January 25 / 12.47 Uttoxeter

12.47

Good To Soft

Quinnbet Daily Free Bet Conditional Jockeys’ Training Series Handicap Hurdle (RE Initiative)

  • Prize money: £3247.81
  • 1m 7f 168y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
SKY
View Course
Quinnbet Daily Free Bet Conditional Jockeys’ Training Series Handicap Hurdle (RE Initiative)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

7/4 (Won)

  • Win: £1.80
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 7-5381 CD

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 91

Form & Verdict
Didn't appear to be progressing but quashed that theory with a comfortable 15l success over C&D a month ago; that triggered a 12lb rise but he's lightly raced and it's still early days in this headgear combination.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

2nd Jun 2026

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

14:30 Southwell

My Friend Sean

11st 2lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

All five wins have been over hurdles; 0-5 over fences and finished last of six at Kempton (2m2f, good) in March; others preferred.

10/1

6th

5

23rd Mar 2026

Good

2m 2f 0y

Class 4

15:30 Kempton

My Friend Sean

11st 6lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

Productive spell over hurdles culminated in a hat-trick last spring; 0-4 switched to fences since but ran encouragingly at Chepstow most recently; clear possibilities off a reduced mark.

4/1

OUR TIP

2/1

  • Place: £1.80

Form: V-344

Last run: 40 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Definite hints of winning potential, notably when a 21l fourth to the smart Miami Magic at Kempton in November (good to soft); trainer has been winning races this season with handicap debutants.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

2

17th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 26y

Class 4

16:22 Wetherby

Kapal Layar

12st 0lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Won his final two starts last season (2m3f/2m4f, soft/good to soft) and there's every chance this 7yo will get back on track at some stage; however, he's been disappointing on his three outings this term and it's hard to be confident regarding his claims today.

10/1

5

7th Feb 2026

Soft

3m 0f 57y

Class 3

13:35 Newbury

Kapal Layar

11st 6lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Ended last term with maiden (on soft) and handicap wins, latterly at Perth (2m4f, good to soft) in April; disappointing on both starts this term but was struck into last time and has also since had wind surgery; additionally, he's now upped in trip and has tongue-tie and cheekpieces for the first time, so there could be explanations aplenty were he to stage a revival.

9/1

11th

8

2nd Nov 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 218y

Class 2

14:02 Carlisle

Kapal Layar

11st 2lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Still raw last season according to his trainer so encouraging that he could follow up his maiden win with a comfortable handicap debut at Perth (2m4f, good to soft); raised 9lb for that Class 4 success and this is appreciably stronger, but everything would suggest that he's going to get better.

11/4

Form: 222355 D

Last run: 43 days

W: 11st 10lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Not the only runner in this race with questions to answer right now but he's perfectly well treated on his best form for Ben Pauling and has coped will all sorts of ground during his career under both codes.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

26th Oct 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 3f 130y

13:05 Wexford

Greatness Awaits

10st 11lb

J: Jordan Gainford

T: Cian Collins

Got his fifth hurdles win when beating subsequent Galway festival winner Winning Smut at Killarney in July (2m7f, yielding to soft); beaten 25l apiece in his two chase starts; makes handicap chase debut and chance on his best hurdles form but hasn't shown that yet over fences.

18/1

5th

2

8th Sep 2025

Yielding To Soft

2m 2f 54y

18:22 Galway

Greatness Awaits

11st 12lb

J: Jordan Gainford

T: Cian Collins

Flat winner and very experienced hurdler; gaining his fifth hurdles win, and seventh in all, when taking a 2m7f Killarney handicap in July; remote fourth on chasing debut over a staying trip at Ballinrobe.

25/1

3

25th Aug 2025

Good

2m 7f 65y

19:43 Ballinrobe

Greatness Awaits

11st 12lb

J: Jordan Gainford

T: Cian Collins

Heavily-raced 6yo was gaining his fifth win hurdling when taking 2m7f Killarney handicap last month; never counted at Galway however since; Flat-bred tries fences here.

