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Bet365 Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle (2) Class 2

  • Distance: 1m 7f 216y
  • Age: 4yo
  • Runners: 20
  • Prize: £100,000
OLBG Racing Club silk
No. 8

Fair 11f winner on Flat in Germany in 2022. Winner of his completed start over hurdles for Anthony Charlton this winter and sound start for Harry Derham when third at Newbury (Cannock Park second) and Taunton this spring. Has a tongue tied added for handicap debut.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
11/04/24 Taunton 3/14 Paul O'Brien Hurdle 2m 104y Soft 11st 10lbs
23/03/24 Newbury 3/11 Paul O'Brien Hurdle 2m 69y Gd/Sft 11st 6lbs
12/02/24 Plumpton 1/12 Harry Cobden Hurdle 1m 7f 195y Soft 11st 7lbs
26/12/23 Sedgefield -/8 Harry Reed Hurdle 2m 178y Soft 11st 4lbs
07/08/22 Dusseldorf 1/11 Ryan Moore Flat 1m 2f 206y Good 9st 2lbs
10/07/22 Cologne 2/9 Sibylle Vogt Flat 1m 2f 206y Good 9st 1lbs
05/06/22 Waregem 3/8 Stephen Hellyn Flat 1m 3f 95y Heavy 9st 0lbs
04/12/21 Mulheim 6/10 Aaron Mackay Flat 1m 1f 207y Heavy 9st 1lbs
03/10/21 Strasbourg 6/11 Clement Lecoeuvre Flat 1m 1f 207y Gd/Sft 8st 11lbs

Took another step forward when gaining a second hurdle success in 2m Taunton novice 16 days, quickening 5 lengths clear of the reopposing Helnwein. Could be more to come from him now handicapping and makes the shortlist.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
11/04/24 Taunton 1/14 David Bass Hurdle 2m 104y Soft 11st 10lbs
05/03/24 Southwell 4/12 Rossa Ryan Flat 1m 4f 14y Std 9st 5lbs
06/02/24 Taunton 2/10 David Bass Hurdle 2m 3f 1y Gd/Sft 11st 9lbs
30/12/23 Newbury 2/5 David Bass Hurdle 2m 69y Soft 11st 12lbs
27/11/23 Kempton Park 1/10 David Bass Hurdle 2m Soft 11st 0lbs
21/04/23 Fontwell Park 1/3 David Bass Bumper 1m 5f 159y Gd/Frm 11st 1lbs
02/03/23 Taunton 1/8 Aidan Coleman Bumper 2m 104y Good 10st 6lbs

Placed in Irish points/bumper and left his first 2 hurdle runs behind when springing a 40/1 surprise in 2m Taunton maiden (soft) last month. No obvious fluke about that and his opening mark looks fair. Tongue tie off, first-time cheekpieces on.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
11/03/24 Taunton 1/13 James Bowen Hurdle 2m 104y Soft z 11st 6lbs
09/02/24 Kempton Park -/8 James Bowen Hurdle 2m 5f Soft z 11st 5lbs
26/12/23 Fontwell Park 5/11 Caoilin Quinn Hurdle 2m 1f 162y Soft 11st 2lbs
23/11/23 Market Rasen 3/10 Sean Bowen Bumper 2m 125y Soft 11st 2lbs

Showed promise in bumpers and left his hurdling debut form behind when landing a 15-runner maiden at Ludlow (2m, heavy) in February. Creditable third of 13 at Taunton since. Handicap debut.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
26/03/24 Taunton 3/13 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. Hurdle 2m 104y Soft 11st 12lbs
21/02/24 Ludlow 1/15 K. Brogan Hurdle 1m 7f 169y Heavy 11st 7lbs
05/02/24 Carlisle 6/12 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. Hurdle 2m 1f Soft 11st 5lbs
10/01/24 Doncaster 6/18 Nick Scholfield Bumper 2m 128y Soft 11st 8lbs
19/11/23 Cheltenham 5/12 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. Bumper 2m 87y Heavy 11st 2lbs
24/10/23 Hereford 2/13 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. Bumper 2m 53y Good 10st 13lbs

