Barberstown Castle Novice Chase (Grade 1) – Punchestown

Punchestown

17:25

Barberstown Castle Novice Chase (Grade 1)

Date 2025-05-01

Distance 2m75y

Class Class 1

Going Yielding

Type Chase

Surface Turf

Age Band 5yo+

Prize €73,750

Winning Time 4m 5.20s (slow by 2.90s)

Result

Pos	Horse	SP	Btn
1st	Majborough (FR) Mark Walsh · W P Mullins	4/11F	Won
2nd	Only By Night (IRE) Keith Donoghue · Gavin Cromwell	5/1	14
3rd	Jesse Evans (IRE) Donagh Meyler · Noel Meade	40/1	.5
4th	Brookie (IRE) Sam Twiston-Davies · Anthony Honeyball	20/1	.5
5th	Rubaud (FR) Harry Cobden · Paul Nicholls	9/1	3.25
6th	Jeannot Lapin (FR) Ricky Doyle · Gearoid O'Loughlin	28/1	40

Runners (6)

EW Terms: 2 places, ¼ odds (standard bookmaker terms — may vary)

#	Horse	Jockey / Trainer	Wt	Gear	Form	OR	RPR	TS	Last	Crs	Dst	Val	Scr	EW	Odds
4	Majborough Bay J:Mark Walsh T:W P Mullins	J:Mark Walsh T:W P Mullins	166	—	31-113	162	166	153	51d	—	—	-11	48	0.13/1	1/2 67%
Had Only By Night just ahead at Cheltenham but he wins this if he cuts out the mistakes
6	Only By Night Bay J:Keith Donoghue T:Gavin Cromwell	J:Keith Donoghue T:Gavin Cromwell	159	—	3-1112	150	160	153	51d	—	—	+16	31.5	1.13/1	9/2 18%
Progressive mare is the biggest danger to Majborough after her Arkle second at Cheltenham
5	Rubaud Bay J:Harry Cobden T:Paul Nicholls	J:Harry Cobden T:Paul Nicholls	166	—	11F215	-	151	132	28d	—	—	+5	13.3	2.25/1	9/1 10%
Classy sort but struggled in Grade 1 company at Aintree and similar story awaits here
1	Brookie Bay J:Sam Twiston-Davies T:Anthony Honeyball	J:Sam Twiston-Davies T:Anthony Honeyball	166	t	-17312	-	150	144	26d	—	—	+12	16.9	4.00/1	16/1 6%
Career-best when second in Grade 1 at Aintree but likely to come up well short in this
2	Jeannot Lapin Chestnut J:Ricky Doyle T:Gearoid O'Loughlin	J:Ricky Doyle T:Gearoid O'Loughlin	166	—	3P-142	143	144	123	61d	—	—	+21	24.2	7.00/1	28/1 3%
Shock 150-1 beginners' win at Leopardstown; tough tasks the last twice; up against it here
3	Jesse Evans Bay J:Donagh Meyler T:Noel Meade	J:Donagh Meyler T:Noel Meade	166	t	2-8313	144	144	100	—	—	—	+25	27.7	10.00/1	40/1 2%
Third in 2m4f Cork Grade 3 in November but has plenty to find on these terms; more needed

Horse	bet365	William Hill	Boyle Sports	Ladbrokes	Unibet
Majborough	4/9	2/5	4/9	2/5	1/2
Only By Night	4/1	9/2	4/1	9/2	9/2
Rubaud	9/1	17/2	9/1	9/1	9/1
Brookie	16/1	16/1	16/1	16/1	14/1
Jeannot Lapin	25/1	22/1	25/1	28/1	22/1
Jesse Evans	40/1	40/1	33/1	33/1	28/1

Predictor

Scored on Official Rating (max 30), Recent Form (max 25), and Market Odds (max 20). Max score: 75.

1st

Majborough

OR: 28 Form: 0 Odds: 20

1/2

2nd

Only By Night

31.5

OR: 25 Form: 2.1 Odds: 4.4

9/2

3rd

Jesse Evans

27.7

OR: 23.5 Form: 3.5 Odds: 0.7

40/1

Jeannot Lapin

24.2

OR: 23.3 Form: 0 Odds: 1

28/1

Brookie

16.9

OR: 0 Form: 15.5 Odds: 1.4

16/1

Rubaud

13.3

OR: 0 Form: 11.1 Odds: 2.2

9/1

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
Majborough	162	166	153
Only By Night	150	160	153
Jesse Evans	144	144	100
Jeannot Lapin	143	144	123
Rubaud	—	151	132
Brookie	—	150	144

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
Brookie	26d ago	Fit
Rubaud	28d ago	Fit
Majborough	51d ago	Fresh
Only By Night	51d ago	Fresh
Jeannot Lapin	61d ago	Fresh
Jesse Evans	—	—