchy feet here

 

[Rooster Booster]

MP has ran once in a race where nothing else wanted to get near him or Roc Dino, yet is around 5/1 for the Turners, madness.

I tend to agree. I know what everyone thinks of Nichols (with much justification ) particularly in connection with this race but I’d fully expect his fella to be in better shape than lto which was a convenient money grab as much as anything else. He has already posted 149 RPR without being extended . With normal progression you’ve got to expect a mid to high 150 from him at least which starts to set the bar quite high for any horse having just his second start under rules.

Btw I am not saying I expect no drama to win but considering he is experienced, has won his races from the front and tracking the pace on different ground conditions and has c and d winning form I see no reason why he wouldn’t be considered a reasonable benchmark.

 

[CJW]

Could not agree more in fact I think he’s 4/1. Right from the start of his maiden no horse wanted to know. Maybe Roc Dino for a couple of furlongs. Irish maidens at their worse.

It is crazy Mullins hype, you win some you lose some.

 

[AllAboutNothing]

Of course he should, he has thrashed Kadastral twice. Kadastral beat Talk The Talk in a bumper...

He's a talent but he hasn't beaten anything with proven form. When he did race against anything with substance he blew out. Very hard to make all in a Supreme as well. When he got cover was when he blew out so could well like an uncontested and better when bullying lesser horses.

Talk The Talk was beaten on his racecourse debut in the big money Goffs store sales bumper whilst Kadastral had previously run and was a year older. Talk The Talk has improved massively for his experience.

 

[Joeski29]

Heads Up in the Sheila Bourke will be interesting, especially as a backer for the Supreme at big odds.

Can still get 80's NRNB, and I'll tell you what, there will be no prisoners taken if they let him off in the Supreme.

I'm not sure why they tried pissing around restraining him at Cheltenham LTO, but it didn't work at all. Wouldn't be surprised if he nicked a place in a Supreme though, with his running style. I remember a horse, For Pleasure, for Alex Hales, bolted off in front, managed to nick a place, albeit a little fortuitously with Blue Lord coming down.

The bumper form from last season hasn't looked too shabby either, the only one really letting it down from those that finished close up has been Caballero Cliff!

This will all, of course, be irrelevant if Heads Up can't win the Sheila Bourke well.

I’m going to blame the painkillers I’m on but had to read that about 3 times, thought you were giving us a heads up on a horse and was trying to find which horse you were giving us the heads up on

 

[Prestbury]

Apache Tribe looked good at Ayr today in his first race over hurdles. Probably be the highest rated bumper horse on RPRs in the Albert Bartlett. May be too inexperienced but if he went to Aintree for what's usually a weaker 3m grade 1, he'd be of interest.

That's quite an interesting angle. Below are the best bumper performers by RPR in the AB over the last 8 years together with the winners and what they achieved (if they ran in bumpers). Best bumper runner is often thereabouts and the winners, if they ran in bumpers, had run to a pretty decent level.

2018 OK Corral 132RPR 2nd - winner Kilbricken Storm (did not run in bumpers)
2019 Rhinestone 140 PU - Minella Indo (122)
2020 Fury Road 133 3rd - Monkfish (120)
2021 Adrimel 131 PU - Vanillier (did not run in bumpers)
2022 Ramillies 131 6th - The Nice Guy (117)
2023 Letsbeclearaboutit 132 4th - Stay Away Fay (did not run in bumpers)
2024 Lecky Watson 134 5th - Stellar Story (123)
2025 Jasmin De Vaux 137 1st - Jasmin De Vaux (137)

This years top performers

134 Jalon Doudairies
133 Sortudo
129 Doctor Du Mesnil
128 Shuttle Diplomacy
123 Apache Tribe
122 No Drama This End
121 I'll Sort That
120 Classical Creek
119 Frankie John
119 Minella Emperor
119 Spinningayarn

 

[DenmanSacre]

That's quite an interesting angle. Below are the best bumper performers by RPR in the AB over the last 8 years together with the winners and what they achieved (if they ran in bumpers). Best bumper runner is often thereabouts and the winners, if they ran in bumpers, had run to a pretty decent level.

