Koktail Divin
28th-Dec-2025
You can see why Kiss Will is favourite for this beginners’ chase. He was a progressive novice hurdler last season, he is trained by Willie Mullins and will be ridden by Paul Townend, and he shaped well on his chasing bow at Fairyhouse in a race that wasn’t run to suit. But he is short, and I am backing Koktail Divin against him.
Henry de Bromhead’s horse was a progressive novice hurdler last season too. Only just beaten by Kaid D’Authie in the maiden hurdle on this day last year, he re-affirmed his ability to operate at Leopardstown when he ran out an impressive winner of his maiden hurdle at the meeting there in early March.
He ran well for a long way on his final run last season in the Grade 1 Mersey Hurdle at Aintree, when he faded from the final flight after racing prominently. Even so, he finished less than six lengths behind Honesy Policy, who now has a rating in the mid-150s after finishing a close-up third in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot just before Christmas.
Koktail Divin was no match for Romeo Coolio at Down Royal in October, but he still finished second and he had Patter Merchant well behind him in third. And he stepped forward from that last time when he ran a big race in the Grade 2 Florida Pearl Chase at Punchestown over three miles. He travelled best of all into the home straight that day, before probably being out-stayed on the ground by the talented winner, who stays well. He was being closed down close home too by Bossofthebrownies for the runner-up spot.
The drop back down to two miles and five and a half furlongs today should be ideal. The better ground is also a positive, as is the return to Leopardstown.
KOKTAIL DIVIN WON (ADV 11/4, SP 11/4)
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