Winner of juveniles at Ballinrobe (for Joseph O'Brien) and Cheltenham this season. Also good second to Burdett Road in a Grade 2 juvenile at latter track in November. Well-held eighth in Fred Winter at Festival there but that experience of a big-field handicap could hold him in good stead.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
12/03/24 Cheltenham Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle 8/22 Tom Bellamy Hurdle 2m 87y Heavy 11st 4lbs
04/02/24 Musselburgh 4/8 Tom Bellamy Hurdle 1m 7f 124y Gd/Sft 11st 3lbs
16/12/23 Cheltenham 1/7 Tom Bellamy Hurdle 2m 179y Gd/Sft 11st 4lbs
18/11/23 Cheltenham Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle 2/11 Tom Bellamy Hurdle 2m 87y Heavy 11st 0lbs
15/09/23 Ballinrobe 1/7 J. J. Slevin Hurdle 2m 1f 153y Gd/Sft 11st 0lbs
02/09/23 Navan 6/13 Declan McDonogh Flat 1m 2f Gd/Sft 9st 8lbs
Brogan Group silk
No. 14

Placed on all 3 starts in bumpers prior to making a successful switch to hurdles at Warwick (2m, heavy) in March. Something can't have been right when down the field at Taunton next time and bounced back when fourth of 13 at Hereford only 3 days later. Handicap debut.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
14/04/24 Hereford 4/13 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. Hurdle 2m 53y Good 11st 10lbs
11/04/24 Taunton 10/14 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. Hurdle 2m 104y Soft 11st 10lbs
10/03/24 Warwick 1/13 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. Hurdle 2m Heavy 11st 5lbs
15/01/24 Hereford 3/10 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. Bumper 2m 53y Gd/Sft 11st 2lbs
14/10/23 Chepstow 2/4 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. Bumper 2m 11y Heavy 11st 1lbs
21/05/23 Stratford-On-Avon 2/10 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. Bumper 2m 70y Good 10st 12lbs

Won 13-runner Taunton bumper on debut in April and much improved at third time of asking over hurdles when winning 13-runner maiden at Ascot (19f, good) 5 weeks ago. Open to further progress now handicapping.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
24/03/24 Ascot 1/13 Jonathan Burke Hurdle 2m 3f 58y Good 11st 7lbs
01/01/24 Exeter -/16 Lorcan Murtagh Hurdle 2m 2f 111y Heavy 11st 6lbs
14/12/23 Taunton 4/14 Jonathan Burke Hurdle 2m 104y Gd/Sft 11st 0lbs
13/04/23 Taunton 1/13 Lorcan Murtagh Bumper 2m 104y Gd/Sft 10st 10lbs
Thomas & Robson silk
No. 2

Point winner who landed a Bangor bumper and Cheltenham maiden hurdle in the autumn. Placed twice in Graded novices subsequently and creditable second (reopposing Lario third) in 2m novice at Newbury last time. His mark looks workable.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
23/03/24 Newbury 2/11 Craig Nichol Hurdle 2m 69y Gd/Sft 11st 10lbs
02/03/24 Kelso Premier Novices' Hurdle 3/12 Craig Nichol Hurdle 2m 2f 25y Soft 11st 8lbs
26/12/23 Aintree Formby Novices' Hurdle 3/9 Craig Nichol Hurdle 2m 103y Heavy 11st 8lbs
19/11/23 Cheltenham 1/7 Craig Nichol Hurdle 2m 87y Heavy 11st 4lbs
04/10/23 Bangor-On-Dee 1/10 Craig Nichol Bumper 2m 145y Soft 11st 2lbs
26/03/23 Carlisle 2/9 Craig Nichol Bumper 2m 1f Soft 11st 5lbs

