Panda Boy will be hoping for a big 2025 and improve on a poor showing in the Grand National at Aintree just under a year ago.
The grey gelding's entire racing career bar one contest at Aintree last year has come in Ireland, with two Punchestown victories and a Leopardstown win on his CV from 20 runs.
Name: Panda Boy |
Age: 9 |
Weight: 11-5 |
Trainer: Martin Brassil |
Winnings: £59,186 |
Cheltenham Festival wins: 0 |
Runs | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
20 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Panda Boy is an nine-year-old gelding with plenty of years running ahead of him.
Panda Boy carried a weight of 11-5 in his last race at Leopardstown on 27th December.
Last winning a race on May 29th 2022, it’s been a tough run for Panda Boy, who is without a win in his last 12 contests.
Panda Boy had a challenging 2024, with his best effort a fourth-place finish in a field of 22 at Leopardstown in February last year.
Since that fourth place, Panda Boy came 17th in his only race in the UK at the Grand National at Aintree, on the day when I Am Maximus claimed the big prize.
A seventh-place finish and 12th have followed in his last two races at Limerick and Leopardstown respectively.
Panda Boy is on course of a potential return to Aintree later this year, as his next entry is for the Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Punchestown on 16th February.
Panda Boy is owned by Old Pals Partnership. Trainer Martin Brassil revealed back in March 2021 that Andy Geraghty bought this horse at the sales for his cousin.
Compared to some of the bigger names in horse racing, Brassil's operation is a small one that has less than 20 horses, but he has certainly made his mark in the sport.
Brassil has been a trainer since taking out his licence in 1994, gaining his first success with the Anthony Powell-ridden Nordic Thorn at Killarney in May of that year.
Originally a Clare native, he has been working on the Curragh for nearly 50 years and his biggest success came back in 2006 when he captured the Grand National with Numbersixvalverde.
Brassil, who left Newmarket-on-Fergus in 1976 to serve his apprenticeship with the late great trainer Mick O'Toole, tasted Cheltenham Festival success for the first time in 2019 when City Island won the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.
Another notable horse for the Irish maestro was Nickname, who won eight Graded contests including the Grade 1 Chase at Leopardstown in December 2006.
Panda Boy has an official rating of 128 following his 12-place finish in his last outing at Leopardstown.
Panda Boy has already racked up £59,186 in prize money.
Looking to impress at the Grand National trial at Punchestown on 16th February, it looks like the aim is to get back Panda Boy back challenging at the main event in Aintree this year.