2018 OK Corral 132RPR 2nd - winner Kilbricken Storm (did not run in bumpers)
2019 Rhinestone 140 PU - Minella Indo (122)
2020 Fury Road 133 3rd - Monkfish (120)
2021 Adrimel 131 PU - Vanillier (did not run in bumpers)
2022 Ramillies 131 6th - The Nice Guy (117)
2023 Letsbeclearaboutit 132 4th - Stay Away Fay (did not run in bumpers)
2024 Lecky Watson 134 5th - Stellar Story (123)
2025 Jasmin De Vaux 137 1st - Jasmin De Vaux (137)

This years top performers

134 Jalon Doudairies
133 Sortudo
129 Doctor Du Mesnil
128 Shuttle Diplomacy
123 Apache Tribe
122 No Drama This End
121 I'll Sort That
120 Classical Creek
119 Frankie John
119 Minella Emperor
119 Spinningayarn

Yeah you're usually looking at a 120+ bumper RPR if ran in one from my notes on the race. I forgot about Jalon but not sure the others above will go to the race.

 

[Eggs]

Cheltenham Festival.

….TTT;

The chestnut holds entries for the Sky Bet-sponsored Supreme and the Turners Novices’ Hurdles at the Festival, with O’Brien inclined towards the former option, run over two miles and half a furlong, at this stage.

“He’s really exciting. He’s done nothing wrong this year, he’s unlucky not to be four from four and he goes to Cheltenham as a real obvious contender and one of the top novices around at the moment,” the trainer said.

“I think it would be fair to say we’re leaning towards the Supreme and that’s the race I’ve had in mind, it’s probably the right race for his progression and for him at this stage.

“I think it might be fair to say that the Turners might end up a little bit softer on paper, but we’re paid to put him in the right spot and we think that’s probably the Supreme. The final call will be made late, but I’d say that’s the best spot for him.”

Reflecting on Talk The Talk’s victory at the Dublin Racing Festival, O’Brien said: “I suppose at the DRF he probably shouldn’t have been able to win from where he did off a really slow pace, running down two really good horses.”

O’Brien is confident Talk The Talk will have no issue with a longer trip and it may be the case that he makes the step up at the Festival, but he feels the fast pace of the Supreme may be more likely to play into his hands.

“We’ll probably take our time (at Cheltenham). He’s a horse that, at this stage of his life, that’s the right way to ride him,” he said.

“I’ve got no problem with him going further. I actually probably see him as a stayer in the long-term, but I think we always keep our options open and (qhile) we could have a change of heart late on I think the Supreme is the race we have in mind for him.

“He has kind of an aggressive nature and we feel that the tempo of the Supreme would suit him better. I know he’s won off a very slow pace at Leopardstown the last day, but it’s fair to say that I was surprised that he was able to do that and I think the tempo of a Supreme, generally speaking might be run at a faster pace, would probably be more suitable for him.”

Zeus Power, winner of a Navan novice last time out, is most likely due to contest the Turners, with O’Brien also assembling a team for the Fred Winter.

“He probably will run in one of the novice hurdles, probably the Turners is more likely,” he said of Zeus Power.

“We might run in Ireland this weekend and then decide, but it would be the plan for him to go in one of the novices I’d imagine. He’d be more of an each way chance but he’s a progressive horse.

 

[Lobos]

Willie...


There’s enthusiasm for the potential Sky Bet Supreme trio of Leader D’Allier, King Rasko Grey and Mighty Park. He likes Mighty Park.

“When Mark (Walsh) got off him after he won, he said he had a look around at the second last and couldn’t’ believe how far in front he was, going what he thought was a normal, slow, pace,” he recalls.

“So, he said his cruising speed must be huge and he’s a fantastic jumper. I’m thinking that puts him right in the mix here.”

What sort of prospect does he have on his hands then?

“First of all your gut tells you he has to be a helluva horse to do what he did. And listening to Mark when he got off him, he has huge natural ability. You’d look at him and probably think Turners but when you listen to Mark and saw what he did on the day, any horse that wins 38 lengths, you’re into sort of Faugheen territory.

“Those things don’t happen very often. From day one I’ve always thought he was good enough to win a Champion Bumper; that’s the sort of performances he was showing met at home.”

 

[Exar Essay]

Mighty Park "right in the mix for the Supreme".

 

[Quevega]

Mighty Park "right in the mix for the Supreme".

I'd guess that piece of journalism is misleading
and Willies Faugheen comparison is definitely a contradiction.

 

[Exar Essay]

I'd guess that piece of journalism is misleading
and Willies Faugheen comparison is definitely a contradiction.

“When Mark Walsh got off him after he won at Fairyhousse, he said he looked at the big screen at the second last and couldn’t believe how far he was in front, having gone what he thought was a normal slow pace. Mark said his cruising speed must be huge and he’s a fantastic jumper. I think he must be right in the mix for the Supreme. He has to be a hell of a horse to do what he did and has huge natural ability."

 

[Quevega]

bit more details here.

