Clonmel Novice Handicap Hurdle

16:42 Clonmel Thu 01 Oct 2026 2m6f170y Good 6 runners

Mr Fox’s call

Hopeful Hero

SPECULATIVE Advised 4/1 SP 7/2 Est. 28%

🏆 WON

Mr Fox says

Hopeful Hero (SR 107, 4/1, 11-6) is the standout on market signals — a 24% market move inward is a powerful endorsement in a six-runner novice handicap at this level, and jockey Donagh Meyler's broad book of rides (11% strike rate across 1,046 runners) adds confidence. GoingFit:+ confirms the horse handles today's good ground, and the 11-6 weight is identical to Louiescall while conceding 6lb to the drifting top-weight Kashchei. The form string 310324 shows consistent engagement without dominating, but a trainer operating at 4% makes the market support the primary catalyst — the money is leading this selection. Kashchei's 25% drift from the morning price and a MarkMv:+7 burden on top-weight 11-12 make the favourite very beatable, tilting value firmly toward Hopeful Hero. Each-way alternative: Louiescall. Main danger: Louiescall — Louiescall (SR 111, 7/2) is the highest-rated horse in the field, holds a last-run winning form figure (Form:2928-1), and carries the same weight as Hopeful Hero — if the going suits better than the GoingFit:~ suggests, the class edge could be decisive.

Verify· #20891

Full result

Winner: Hopeful Hero (IRE) at SP 7/2. Mr Fox’s picks highlighted in gold.

1 Hopeful Hero Fox #1 T Hogan · Donagh Meyler 4/1
2 Kashchei Fox #3 Cian Collins · Alan O'Sullivan(5) 3/1
3 St Lawrence's Well Declan Queally · Kevin Healy(7) 9/4
4 Le Questionnaire Gordon Elliott · Sam Ewing 25/1
5 Star Cave Patrick T Foley · Simon Torrens 17/2
6 Louiescall Fox #2 David Harry Kelly · Daniel King 7/2

Top 4 — how each finished

1 Hopeful Hero 4/1 SP 7/2 🏆 WON
2 Louiescall 7/2 6TH
3 Kashchei 10/3 🥈 2ND