Il Silenzio can make winning return over hurdles at Clonmel
Il Silenzio (left) made it two wins from two trips to Roscommon when scoring over an extended three miles in August. Pic: Healy Racing
Having run consistently well over fences in recent months, Il Silenzio can make his first start over the smaller obstacles since November 2024 a winning one when he contests the Ravens Rock Novice Handicap Hurdle at Thursday’s seven-race National Hunt card at Clonmel.
Fourth of 16 in a handicap chase at Punchestown on his seasonal reappearance in June, the Martin Brassil-trained nine-year-old made it two wins from two trips to Roscommon when scoring over an extended three miles in August.
Il Silenzio was no match for runaway winner Swing Time in Ballinrobe last time out but he again ran with credit to finish third off a rating of 100.
Rated 87 over hurdles, Il Silenzio is dangerously well treated if he can perform to the level he has performed to over fences in recent months so this looks a shrewd piece of planning on the part of his trainer.
The Clonmel Novice Handicap Hurdle is the feature at the Tipperary track and the generally consistent Kashchei can land the spoils for Cian Collins and Alan O’Sullivan.
A runaway winner at Kelso in May, Kashchei had a rare off-day at Wexford in June but bounced back by finishing second at Downpatrick at the end of August before bolting up at the same venue last time out.
A repeat of that display will give him every chance of a follow-up success.
Rocky's Howya is hard to oppose in the Slievenamon Claiming Hurdle. The 10-year-old has six wins to his credit in 2026 and the fact five of those successes, including a course and distance victory in May, have come in claiming hurdles is an obvious plus for his prospects.
Bellewstown hosts its final meeting of the year on Thursday and the most appealing comes in the feature, the Kilsaran Race, where the Joseph O’Brien-trained Count Bezukhov can build on last week’s narrow Listowel win to get the better of Abbotsford.
1.49 Dairy Force
2.24 Rocky's Howya
2.59 Howyasox
3.34 Sallap
4.09 Il Silenzio (Nap)
4.42 Kashchei
5.17 Sharetheknowledge
1.49 Vaureal
2.24 Rich Belief
2.59 Vargas
3.34 Misty Cove
4.09 Bobby Kirova
4.42 Star Cave
5.17 Technology
1.00 Cromane
1.35 White Sand Beach
2.10 Nephin Mountain
2.45 Tachos
3.20 Steel Magnolia
3.55 Count Bezukhov (NB)
4.30 Searcog
5.05 Acanto
Next best
1.00 Ippy
1.35 Tax Me Later
2.10 Big Bill
2.45 Save The Sixes
3.20 Ballysax Lil' Mick
3.55 Abbotsford
4.30 Maxwell Smart
5.05 Grey Fable