While Willie Mullins ponders running plans for his crack team of novice hurdlers at the Cheltenham Festival, Mighty Park has drawn comparison to the mighty Faugheen

Owned by JP McManus, the impressive Fairyhouse scorer – who is closely related to the mercurial Might Bite – holds entries for both the Supreme and Turners Novices’ Hurdles and wowed the master of Closutton when making all on his stable bow in January.

“When Mark (Walsh) got off Mighty Park he said he had a look round at the second-last and couldn’t believe how far in front he was,” said Mullins.

“He thought he was going a normal pace, so his cruising speed must be huge and he’s a fantastic jumper, so I think that puts him right in the mix as well.

“Your gut tells you he has to be a hell of a horse to do what he did – any horse that wins by 38 lengths must have a huge engine, you’re into Faugheen territory when you do things like that.

“I was slagging JP saying he was running my Champion Bumper horse in a maiden hurdle. From day one I always thought he was good enough to win the Champion Bumper, so that’s the sort of ability he was showing me at home.”

Also holding an entry for both the Festival curtain-raiser and the longer event 24 hours later is recent Leopardstown Grade One third King Rasko Grey, who was involved in a thrilling photo-finish with Talk The Talk (first) and Ballyfad (second).

“King Rasko Grey was third the other day and jumping the last I was thinking my fellow looks like a mare in foal compared to the other two. I think he has every chance of improving more than they will condition-wise and they are two of the top ones in Ireland, so that brings him right into it.

“King Rasko Grey should have enough speed for the Supreme, but your first thought, especially with the way he won in Limerick, would be the Turners. All those things are still in the mix.”

Stylish Dublin Racing Festival winner Doctor Steinberg is another giving Mullins plenty to ponder ahead of the Festival, with the handler suggesting he would like to see the Grade One scorer follow in the footsteps of Final Demand by heading to the Turners over the Albert Barlett Novices’ Hurdle.

“I was watching the race the other day and when he’s coming up to the winning post I’m thinking Turners and everyone else is saying Albert Bartlett,” said Mullins.

“I’m looking at the way he pulled and dragged his jockey through the race and I don’t think you can do that over three miles at Cheltenham.

“You’ll have a faster race in the Turners which might also be a better quality race and I will leave it up to Paul Townend – maybe we will find some way of riding him differently.

“We rode him from the front the other day and he wanted pace in the race and you could ride him differently in an Albert Bartlett, maybe get him covered up and settled. It would be crucial we could get him settled if we were thinking about running in the Albert Bartlett.”

 

[Quevega]

“When Mark Walsh got off him after he won at Fairyhousse, he said he looked at the big screen at the second last and couldn’t believe how far he was in front, having gone what he thought was a normal slow pace. Mark said his cruising speed must be huge and he’s a fantastic jumper. I think he must be right in the mix for the Supreme. He has to be a hell of a horse to do what he did and has huge natural ability."

here or in the supreme ?
your quotes have changed

 

[Exar Essay]

here or in the supreme ?
your quotes have changed

What are you on about?

 

[EnvoiAlien]

My table has 4 legs, I shall henceforth refer to it as my wooden Faugheen.

 

[Killiney]

“When Mark Walsh got off him after he won at Fairyhousse, he said he looked at the big screen at the second last and couldn’t believe how far he was in front, having gone what he thought was a normal slow pace. Mark said his cruising speed must be huge and he’s a fantastic jumper. I think he must be right in the mix for the Supreme. He has to be a hell of a horse to do what he did and has huge natural ability."

Mostly because the rest never put themselves in the race!

 

[darlojim]

Stylish Dublin Racing Festival winner Doctor Steinberg is another giving Mullins plenty to ponder ahead of the Festival, with the handler suggesting he would like to see the Grade One scorer follow in the footsteps of Final Demand by heading to the Turners over the Albert Barlett Novices’ Hurdle.

“I was watching the race the other day and when he’s coming up to the winning post I’m thinking Turners and everyone else is saying Albert Bartlett,” said Mullins.

“I’m looking at the way he pulled and dragged his jockey through the race and I don’t think you can do that over three miles at Cheltenham.

“You’ll have a faster race in the Turners which might also be a better quality race and I will leave it up to Paul Townend – maybe we will find some way of riding him differently.

“We rode him from the front the other day and he wanted pace in the race and you could ride him differently in an Albert Bartlett, maybe get him covered up and settled. It would be crucial we could get him settled if we were thinking about running in the Albert Bartlett.”

Well that makes things interesting..

 

[Quevega]

What are you on about?

The quote lobos lifted from sporting life does not say what you quoted.
You've inserted supreme for the word here (twice).
Journalist has kind of tricked the eye somewhat.
The Irish racing article has more context.