Kawaboomga – 1st in 2.13 Fairyhouse 25/01/25
Willie Mullins has another Cheltenham Festival novice hurdler on his hands for top owner JP McManus. This French Bred 5 year old finished off his racing strongly to pass William Munny. It was a strongly run race and there is no doubt Kawaboomga needs further than two miles at Cheltenham.
He was flat out most of the way until his stamina kicked into overdrive up the finishing straight. This was an improved run following his second behind Kopek Des Bordes at Leopardstown at Christmas. Willie Mullins hinted that he will target the Turners Novice Hurdle with Kawaboomga and rightly so.
Castle Carrock – 1st in 1.15 Sandown 24/01/25
Alan King looks to have a talented novice hurdler on his hands. Castle Carrock was bought for £100,000 from Nicky Richards yard following his bumper win at Ayr in November. That bumper win came on good ground and he proved here he handles winter soft going at Sandown.
The mare Diva Luna was carrying a penalty and tried to dominate the race. Castle Carrock settled nicely in behind and could be called the winner between the final two hurdles. He stuck to his task well and will have no issue staying further down the line. I’d guess he might sidestep Cheltenham and aim for the Ayr or Aintree spring festivals following another run in February or early March.
Jax Junior – 2nd in 4.02 Ascot 18/01/25
Trainer Lucy Wadham has a good horse on her hands in Jax Junior. He was a decent bumper horse last season when placing twice at Huntingdon. He returned over hurdles this season in November and ran a shocker.They gave the son of Jack Hobbs a wind operation and it worked big time.
Jax Junior won easily at Doncaster on good to soft ground. He backed up that initial win with a 17 length win over Country Park at Ascot on Saturday. The step up in trip to 2m5½f saw him win with his head in his chest on good ground. The handicapper has given him an opening rating of 137 and I think this horse is up to winning at graded class.
Blaze The Way – 2nd in 1.40 Navan 18/01/25
Blaze The Way was outstayed by the winner in a good handicap hurdle at Navan. The Mags Mullins trained and Danny Mullins ridden runner jumped for fun and was sent to the lead a long way from home.
Danny wanted to make this race a test of stamina on a proven stayer. It almost worked as he fought off Thecompanysergeant only for the patiently ridden Music of Tara to pass him over the final 100 yards. Blaze the Way had won two runs ago over 3m1f at Navan so is a galloper who stays well. A 4lb hike in the ratings is fair and this horse can go and win a valuable 3 mile handicap hurdle this season.
Derryhassen Paddy – 1st in 12.40 Windsor 17/01/25
Derryhassen Paddy is the type of horse that is an owner’s dream. He has that strong will to win, and proved that at Windsor, when battling back to beat another tough cookie in Honky Tonk Highway.
Derryhassen Paddy relished going up to three miles and had to do a lot of the donkey work to win at Windsor. He needs soft ground and is built to be a top chaser next season. Lucinda Russel mentioned the Albert Bartlett trial at Haydock as a possible next target and that makes sense for this unbeaten racehorse.
Kiss Will – 1st in 1.40 Fairyhouse 16/01/25.
Willie Mullins has a stable full of potential top class novice hurdlers. We can add Kiss Will to that list following his exciting hurdling debut at Fairyhouse. It was a two horse race from the start and he burned off Hello Jack when quickening clear up the straight.
Kiss Will over on the flat over 1m5f in France before being sold for €280,000. He will stay two and a half miles no problem. It will be interesting to see if he turns out quickly to run again at the Dublin Racing Festival. A horse full of potential and one to keep in mind for the Cheltenham Festival.
Bunting – 2nd in 1.30 Clonmel 15/01/25
Bunting is the horse to take from this race despite finishing second. He made a howler down the far side with Paul Townend lucky to stay on! It was a race ending mistake and for Bunting to recover to finish less than a length behind the winner was impressive. The handicapper has left him alone on his current mark of 135 following his first run of the season.
It’s the one positive of not winning as it leaves him unpenalized for a shot at a valuable handicap over two miles in his next run or two. His owner is Tony Bloom who owns Brighton and is a professional football punter. No doubt a trip to the UK will be on the cards this season.
Lecky Watson – 1st in 12.55 Punchestown 12/01/25
Lecky Watson won his second chase at Grade 3 level in good fashion. He overcame some sloppy jumps at the final two fences to win going away from Down Memory Lane. He is settling better over fences compared to when hurdling last season.
It’s hard to know for sure where he ranks amongst the Willie Mullins stable full of novice chasers. I would like to see him run again over further before tackling the three mile novice chase at Cheltenham. It could be the Powers Gold Cup over two and a half miles is best for now as he looks to have plenty of speed. A novice chaser worth keeping on side this season.
Lord of Thunder – 2nd in 1.15 Ffos Las 11/01/25
Handstands was an impressive winner of the Grade 2 Towton novices chase at Ffos Las. He is good and conceded 5lbs to the runner up Lord of Thunder. I would take the runner up, Lord of Thunder from the race as he was badly hampered by a faller during the race. He did well to get back into contention and finish nine lengths behind Handstands. Lord of Thunder jumped well in the main and looks capable of winning a good handicap off a 2lb higher mark of 129 for trainer Joe Tizzard.
Sixandahalf- 1st in 12.32 Fairyhouse 11/01/25
Gavin Cromwell trained a four timer at Fairyhouse with the mare Sixandahalf winning well on her hurdling debut. She was a good stayer on the flat and finished third in the Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh last season. This win was impressive as she jumped well to beat two more experienced mares in Qualimita and Kimi De Mai. Gavin mentioned the mares novice hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival which will suit as that race is run over 2m1f around the more galloping new course.
Fun Fun Fun – 1st in 12.25 Naas 05/01/25
Patrick Mullins bred Fun Fun Fun and must have enjoyed how well this mare jumped to win on heavy ground. She is not the biggest by all accounts but you’d never know such was her good jumping here on her first run over fences. Last season, Fun Fun Fun won the Kingsfurze novice hurdle which is a Grade 3 against geldings showing she has speed.
She likes Naas with two wins from two runs. Patrick mentioned returning for the Opera Hat Chase next month as a future option and that makes sense. It’s a race Willie has used with Dinoblue in the past before running in the Grand Annual and Mares Chase at Cheltenham Festivals.
Embassy Gardens – 1st in 2.15 Tramore 01/01/25
Everyone was expecting the Henry De Bromhead trained Monty’s Star to win this race. He was firmly put in his place by Embassy Gardens with the winner carrying six pounds more! You had to be taken by how well Embassy Gardens jumped to win nicely at the line. It was a career best for the lightly raced nine year old and fifth run over fences.
Embassy Gardens started off well as a novice chaser with two wins but didn’t stay the distance in the National Hunt chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He had a hard race that day having raced freely and didn’t run to form at the Punchestown Festival in a three mile Grade 1 chase. Willie said he thought he was a Grand National horse last season but now believes him to be a two and a half to three miler. I can see this horse have a shot at the Ryanair Chase in March.
Eye Catchers January 2025
Free Horse Trackers
There are several good horse trackers available to Punters. These trackers can be used to receive alerts on the eye catchers listed above. Some are free while others require a subscription such as with the racing post.
Below are links to some of the better free Horse Trackers available to punters.