Bumper winner and quickly translated that ability to hurdles, second at Hereford before going one better at Kempton (2m, good) on Boxing Day. Improved again when second of 7 at Ludlow last month and he's seemingly preferred by Paul O'Brien to Lario.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
21/03/24 Ludlow 2/7 Paul O'Brien Hurdle 1m 7f 169y Soft 11st 12lbs
26/12/23 Kempton Park 1/10 Paul O'Brien Hurdle 2m Good 11st 4lbs
21/11/23 Hereford 2/13 Paul O'Brien Hurdle 2m 53y Gd/Sft 11st 4lbs
07/10/23 Fontwell Park 1/7 Paul O'Brien Bumper 2m 1f 162y Good 11st 1lbs
11/05/23 Huntingdon 3/16 Brendan Powell Bumper 1m 7f 171y Good 10st 12lbs
09/03/23 Wincanton 5/9 Jonathan Burke Bumper 1m 7f 50y Soft 10st 9lbs

Made it 3-5 over hurdles this season when dominating a small-field novice over 2½m at Wetherby last month but his opening handicap mark looks tough.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
19/03/24 Wetherby 1/3 Sean Bowen Hurdle 2m 3f 154y Heavy 12st 0lbs
02/02/24 Southwell 3/11 Dylan Johnston Hurdle 1m 7f 182y Soft 12st 0lbs
02/12/23 Bangor-On-Dee 1/8 Sean Bowen Hurdle 2m 145y Heavy 11st 6lbs
27/10/23 Cheltenham Sharp Novices' Hurdle 6/8 Sean Bowen Hurdle 2m 87y Gd/Sft 11st 2lbs
04/10/23 Bangor-On-Dee 1/8 Sean Bowen Hurdle 2m 145y Soft 11st 4lbs
02/03/23 Taunton 2/8 Sean Bowen Bumper 2m 104y Good 11st 2lbs
03/01/23 Musselburgh 2/13 Sean Bowen Bumper 1m 7f 124y Soft 11st 2lbs
Exors of the Late Mr K W Bell silk
No. 19

Fairly useful on Flat for the Gosdens and readily got off the mark over hurdles in 7-runner juvenile at Catterick (2m, soft) in February. Improved when second under a penalty at Hereford recently. Cheekpieces reached for now handicapping for the first time in this sphere (won in blinkers on Flat).

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
14/04/24 Hereford 2/13 Nick Scholfield Hurdle 2m 53y Good 11st 2lbs
02/02/24 Catterick Bridge 1/7 Nick Scholfield Hurdle 1m 7f 156y Soft 10st 12lbs
04/01/24 Hereford 2/6 Nick Scholfield Hurdle 2m 53y Soft 11st 0lbs
28/06/23 Salisbury 5/8 Oisin Murphy Flat 1m 4f 5y Gd/Frm B 9st 8lbs
03/06/23 Epsom Downs 4/13 Oisin Murphy Flat 1m 2f 17y Gd/Frm B 8st 13lbs
13/05/23 Ascot 1/7 Cieren Fallon Flat 1m 1f 212y Soft B 9st 4lbs
17/04/23 Kempton Park 2/4 Oisin Murphy Flat 1m 3f 219y Slow B 9st 7lbs
15/03/23 Kempton Park 1/5 Oisin Murphy Flat 1m 2f 219y Slow B 9st 7lbs
23/09/22 Newcastle 4/7 Cieren Fallon Flat 1m 5y Slow 9st 7lbs
15/09/22 Yarmouth 2/7 Cieren Fallon Flat 1m 3y Gd/Frm 9st 7lbs
05/08/22 Newmarket (July) 4/10 Cieren Fallon Flat 7f Gd/Frm 9st 7lbs

