William Hill Challenge Series Handicap Hurdle (Div I)
Course: Punchestown
Date: 13th Oct 2026
Distance: 2m4f (2m4f)
Type: Hurdle
Going: Good
Class:
Prize: €6,000
Runners: 18
Going Detail: GOOD
Weather: Loading forecast…
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Granlahan
4yo b Gelding (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Darragh O'Keeffe
Trainer: Adrian McGuinness
Owner: Hem Syndicate
Breeding
Sire: Equiano (FR)
Dam: Fiuntach (IRE)
Damsire: Intense Focus (USA)
Comment
Granlahan won last time out and has been second in four of the five runs before that, so the form is sound, and he has run over today's trip and going before. Only three days since that win and 159 lb on his back temper the enthusiasm, though our rating of 91 ranks him sixth of 18.
Race History for Granlahan
Poetic Focus
6yo b Mare (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Cian Quirke
Trainer: A. Slattery
Owner: Sean Cleere
Breeding
Sire: Yeats (IRE)
Dam: Western Focus (IRE)
Damsire: Westerner (GB)
Comment
Fresh from a second last time out just 12 days ago, Poetic Focus has run over today's trip and going, but she is yet to win in her last six starts and carries 158 lb off an official mark of 90, which leaves her a midfield type on our rating.
Previous Trainers
- Paul Nolan (until 2025-11-08)
- Barry J Fitzgerald (until 2024-12-29)
Previous Owners
- Paul Nolan (until 2025-11-08)
- Barry J Fitzgerald (until 2024-12-29)
Race History for Poetic Focus
Another Challenge
6yo b Gelding (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Phillip Enright
Trainer: Oliver McKiernan
Owner: Keep The Faith Bloodstock Limited
Breeding
Sire: Order Of St George (IRE)
Dam: Society Lady (IRE)
Damsire: Getaway (GER)
Comment
Won last time out, but that was 70 days ago and his other recent finishes read a seventh, a second, an eighth and a ninth, so consistency is a worry. Carrying 150 lb, ranked 12 of 18 on our figures, he has run over today's trip and going, which is about the best that can be said.
Race History for Another Challenge
Maxicourt
5yo b Gelding (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Conor Smithers(7)
Trainer: Patrick J Duffy
Owner: Patrick J Duffy
Breeding
Sire: Maxios (GB)
Dam: Kibara (GB)
Damsire: Sadler's Wells ()
Comment
Maxicourt has been consistent without a win, with a third two starts back and another third five starts back, but he was eighth last time out and has run over today's trip and going. Carrying 157 lb off an official mark of 89 is a stiff task, though our rating of 92 ranks him fifth of 18.
Race History for Maxicourt
Diamond Tipp
6yo baybrown Mare (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Kevin Healy(7)
Trainer: Martin Hassett
Owner: Only Tools & Horses Syndicate
Breeding
Sire: Diamond Boy (FR)
Dam: Soundout (IRE)
Damsire: Oscar (IRE)
Comment
Diamond Tipp has run over today's trip and going and is fresh from a run just eight days ago, with a second five starts back the best of her recent efforts. Our top-rated runner at 102 against an official 97, she is the one to beat despite being winless in her last six, though 165 lb is a stiff burden.
Previous Trainers
- John C McConnell (until 2026-04-05)
Race History for Diamond Tipp
Bossy Bird
6yo b Mare (IRE)Connections
Jockey: James Smith(3)
Trainer: Thomas Gibney
Owner: Stackallen Jumpers Partnership
Breeding
Sire: Lauro (GER)
Dam: Nowheretoexit (GB)
Damsire: Exit To Nowhere (USA)
Comment
Bossy Bird has been consistent, finishing fifth last time out, with a second four starts back, and she has run over today's trip and going before, while our rating of 99 ranks her second of 18. The main risk is that she is yet to win in her last five starts and carries 168 lb off a mark of 100.
Previous Owners
- Michael Farrelly (until 2025-04-22)
Race History for Bossy Bird
Talas Kera
5yo b Mare (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Eoghan Finegan(5)
Trainer: John G Carr
Owner: Richard J Farrell
Breeding
Sire: Ribchester (IRE)
Dam: Takizada (IRE)
Damsire: Sendawar (IRE)
Comment
Talas Kera comes into this off a second last time out, just 11 days ago, and has run over today's trip and going, but she is yet to win in her last six starts and carries a hefty 148 lb off an official mark of 80. Our rating of 88 hints at a bit more in hand.
Previous Owners
- J F Tuthill (until 2026-10-02)
Race History for Talas Kera
Mellem
7yo b Gelding (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Thomas O'Connor(7)
Trainer: Mark Fahey
Owner: Edward Byrne Jnr
Breeding
Sire: French Navy (GB)
Dam: Niamh Machine (IRE)
Damsire: Indian Danehill (IRE)
Comment
Mellem is hard to fancy after 364 days off, unplaced last time out and winless in his last four, with a fourth two starts back and a second four starts back the best of it. He has run over today's trip and going and the 88 mark is workable, but 156 lb is a big ask, and our rating has him eleventh of 18.
Race History for Mellem
Hob's Angel D
10yo b Mare (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Daniel King
Trainer: James M Barcoe
Owner: Ms Yvonne Hennessy & H Williams
Breeding
Sire: Mahler (GB)
Dam: Kiss Debride (IRE)
Damsire: Oscar (IRE)
Comment
Winless in her last six, Hob's Angel unseated last time out just four days ago, and a fourth and a sixth before that give little to fancy at 144 lb. On the plus side, she has run over today's trip and going, and our figures rank her 15th of 18.
