November 23 / 12.55 Ascot

12.55

Good

Copybet Mares’ Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £9585.01
  • 2m 7f 118y
  • Class 3
  • 9 runners
SKY
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Copybet Mares’ Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

3/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.50
  • Place: £1.50

Form: 73-121

Last run: 58 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Filly

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Progressive mare; not totally fluent but made all for a comfortable win at Perth (2m4f, good) most recently, taking hurdles form figures to 73121; bred to stay this new trip (dam won at up to 3m); Luke Scott takes off a handy 5lb; interesting on handicap debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

4th Sep 2025

Good

2m 3f 65y

Class 4

18:30 Sedgefield

Scarlet OTara

11st 12lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Won three times over hurdles last year (2m3f-2m7f) but it isn't happening over fences, pulled up all three starts this term; now comes back in trip with blinkers replacing cheekpieces; handicapped to be competitive but impossible to recommend without market support at present.

10/1

7

24th Jul 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

13:45 Worcester

Scarlet OTara

11st 6lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Won three times over hurdles last year (2m3f-2m7f) but has badly lost her way since; pulled up in both chases this season (cheekpieces added last time); big leap of faith needed to support her.

20/1

OUR TIP

14/1

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 543-47

Last run: 29 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Ex-French mare; 0-11 in Britain but has come down the weights and looks attractively handicapped on best form (at up to 2m4f); latest effort suggests this new trip is worth exploring; not ruled out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

16th Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 56y

Class 2

14:05 Cheltenham

Royale Margaux

11st 8lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Tom Symonds

A bit out of her depth in the Grade 2 Mares' Chase here in March but she's a consistent hurdler who ran up to her best the time before in winning a Listed race (2m5f, soft); should go well, but perhaps vulnerable to rivals on kinder marks.

10/1

5th

5

16th Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 56y

Class 2

14:05 Cheltenham

Royale Margaux

11st 8lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Tom Symonds

A bit out of her depth in the Grade 2 Mares' Chase here in March but she's a consistent hurdler who ran up to her best the time before in winning a Listed race (2m5f, soft); should go well, but perhaps vulnerable to rivals on kinder marks.

10/1

6th

8

14th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

14:40 Cheltenham

Royale Margaux

11st 2lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Tom Symonds

held up in rear

33/1

11/2

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 341-24

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 7lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Generally consistent but posted her worst effort when well-held fifth in this contest last year (off 1lb lower) and was only a modest fourth at Fontwell most recently; not the percentage call.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

27th Jan 2025

Soft

3m 0f 217y

Class 4

15:20 Plumpton

Fortuna Ligna

11st 13lb

J: Chad Bament

T: Anthony Honeyball

Only the two wins to her name but she's consistent and finished a respectable 11l sixth of eight in a class 2 at Kempton from out of the weights over Christmas, ridden by Chad Bament who couldn't make use of his full claim; strong stayer who's worth considering, back in class.

9/2

Form: 857-P8 CD

Last run: 16 days

W: 11st 12lb

9 yo Mare

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Performed well off higher marks in both attempts in this race, finishing second in 2020 and going one better (narrowly) in 2023; however, needs a revival having been out of sorts this year.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

27th Jan 2025

Soft

3m 0f 217y

Class 4

15:20 Plumpton

Midnightreflection

12st 1lb

J: Mr Charlie Case

T: Ben Case

10yo whose form had been in steady decline since winning an Ascot handicap off 11lb higher in November 2023, although recent efforts have been slightly more encouraging, including most recently when tried in blinkers (retained); undoubtedly on a good mark but still needs to find a little more.

6/1

1st

1

27th Jan 2025

Soft

3m 0f 217y

Class 4

15:20 Plumpton

Midnightreflection

12st 1lb

J: Mr Charlie Case

T: Ben Case

10yo whose form had been in steady decline since winning an Ascot handicap off 11lb higher in November 2023, although recent efforts have been slightly more encouraging, including most recently when tried in blinkers (retained); undoubtedly on a good mark but still needs to find a little more.

6/1

4th

1

17th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 16y

Class 4

14:00 Market Rasen

Midnightreflection

12st 1lb

J: Mr Charlie Case

T: Ben Case

towards rear, headway and in touch with leaders 8th

9/1

Form: 16U214

Last run: 11 days

W: 11st 1lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Ordinary mare who has a strike-rate of just 3-30 and has gained both handicap wins off lower marks in Class 5, the most recent in October; in-form contender but this looks a difficult task.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

2

2nd Nov 2025

Good

3m 1f 10y

Class 5

16:05 Huntingdon

Belles Benefit

12st 0lb

J: Mr Charlie Case

T: Ben Case

May not have achieved much when beating three rivals at Stratford (2m6f, good; first-time blinkers) in September and has been well held in both starts since; 3lb drop not enough to tempt.

14/1

8th

2

2nd Nov 2025

Good

3m 1f 10y

Class 5

16:05 Huntingdon

Belles Benefit

12st 0lb

J: Mr Charlie Case

T: Ben Case

May not have achieved much when beating three rivals at Stratford (2m6f, good; first-time blinkers) in September and has been well held in both starts since; 3lb drop not enough to tempt.

14/1

8th

2

2nd Nov 2025

Good

3m 1f 10y

Class 5

16:05 Huntingdon

Belles Benefit

12st 0lb

J: Mr Charlie Case

T: Ben Case

May not have achieved much when beating three rivals at Stratford (2m6f, good; first-time blinkers) in September and has been well held in both starts since; 3lb drop not enough to tempt.