Useful bumper winner who made a successful switch to hurdling at Warwick in November. Better form in defeat since (including second in C&D listed) and no surprise were he to take another step forward now handicapping.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
11/04/24 Taunton 2/14 Tom Cannon Hurdle 2m 104y Soft 11st 10lbs
24/02/24 Kempton Park 4/6 Tom Cannon Hurdle 2m Soft 11st 5lbs
09/12/23 Sandown Park 2/3 Tom Cannon Hurdle 1m 7f 216y Heavy 11st 0lbs
08/11/23 Warwick 1/17 Tom Cannon Hurdle 2m Heavy 11st 0lbs
18/03/23 Uttoxeter 3/7 Tom Cannon Bumper 1m 7f 168y Soft 11st 9lbs
31/01/23 Ffos Las 1/9 Tom Cannon Bumper 1m 7f 182y Soft 11st 2lbs
03/12/22 Chepstow 5/13 Brendan Powell Bumper 2m 11y Good 11st 2lbs

Yet to win but runner-up 3 times in maiden/novice company this winter, including in cheekpieces (retained) on latest start. Also didn't acquit himself too badly when around 15 lengths sixth of 16 in Imperial Cup over C&D last month. Harry Skelton on yard's other runner.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
27/03/24 Wincanton 2/10 Harry Skelton Hurdle 1m 7f 50y Heavy 0 11st 6lbs
09/03/24 Sandown Park 6/16 Charlie Todd Hurdle 1m 7f 216y Soft 10st 4lbs
28/02/24 Wincanton 2/5 Tristan Durrell Hurdle 1m 7f 50y Heavy 11st 7lbs
08/01/24 Taunton 5/14 Harry Skelton Hurdle 2m 104y Gd/Sft 11st 8lbs
09/12/23 Aintree 2/11 Harry Skelton Hurdle 2m 209y Heavy 11st 0lbs
09/11/23 Ludlow -/6 Ciaran Gethings Hurdle 2m 5f 55y Soft 11st 2lbs
08/10/23 Uttoxeter 3/11 Harry Skelton Hurdle 2m 3f 207y Gd/Sft 11st 4lbs
18/03/23 Uttoxeter 4/7 Harry Skelton Bumper 1m 7f 168y Soft 11st 2lbs
23/11/22 Hereford 2/10 Luke Scott Bumper 2m 53y Soft 11st 2lbs

Fairly useful bumper scorer who novice hurdles at Wincanton (2m, soft) and Taunton (19f, good to soft) in February. Folded tamely in the EBF Final over 2½m here last month but no surprise were he to bounce back to form with a bang for a top yard seeking a third win in this since 2019.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
09/03/24 Sandown Park -/17 Harry Cobden Hurdle 2m 3f 173y Soft 12st 0lbs
06/02/24 Taunton 1/10 Harry Cobden Hurdle 2m 3f 1y Gd/Sft 11st 9lbs
01/02/24 Wincanton 1/8 Harry Cobden Hurdle 1m 7f 50y Soft 11st 2lbs
20/12/23 Newbury 2/9 Harry Cobden Hurdle 2m 4f 118y Heavy 11st 0lbs
19/11/23 Cheltenham 2/12 Harry Cobden Bumper 2m 87y Heavy 11st 2lbs
11/02/23 Newbury 7/8 Lorcan Williams Bumper 2m 69y Firm 11st 7lbs
29/10/22 Ascot 1/12 Lorcan Williams Bumper 1m 7f 152y Good 11st 1lbs

