15.30
SoftJohn And Maryanne Birch Memorial Handicap Hurdle
- Prize money: £3247.81
- 2m 1f 162y
- Class 5
- 9 runners
Runners: 9 runners
Type: Hurdle Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Mostly cloudy
4/1 (Won)
- Win: £5.30
- Place: £1.60
Form: 725604
Last run: 14 days
W: 10st 9lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 80
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4th 4 |
26th May 2026 Good 2m 4f 116y Class 4 |
11st 1lb |
Four-time hurdle winner and career-best form to win by 10l at Fontwell two runs ago (2m5f, good to soft); went up 8lb for that and was back down to earth on his return visit when beaten 20l; hard to know entirely what to expect from him. |
100/30 |
|
8th 3 |
14th May 2026 Good 2m 3f 29y Class 4 |
12st 0lb |
Four-time hurdle winner who rewarded good market support and showed career-best form when drawing clear to score by 10l here (2m5f, good to soft) in March; 8lb rise asks a fair bit of him but the forecast faster ground should not be a problem. |
5/1 |
|
1st 3 |
27th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 2m 5f 164y Class 5 |
11st 12lb |
Four Flat wins and three over hurdles; has yet to win this season over jumps but two of his three placed efforts came here and he's likely to be a strong contender, for all that last two runs (hurdle/AW) weren't his best. |
3/1 |
7/1
- Place: £2.00
Form: 067
Last run: 52 days
W: 11st 0lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: 85
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2nd 8 |
23rd Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 4f 35y Class 4 |
11st 5lb |
Won two in a row in the autumn (2m2f/2m, good to soft/soft) and, after a couple of respectable fifth placings, he was a close second at Stratford (2m2f, good) last month; in the mix if seeing out this longer trip; the hood worn on his last four starts is left off. |
7/2 |
|
2nd 6 |
28th Mar 2026 Good 2m 2f 148y Class 4 |
11st 8lb |
Scored twice in the autumn, including over C&D, and comes here after a respectable fifth of 14 in 2m1f Carisle handicap last month; in the mix off a 3lb lower mark. |
9/2 |
|
5th 3 |
16th Feb 2026 Good To Soft 2m 1f 0y Class 4 |
11st 9lb |
Has progressed since wind surgery early last year, winning handicaps at Stratford (2m2f, good to soft) and Uttoxeter before decent fifth at Newbury (2m, good to soft) latest; 10lb higher than last winning mark but solid chance. |
5/1 |
4/1
- Place: £1.80
Form: 33-484
Last run: 28 days
W: 11st 12lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: 97
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
9th 3 |
4th Jun 2025 Good 2m 0f 167y Class 5 |
11st 13lb |
Four-time hurdle winner on slow ground, including over C&D (raced prominently in first-time visor) in April; below par at Ffos Las (2m, good) latest, after a 5lb rise; each-way claims if he can bounce back. |
11/2 |
|
9th 3 |
4th Jun 2025 Good 2m 0f 167y Class 5 |
11st 13lb |
Four-time hurdle winner on slow ground, including over C&D (raced prominently in first-time visor) in April; below par at Ffos Las (2m, good) latest, after a 5lb rise; each-way claims if he can bounce back. |
11/2 |
|
8th 2 |
6th May 2025 Good 1m 7f 182y Class 5 |
11st 10lb |
pressed leader, chased clear leader after 2nd |
7/1 |
50/1
Form: 8-PP07
Last run: 32 days
W: 10st 2lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: 65
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6th 3 |
12th Apr 2026 Good 1m 7f 149y Class 5 |
10st 12lb |
Dual hurdle winner and only 2lb higher than for his win at Hereford in December; however, didn't look a natural on last month's chase debut and was pulled up. |
11/1 |
|
4 |
18th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 2m 0f 8y Class 5 |
11st 4lb |
Struck form with two 2m hurdle wins in December (Ludlow claimer and Hereford handicap) but three lesser efforts have followed, including a well-held third of five at Ludlow last month; still 4lb higher than for his last success and something to prove on this switch to chasing; reapplied cheekpieces replace a visor. |
8/1 |
|
3rd 5 |