Previous Trainers
- Martin Gerard McGuane (until 2023-09-16)
Previous Owners
- Ms Yvonne Hennessy (until 2024-08-26)
- Rosemarie Oreilly (until 2023-09-16)
Race History for Hob's Angel
Bethpage Theatre
5yo b Mare (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Sam Ewing
Trainer: Peter Fahey
Owner: Festival Dreamers Syndicate
Breeding
Sire: Fascinating Rock (IRE)
Dam: Medinah Theatre (IRE)
Damsire: King's Theatre (IRE)
Comment
Bethpage Theatre is yet to win in her last five starts and was unplaced last time, 19 days ago, with a sixth three starts back her best recent finish. Carrying 147 lb off 79, she looks unexposed and could have more to offer.
Race History for Bethpage Theatre
Kazbek
6yo ch Gelding (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Danny Mullins
Trainer: Peter Fahey
Owner: Ms Bernadette Leigh
Breeding
Sire: Hillstar (GB)
Dam: Roaming Wild (IRE)
Damsire: Presenting (GB)
Comment
Kazbek has run over today's trip and on this going, and our figures rank him third of 18 at 96 against an official 93, so there is a case from a competitive weight of 161 lb after 20 days off. The risk is obvious: he is winless in his last five, with a ninth last time out and three pull-ups.
Race History for Kazbek
Angelsworknovrtime
10yo b Mare (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Shane O'Callaghan(3)
Trainer: James Andrew Fahey
Owner: Miss Heather Heffernan
Breeding
Sire: Sageburg (IRE)
Dam: Western Kate (IRE)
Damsire: Westerner (GB)
Comment
Without a win in her last five starts and unplaced last time out, Angelsworknovrtime is back after 348 days off, though she has run over today's trip and going and a second five starts back shows ability. Carrying 155 lb off 87, she looks midfield at best, and our rating of 91 doesn't shift that.
Race History for Angelsworknovrtime
Westin Pimpernel
4yo b Filly (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Josh Williamson(3)
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Owner: VPW & MOS Partnership
Breeding
Sire: Elusive Pimpernel (USA)
Dam: Westinmare (IRE)
Damsire: Definite Article (GB)
Comment
Lightly raced and unexposed, Westin Pimpernel has been pulled up last time out and is yet to win in her last five starts, so any improvement is unproven. She returns after 135 days off carrying 143 lb off an official mark of 77.
Previous Trainers
- C A McBratney (until 2026-05-31)
Race History for Westin Pimpernel
Cinnabar Moth
5yo br Mare (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Philip Donovan
Trainer: Liz Doyle
Owner: Cinnabar Partnership
Breeding
Sire: Poet's Word (IRE)
Dam: Ville Sainte (FR)
Damsire: Saint Des Saints (FR)
Comment
Winless in her last six, Cinnabar Moth was unplaced last time out and has finished no better than a fourth two starts back, so she is hard to fancy at 145 lb. She has run over today's trip and going before, and 24 days since her last run is fine, but our rating ranks her 13th of 18.
Race History for Cinnabar Moth
Le Roi Arthur
5yo ch Gelding (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Kieren Buckley
Trainer: Edward Buckley
Owner: Molly Willis & Paul Willis
Breeding
Sire: Crystal Ocean (GB)
Dam: Robin De Reine (IRE)
Damsire: Robin Des Champs (FR)
Comment
Quick back-to-action sort, Le Roi Arthur ran just 11 days ago and has experience on today's going, while our rating of 95 ranks him fourth of 18 and sits above his official 92. The risk is a winless recent run, with unplaced efforts last time out and two starts back, plus 160 lb to carry.
Previous Owners
- Molly Willis (until 2025-09-20)
- E Buckley Mrs K Buckley (until 2025-07-13)
Race History for Le Roi Arthur
Portetta
5yo gr Mare (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Josh Younge(7)
Trainer: John Joseph Hanlon
Owner: Stonebridge Syndicate
Breeding
Sire: Le Havre (IRE)
Dam: Loch Ma Naire (IRE)
Damsire: Galileo (IRE)
Comment
Winless in her last five and unplaced last time out, Portetta has a sixth three starts back as her best recent effort, though she's fresh from a run 12 days ago and has run over today's trip and going. Carrying 155 lb off 87 is a stiff ask, though our rating of 89 offers some support.
Previous Owners
- Ms Rachel Oneill (until 2025-03-23)
Race History for Portetta
Piper Street
5yo b Gelding (FR)Connections
Jockey: Tiernan Power Roche
Trainer: P J Rothwell
Owner: Luckythistime Syndicate
Breeding
Sire: Roman Candle (GB)
Dam: Pepples Beach (GER)
Damsire: Lomitas ()
Comment
Piper Street is winless in his last four, unplaced in his last three and a sixth four starts back, and with the yard just 1/33 in the last 14 days he is hard to fancy at 153 lb off 85. He is back quickly after 11 days and has run on today's going, but our figures rank him 14th of 18.
Race History for Piper Street
Plus Or Minus
4yo b Gelding (IRE)Connections
Jockey: Richard Condon(5)
Trainer: P A Fahy
Owner: George Moore
Breeding
Sire: Belardo (IRE)
Dam: Micras (GB)
Damsire: Medicean (GB)
Comment
Lightly raced and yet to win in his last three, Plus Or Minus was unplaced last time out and two starts back, with a fifth three starts back, and returns after just 11 days. Carrying 148 lb off an official mark of 82, he looks unexposed with scope for improvement.
Previous Trainers
- W McCreery (until 2025-10-13)
Race History for Plus Or Minus