14/1

Form: 3322-5

Last run: 41 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Bit to prove, having not raced over hurdles since March 2022; however, good chance off current mark provided best chase form is transferred back to this sphere; currently 4lb higher over fences.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

6

2nd Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 88y

Class 4

15:52 Southwell

Eureka Creek

11st 5lb

J: Jack Andrews

T: Sarah Humphrey

Won a mares' novice hurdle and a mares' novice handicap chase for Emma Lavelle back in 2022; creditable third in a mares' handicap hurdle on stable debut in October (2m3f, good) but well beaten over fences last time.

20/1

2

18th Nov 2025

Good

2m 6f 10y

Class 4

14:45 Lingfield

Eureka Creek

11st 10lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Sarah Humphrey

Ex-Emma Lavelle; doesn't have the best of win records; creditable run when third in a Bangor mares' handicap hurdle on reappearance (2m3f, good; stable debut); each-way chance on this return to chasing.

15/2

3rd

7

27th Oct 2025

Good

2m 3f 123y

Class 4

15:20 Bangor-on-Dee

Eureka Creek

11st 5lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Sarah Humphrey

Useful chaser for Emma Lavelle; didn't fire on either outing last autumn, latterly when back over hurdles, and makes stable debut after 338-day absence but has slipped to a dangerous mark and the booking of Sean Bowen catches the eye.

16/1

Form: /52-21

Last run: 50 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Filly

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Low-mileage mare who has form figures of 221, all over 2m3f at Fontwell, since switched to hurdles; successful in a handicap (good to soft) most recently and looks open to further improvement; showed promise (in Irish point) on sole attempt at this sort of distance; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

19th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

14:50 Ludlow

Batwomen

11st 10lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

Both wins over hurdles came at Fontwell; having just her second go over fences when solid sixth in well-contested mares' handicap at Cheltenham (about 2m4f, good to soft) in December; disappointed at Huntingdon over further next time but had wind surgery shortly afterwards and might be worth another chance dropped back in trip.

4/1

3rd

1

22nd Jan 2026

Soft

2m 7f 129y

Class 4

14:05 Huntingdon

Batwomen

12st 0lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

Almost denied Easy To Follow in a heavy-ground hurdle once, but best figures win or lose have been returned on no worse than the good to soft of last month's tidy 5l sixth in a Cheltenham mares' 0-125; still early days for her as a chaser, appears to jump fine and holds strong claims.

5/4

Form: 744114 D BF

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 3lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Record of 114 (all on good ground) since switched to handicaps, scoring comfortably at Market Rasen (2m7f) and Southwell (2m4f) then perhaps in need of a break when only fourth at Wetherby; rested a few weeks since and may still have more to offer; remains of interest.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

3rd Jun 2026

Good

3m 2f 105y

Class 4

16:00 Newton Abbot

Queens Venture

12st 0lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: D Summersby

Completed a double (2m6f/2m5f, good/good to soft) when winning here for Dan Skelton last August; she's run some reasonable races since for this yard but was a well-beaten second of two finishers at Fontwell recently.

10/1

2nd

2

24th May 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 164y

Class 4

15:45 Fontwell

Queens Venture

11st 12lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: D Summersby

Led close home to land quite valuable prize for Dan Skelton at Newton Abbot (2m5f, good to soft) last summer; not at same level on any of three subsequent starts for new stable but ran well for long way when fourth of five at Hereford (3m1f, good) this month, after a break, and may be better suited by this shorter trip.

13/2

4th

4

5th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 119y

Class 4

18:47 Hereford

Queens Venture

11st 7lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: D Summersby

Signed off for Dan Skelton with two wins last summer (about 2m6f); shaped well on stable debut when third at Newcastle in November but pulled up at Chepstow three weeks later, both at about 3m; off 150 days but she's won off similar breaks in the past and not ruled out if back on song.

10/1

Form: 3115-6 D

Last run: 194 days

W: 11st 3lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Seems ideally suited by good/good to soft; productive spell in 2023 featured three wins (2m4f/2m7f); well beaten over fences on sole run this year and now returns from another layoff; market helpful.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

2

7th May 2025

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

17:35 Fontwell

Ma Belle Noire

12st 0lb

J: Ciaran O’Shea

T: Harry Fry

Three-time winner in 2023, the last twice over 2m7f; signs of a revival with a 5l fourth at Taunton (3m, good) and needs considering.

7/1

7th

2

7th May 2025

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

17:35 Fontwell

Ma Belle Noire

12st 0lb

J: Ciaran O’Shea

T: Harry Fry

Three-time winner in 2023, the last twice over 2m7f; signs of a revival with a 5l fourth at Taunton (3m, good) and needs considering.

7/1

Non-runners

For Gina

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £14.50
Straight Forecast £11.79
Tricast £45.47
Trifecta £57.00

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Batwomen

TOPSPEED:

Scarlet O'Tara

RP RATINGS:

Fortuna Ligna

POSTDATA:

Queens Venture

Telegraph:

Ma Belle Noire

D Express:

Midnightreflection

The Times:

Scarlet O'Tara

The Guardian:

Scarlet O'Tara

Daily Mirror:

Scarlet O'Tara

Daily Mail:

Batwomen

The Sun:

Batwomen

The Star:

Batwomen

Daily Record:

Batwomen

WEST COUNTRY:

Fortuna Ligna