Readily made all in Wincanton novice in February and bettered that form when going down only to a fellow improver (pair clear) on Newbury handicap debut (2m, good to soft) last month. That is strong form and even a 7 lb rise seems unlikely to prevent him making a bold bid.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
22/03/24 Newbury 2/14 Sam Twiston-Davies Hurdle 2m 69y Gd/Sft 11st 13lbs
01/02/24 Wincanton 1/9 Sam Twiston-Davies Hurdle 1m 7f 50y Soft 11st 2lbs
12/12/23 Ffos Las -/11 Harry Cobden Hurdle 1m 7f 182y Heavy 11st 6lbs
12/11/23 Ffos Las 2/8 Charlie Deutsch Hurdle 1m 7f 182y Heavy 11st 0lbs
19/03/23 Chepstow 7/12 Charlie Deutsch Bumper 2m 11y Gd/Sft 11st 5lbs
26/12/22 Wincanton 5/17 Ben Jones Bumper 1m 7f 50y Gd/Sft 11st 0lbs
25/10/22 Chepstow 2/12 Finn Lambert Bumper 2m 11y Gd/Sft 10st 13lbs

Fairly useful form at best on the Flat and has quickly matched that over hurdles, winning a 2m Lingfield novice in February. Comfortably held in his first handicap over hurdles at Ascot last month, though. First-time headgear needs to make a difference.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
24/03/24 Ascot 7/9 Harry Cobden Hurdle 1m 7f 152y Good 11st 10lbs
01/03/24 Newbury 4/5 Niall Houlihan Hurdle 2m 69y Heavy 11st 6lbs
13/02/24 Lingfield Park 1/7 Niall Houlihan Hurdle 2m Soft 10st 7lbs
13/01/24 Kempton Park 3/6 Niall Houlihan Hurdle 2m Gd/Sft 11st 0lbs
02/06/23 Chepstow 6/6 Sean Levey Flat 1m 2f Gd/Frm 9st 7lbs
19/05/23 Newmarket (Rowley) 9/10 Liam Keniry Flat 1m Good 9st 4lbs
22/04/23 Newbury 4/8 Sean Levey Flat 1m 3f Heavy 9st 7lbs
21/10/22 Newbury 5/13 Sean Levey Flat 1m Heavy 9st 4lbs

Dual bumper scorer who also won his first 2 starts over hurdles before Christmas. Placed twice at Graded level since and respected on handicap debut for yard which won a big novice handicap here last month.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
24/02/24 Kempton Park 2/6 Ben Jones Hurdle 2m Soft 11st 5lbs
27/01/24 Doncaster 3/5 Brian Hughes Hurdle 2m 128y Good 11st 4lbs
14/12/23 Taunton 1/14 Kielan Woods Hurdle 2m 104y Gd/Sft 11st 7lbs
21/11/23 Hereford 1/13 Kielan Woods Hurdle 2m 53y Gd/Sft 11st 4lbs
15/04/23 Aintree Weatherbys National Hunt Flat 14/20 Luca Morgan Bumper 2m 209y Good 10st 12lbs
15/03/23 Cheltenham Champion Bumper 17/21 Luca Morgan Bumper 2m 87y Soft 10st 11lbs
01/01/23 Cheltenham 1/14 Luca Morgan Bumper 1m 5f 209y Gd/Sft 11st 0lbs
15/10/22 Market Rasen 1/10 Ben Bromley Bumper 1m 5f 21y Gd/Sft 11st 0lbs

Built on encouraging yard debut when winning a Fontwell novice hurdle on Boxing Day and lost little caste in defeat when conceding lumps of weight to a promising rival over C&D (good to soft) in February. His latest run in a Newbury handicap was disappointing, though. Cheekpieces go on now.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
23/03/24 Newbury 8/9 Ben Jones Hurdle 2m 2f 183y Gd/Sft 11st 11lbs
03/02/24 Sandown Park 2/7 Beau Morgan Hurdle 1m 7f 216y Gd/Sft 11st 12lbs
26/12/23 Fontwell Park 1/11 Beau Morgan Hurdle 2m 1f 162y Soft 11st 9lbs
30/11/23 Lingfield Park 4/14 Kielan Woods Hurdle 2m Gd/Sft 11st 7lbs
30/05/23 Compiegne 1/11 Nicolas Gauffenic Hurdle 2m 1f 197y Soft z 11st 0lbs
05/05/23 Vichy 3/9 Gabin Meunier Hurdle 2m 1f 88y Soft z 10st 8lbs
23/04/23 Auteuil -/17 Gabin Meunier Hurdle 2m 1f 197y Soft z 10st 8lbs
01/04/23 Fontainebleau -/13 Gabin Meunier Hurdle 2m 1f 142y Soft z 10st 4lbs
16/10/22 Les Sables-D'olonne 5/16 Sebastien Maillot Flat 1m 5f 93y Gd/Sft 10st 6lbs
04/09/22 Craon 3/16 Corentin Berge Flat 1m 6f 201y Gd/Sft 9st 8lbs

