13:42 Cork

Sunday 12 October 2025

All13:1013:4214:1714:5215:2716:0216:3717:12

WTW Willis 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:44 | Winning time: 3m 51.9s

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Selected odds by:

Brother Hollie^t1

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Alan King⁽⁷⁾| T: M M McNiff

250/1

Parish Hall gelding. Dam maiden on Flat. Newcomer wears tongue strap and is likely to be an outsider on first racecourse appearance.

Form:

Crooked Path⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Daniel King| T: D Hogan

4/1

Fair maiden on the Flat but was much sharper second time up over hurdles, second of 12 in juvenile hurdle at Gowran (16.3f, soft, 25/1) 8 days ago. finishing ahead of the favourite and almost upsetting a hurdling debutant with superior Flat form. Has solid claims to go one better.

Form: 62

I'll Be Handy¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: James Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: M J Smith

250/1

Maiden has fair form at best on Flat (stays 7f) but has been a no show in 2025, most recently in first-time blinkers when last of 14 in handicap at Down Royal (11f, good to soft) 13 days ago. Without headgear for hurdle debut and has plenty to prove.

Form:

Kasper Hauser⁶²

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Phillip Enright| T: Kevin Coleman

10/3

Fair maiden on the Flat who has been consistent over hurdles, fourth of 13 in juvenile hurdle at Ballinrobe (16.5f, good) 62 days ago, having run of race. Should remain competitive.

Form: 424

Kibris^t⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien

9/4

Fairly useful on Flat (debut winner over 1m, stays 10.5f). Not seen to best effect on first start since being gelded when mid-field last time at Roscommon but is in excellent hands for hurdle debut and no surprise to see him make an impact with tongue strap on for first time in this code.

Form:

Rua Mor^h1²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Ricky Doyle| T: J G Coogan

200/1

Went with little encouragement when well held in a 9f maiden on sole start on Flat. Hooded for hurdles debut and difficult to make a strong case for.

Form:

Sporting Aclaim¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: G Brouder⁽³⁾| T: D Hogan

125/1

Modest maiden on the Flat. 33/1 and cheekpieces on for first time (now removed) when eleventh of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (12f) 16 days ago. Now tries hurdling but likely to need more time.

Form:

Wizard Of Odds⁷⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Philip Byrnes| T: W Durkan

6/1

Fairly useful winner on Flat (stays 7f) but again below form on final start for Stephen Thorne. Respected on the best of his Flat form and interesting to see if market expects better on hurdle/stable debut.

Form:

Bridezilla²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: Cian Quirke| T: A Slattery

3/1

Fair maiden on Flat, shaped encouragingly when runner-up on hurdles debut and matched that form when runner-up over a slightly longer trip at Ballinrobe (18f, soft) last month. Best Flat run when again finishing second at Listowel 20 days ago and should give a good account back over hurdles.

Form: 22

Felicity Smoak¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: Eoin Staples⁽⁷⁾| T: P Nolan

18/1

Fair maiden on the Flat who is yet to build on encouraging second on jumps debut at Tipperary last month but did return to form on the Flat when sixth of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (12f, 28/1) 16 days ago. Not dismissed back over hurdles under a good-value conditional.

Form: 258

Forecasts

Kibris (9/4), Bridezilla (3/1), Kasper Hauser (10/3), Crooked Path (4/1), Wizard Of Odds (6/1), Felicity Smoak (18/1), Sporting Aclaim (125/1), Rua Mor (200/1), I'll Be Handy (250/1), Brother Hollie (250/1)

KIBRIS started his season in the Group 3 Ballysax at Leopardstown and while he hasn't progressed on the Flat, he may be capable of winning an ordinary enough maiden on first start over hurdles. Crooked Path sets the standard of those with hurdling experience following a solid second at Gowran 8 days ago, while Bridezilla has finished second on both starts over hurdles and arrives on the back of a career-best effort on the Flat.