26th Feb 2026 Soft 1m 7f 169y Class 5 |
10st 12lb |
Struck form with two wins in December (C&D claimer/Hereford handicap) but two lesser efforts have followed and he was behind Aim Straight on more recent occasion; needs to kick on again. |
12/1 |
6/1
Form: 7-5767
Last run: 33 days
W: 12st 0lb
5 yo Gelding
OR: 99
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8th 7 (8) |
31st May 2026 Good 2m 0f 13y Class 3 |
9st 7lb |
Rediscovered the knack for new stable last year, including two front-running wins over 2m in four-runner Flat races and two places when the action got more competitive; returned to some hurdles form on last two outings in that sphere; a lesser show on Musselburgh Flat in between was over 1m6f but this race may also prove too tough. |
16/1 |
|
4th 15 |
28th Apr 2026 Yielding 2m 3f 81y |
10st 8lb |
Four-time Flat winner is 2-19 over hurdles; 8l behind Laughing John when runner up in qualifier for this at Wincanton on penultimate; modest run on the level at Musselburgh on latest; others make more appeal. |
12/1 |
25/1
Form: 11P6-0
Last run: 50 days
W: 11st 7lb
5 yo Gelding
OR: 92
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4th 6 |
17th May 2026 Good To Firm 2m 0f 70y Class 5 |
10st 5lb |
Returned to form with creditable second at Taunton (2m, good) last month, his third start for David Brace, but was pulled up on recent chasing debut and has become hard to predict. |
11/2 |
|
6 |
5th May 2026 Good 2m 0f 8y Class 5 |
10st 8lb |
Dual soft-ground hurdle winner (handles good) in early 2024 but had been badly out of sorts prior to his second at Taunton (2m, good) last month; now switches to fences and needs to build on that revival, though he remains attractively treated on old form. |
9/2 |
|
2nd 10 |
22nd Apr 2026 Good 2m 0f 104y Class 5 |
10st 2lb |
Dual soft-ground hurdle winner (handles good) in early 2024 but has struggled for form since, including on both starts for this stable; latest C&D effort offered a glimmer of encouragement and he's well treated on old form, but he needs another step forward today. |
14/1 |
5/1
Form: /309-7
Last run: 54 days
W: 11st 1lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 86
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3 |
2nd May 2026 Good 1m 7f 168y Class 5 |
11st 10lb |
Both wins over hurdles have been over C&D, the latest in September off 6lb lower; will have benefited from his recent pipe-opener when fourth at Market Rasen (2m,good) and should run well. |
11/2 |
|
4th 1 |
5th Apr 2026 Good 2m 0f 125y Class 5 |
12st 0lb |
Dual winner on good ground at Uttoxeter last summer; still in good form when last seen in the autumn and probably still on a workable mark but has fitness to prove after four months off and recent rain reduces his appeal. |
7/2 |
5/1
Form: 4-747
Last run: 12 days
W: 12st 0lb
5 yo Gelding
OR: 99
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3 |
26th Oct 2025 Good To Soft 2m 5f 135y Class 5 |
11st 12lb |
|
|
|
12 |
26th Oct 2025 Good To Soft 2m 1f 162y Class 4 |
10st 6lb |
|
|
|
4 |
3rd Oct 2025 Good 2m 5f 164y Class 5 |
11st 8lb |
C&D winner in a first-time visor in March (good; 5lb lower) but beaten between 10l and 14l in three subsequent races, the last two over fences (cheekpieces/visor); should give his running, though improvement has come on good ground. |
5/2 |
7/1
Form: 958-
Last run: 302 days
W: 10st 12lb
5 yo Gelding
OR: 83
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 7 |
23rd Feb 2025 Soft 2m 5f 164y Class 5 |
10st 10lb |
Lightly raced 6yo; bred to win races but tailed off this winter in his first two handicaps and dramatic improvement is needed now up in trip. |
14/1 |
|
11th 13 |
16th Jan 2025 Good To Soft 1m 7f 50y Class 5 |
10st 9lb |
visibility reduced by fog |
7/1 |
|
11th 13 |
16th Jan 2025 Good To Soft 1m 7f 50y Class 5 |
10st 9lb |
visibility reduced by fog |
7/1 |
Non-runners
Footloose Man, Guinessed
+o+e Accumulators
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | £23.90 |
| Straight Forecast | £20.33 |
| Tricast | £107.62 |
| Trifecta | £107.60 |
Selections
The Sun:
John Betjeman