Useful on Flat in Germany and has been quick in getting the hang of hurdling, winning a third 2m novice hurdles at Ffos Las 11 days ago. A lot more will be needed under top weight here but his top stable's good record in this makes him a dangerous one to discount.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
16/04/24 Ffos Las 1/7 Freddie Gingell Hurdle 1m 7f 182y Soft 0 12st 0lbs
24/02/24 Kempton Park 5/6 Harry Cobden Hurdle 2m Soft 0 11st 8lbs
04/02/24 Musselburgh 1/6 Harry Cobden Hurdle 1m 7f 124y Gd/Sft 0 11st 7lbs
01/01/24 Musselburgh 7/11 Freddie Gingell Hurdle 1m 7f 124y Soft 11st 7lbs
15/12/23 Cheltenham 3/12 Harry Cobden Hurdle 2m 179y Gd/Sft H 10st 11lbs
16/11/23 Taunton 1/10 Harry Cobden Hurdle 2m 104y Gd/Sft H 11st 2lbs
29/10/23 Wincanton 2/15 Bryony Frost Hurdle 1m 7f 50y Soft H 11st 4lbs
13/10/23 Chepstow 5/12 Harry Cobden Hurdle 2m 11y Soft 11st 0lbs
29/04/23 Milan 6/8 Eduardo Pedroza Flat 1m 1f 207y Good 9st 4lbs
09/04/23 Hoppegarten 1/9 Eduardo Pedroza Flat 1m 1f 207y Gd/Sft 9st 2lbs
18/09/22 Bro Park 11/15 Jozef Bojko Flat 1m 3f 205y Good 9st 4lbs
15/08/22 Merano 1/7 Jozef Bojko Flat 1m 3f 205y Good 9st 3lbs
01/07/22 Hamburg 2/7 Eduardo Pedroza Flat 1m 2f 206y Soft 8st 10lbs
29/05/22 Baden-Baden 1/12 Eduardo Pedroza Flat 1m 3f 205y Good 9st 4lbs
19/09/21 Dortmund 5/11 Jozef Bojko Flat 1m 1f 207y Gd/Sft 9st 6lbs
25/07/21 Munich 6/8 Eduardo Pedroza Flat 1m 1f 207y Gd/Sft 9st 2lbs
20/06/21 Hanover 1/13 Eduardo Pedroza Flat 1m 2f 206y Good 9st 2lbs
23/05/21 Hoppegarten 2/8 Jozef Bojko Flat 1m 2f 206y Good 8st 12lbs

Brother to connections' useful hurdler/chaser Lac de Constance and looked good when making a successful start in a 16-runner novice at Newbury in January. Better form when runner-up at Lingfield and Kempton since and could easily be more to come in handicaps.

Date Course/Class Pos Jockey Type Dist. Gng. HDGR WGT
16/03/24 Kempton Park 2/6 Harry Skelton Hurdle 2m 5f Gd/Sft 11st 9lbs
13/02/24 Lingfield Park 2/7 Harry Skelton Hurdle 2m Soft 11st 12lbs
23/01/24 Newbury 1/16 Harry Skelton Hurdle 2m 69y Soft 11st 8lbs