10/1

Form: 24-657 D

Last run: 55 days

W: 11st 12lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Defied a higher mark at Wetherby in late 2023 (2m, soft) but needs to turn a corner after losing his form on last three appearances; hard to be confident but hard to rule out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

7

6th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

17:42 Fontwell

Royal Rhythm

11st 4lb

J: Isabelle Ryder

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Winless since 2023 and he's been off the track since pulled up in 3m handicap in November; on a useful mark if resurgent after a break.

11/1

5th

2

15th Oct 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

16:58 Worcester

Royal Rhythm

11st 11lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Lost out only by a nose to Orange Diamond over C&D (good) in August but was not quite in same form when fifth behind same rival here last month and has become far too inconsistent to rely upon.

10/1

Form: 5-549

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Modest form so far, beaten 21l in his last two races (2m; good/soft); however, makes handicap debut for a shrewd outfit and could easily spring to life; market helpful.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

17th Oct 2025

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

16:40 Uttoxeter

Eagles Gold

10st 11lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

0-8 over hurdles but was in contention when stumbling/falling just after two out at Bangor (2m3f, good) in April, and returned from a break with a fairly encouraging run three weeks ago; can go well off current mark if that recent outing brought him on.

11/2

7

26th Sep 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

16:27 Worcester

Eagles Gold

10st 8lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

0-8 but was in contention when stumbling/falling just after two out at Bangor (2m3f, good) in April and he ran well prior to fading late on there (2m3f, good) in May when last seen; not ruled out now back down in trip.

9/1

5th

2

17th May 2025

Good

2m 3f 123y

Class 5

14:20 Bangor-on-Dee

Eagles Gold

12st 0lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Beaten about 25l in first two handicaps but seemed to be moving into contention before stumbling and falling just after penultimate flight over C&D (good) last month; must be considered after that improvement.

5/2

Form: -319P5 C

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 10lb

14 yo Gelding

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Won on soft ground over 2m4f here last May but has suffered three serious defeats in the meantime and he's a 14yo now.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

6

25th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

12:47 Uttoxeter

Mcgowans Pass

11st 10lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Jennie Candlish

Won on soft ground over 2m4f here last May but has suffered three serious defeats in the meantime and he's a 14yo now.

14/1

6th

6

25th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

12:47 Uttoxeter

Mcgowans Pass

11st 10lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Jennie Candlish

Won on soft ground over 2m4f here last May but has suffered three serious defeats in the meantime and he's a 14yo now.

14/1

5th

8

31st Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 3

13:00 Uttoxeter

Mcgowans Pass

10st 9lb

J: William Shanahan

T: Jennie Candlish

disputed lead, not fluent 3rd, lost position after 4 out

16/1

Form: 4P-556

Last run: 65 days

W: 12st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Ran well over hurdles in France but has yet to reproduce that form in Britain and bled from the nose when tailed off on chase/handicap debut two months ago; mark is coming down but for good reason on this season's evidence.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

6th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

16:00 Ffos Las

Karaktere DEnfer

12st 0lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Tom Symonds

held up in rear

7/1

1

6th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

16:00 Ffos Las

Karaktere DEnfer

12st 0lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Tom Symonds

0-8 over hurdles but shaped very well before fading into fifth in soft-ground C&D maiden last month (first run after a wind op); has better chance at the weights now back in a handicap and should be fine on the faster ground; interesting.

7/1

5th

5

16th Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

17:12 Ffos Las

Karaktere DEnfer

11st 5lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Tom Symonds

Has shown significant hurdling ability but was well beaten in his first two handicaps (chase/hurdles), having bled from the nose on both occasions; had wind op during 81-day break; has a fighting chance if all goes well but comes with obvious risk.

8/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £3.90
Straight Forecast £3.81
Trifecta £14.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

My Friend Sean

The Sun:

Kapal Layar

TOPSPEED:

McGowan's Pass

RP RATINGS:

My Friend Sean

POSTDATA:

My Friend Sean

The Times:

My Friend Sean

Telegraph:

My Friend Sean

The Guardian:

My Friend Sean

Daily Mail:

My Friend Sean

D Express:

My Friend Sean

Daily Mirror:

My Friend Sean

The Star:

My Friend Sean

Daily Record:

My Friend Sean