January 26 / 13.40 Sedgefield

13.40

Soft

Fairlight Studios Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £3247.81
  • 2m 0f 178y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
SKY
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Fairlight Studios Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

11/2 (Won)

  • Win: £7.00
  • Place: £2.90

Form: 9796

Last run: 37 days

W: 10st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 73

Form & Verdict
Well beaten on all four starts over hurdles, most recently his handicap debut, and he could do with settling better; however, he may have needed that latest outing and has potential off this basement mark in view of his fair Flat ability; not ruled out in weak race in first-time tongue-tie.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

7

26th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 0f 178y

Class 5

13:40 Sedgefield

Zain Farhh

10st 7lb

J: Jonathan England

T: Sam England

Well beaten on all four starts over hurdles, most recently his handicap debut, and he could do with settling better; however, he may have needed that latest outing and has potential off this basement mark in view of his fair Flat ability; not ruled out in weak race in first-time tongue-tie.

11/2

1st

7

26th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 0f 178y

Class 5

13:40 Sedgefield

Zain Farhh

10st 7lb

J: Jonathan England

T: Sam England

Well beaten on all four starts over hurdles, most recently his handicap debut, and he could do with settling better; however, he may have needed that latest outing and has potential off this basement mark in view of his fair Flat ability; not ruled out in weak race in first-time tongue-tie.

11/2

6th

12

20th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

12:55 Uttoxeter

Zain Farhh

10st 5lb

J: Jonathan England

T: Sam England

took keen hold, held up in rear

10/1

15/2

  • Place: £3.70

Form: 83-608

Last run: 36 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
French bumper winner who also showed promise when third on his hurdle debut last January; remains lightly raced and he's one to watch in the betting but he's struggled on his last three runs, most recently last month's handicap debut at Hereford, and needs to raise his game in a big way.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

5

25th Mar 2025

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

15:35 Taunton

Jim De Sarti

11st 11lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

prominent, weakened from 2 out

5/1

2

2nd Mar 2025

Good To Soft

1m 7f 171y

Class 5

16:27 Huntingdon

Jim De Sarti

11st 13lb

J: Cameron Iles

T: Tom Lacey

French bumper winner who has two bits of noteworthy form from his six races in Britain; close second of seven under Cameron Iles in handicap at Sedgefield (2m1f, soft) last time was one of those, with the front two drawing 17l clear and his 3lb rise may well underestimate that performance.

4/1

2nd

1

26th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 0f 178y

Class 5

13:40 Sedgefield

Jim De Sarti

12st 0lb

J: Cameron Iles

T: Tom Lacey

French bumper winner who also showed promise when third on his hurdle debut last January; remains lightly raced and he's one to watch in the betting but he's struggled on his last three runs, most recently last month's handicap debut at Hereford, and needs to raise his game in a big way.

15/2

Form: 49-053

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Nine-race maiden but he returned to form when third in a first-time tongue-tie (retained) under Osian Radford at Uttoxeter (2m, good to soft) on New Year's Eve; also effective on soft ground; has the same mark as last time and he's a leading player if backing up that latest run.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

26th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 0f 178y

Class 5

13:40 Sedgefield

The Cypriot

11st 9lb

J: Osian Radford

T: Evan Williams

Nine-race maiden but he returned to form when third in a first-time tongue-tie (retained) under Osian Radford at Uttoxeter (2m, good to soft) on New Year's Eve; also effective on soft ground; has the same mark as last time and he's a leading player if backing up that latest run.

11/8

3rd

4

26th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 0f 178y

Class 5

13:40 Sedgefield

The Cypriot

11st 9lb

J: Osian Radford

T: Evan Williams

Nine-race maiden but he returned to form when third in a first-time tongue-tie (retained) under Osian Radford at Uttoxeter (2m, good to soft) on New Year's Eve; also effective on soft ground; has the same mark as last time and he's a leading player if backing up that latest run.

11/8

3rd

6

31st Dec 2024

Good To Soft

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

14:00 Uttoxeter

The Cypriot

11st 3lb

J: Osian Radford

T: Evan Williams

Unplaced all six hurdling starts but shaped quite well before fading at Ffos Las (2m4f, soft; first run after wind op) last month, and may benefit from combination of drop back in trip and first-time tongue-tie here.

14/1

Form: 8P9-55

Last run: 203 days

W: 10st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Seven-race maiden who ran okay when fifth last summer in his first two handicaps; returns from a break with his stable in excellent form and he's not discounted off a basement mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

19th Jul 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 46y

Class 5

14:15 Cartmel

Hope Hill

10st 12lb

J: Peter Kavanagh

T: Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith

Bits of promise before he won a seven-runner novice contest at Bangor (2m, good) six weeks ago in his fourth handicap, in clearcut style despite interference and being 4lb out of the handicap proper; had wind surgery one week later; up 7lb today but the chief concern is that he was soundly beaten in all five starts on softer than good.

5/2

8

6th Jun 2025

Good

2m 0f 145y

Class 5

15:30 Bangor-on-Dee

Hope Hill

10st 2lb

J: Peter Kavanagh

T: Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith

Shaped well before fading into fifth in two Market Rasen handicaps (both 2m4f, good) last summer and may not have been suited by the soft ground when a disappointing favourite at Sedgefield in January; returns from another break and is 4lb wrong today but still considered.

11/2

Form: 6-8666

Last run: 43 days

W: 11st 5lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
Went very close at Musselburgh (1m7f, soft) last February and now 3lb lower, but this headstrong sort finished merely sixth on his three outings towards the end of last year; hood left off today; needs something extra.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

9th Sep 2025

Soft

2m 4f 216y

Class 5

14:58 Newton Abbot

La Quarite

11st 12lb

J: Shane Fenelon

T: Mickey Bowen

Won by 36l over C&D in July but that race fell apart and he hasn't threatened since, beaten about 14l returned to fences the last twice; could be on a tough mark (that last win was off 12lb lower) but this is weak.

11/8

4th

2

25th Aug 2025

Good

2m 1f 61y

Class 5

17:18 Cartmel

La Quarite

11st 9lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Mickey Bowen

Off the mark at the fourth attempt over fences when strolling home by a wide margin at Newton Abbot (2m5f, good) but that race took little winning and he was then beaten 8l into third off the same mark back over hurdles at Uttoxeter; seemed to struggle with the 14lb rise when only fifth on his return to fences here on Saturday (2m5f).

4/1

Form: 8-655

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
Flat winner who was a fair third at Cartmel (2m1f, soft) last May on his third hurdle start; tailed off in Catterick handicap (1m7f, soft) on New Year's Day and not easy to fancy on the back of that, but that run may have got the freshness out of him and he's not a forlorn hope; tongue-tie goes on.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

6

28th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 125y

Class 5

20:42 Market Rasen

Bunker Bay

11st 1lb

J: Joshua Thompson

T: Micky Hammond

Reportedly had breathing issue when well beaten at Perth last month and is now 0-9 over hurdles but his clear second to next-time-out winner Ruler Legend over C&D (good) two starts ago was a good effort; big player if back at that level.

4/1

8th

12

23rd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 47y

Class 5

16:40 Perth

Bunker Bay

10st 10lb

J: Miss Becky Smith

T: Micky Hammond

0-8 over hurdles but has posted some good performances this season, most recently runner-up at Market Rasen (2m, good) 18 days ago; also effective on soft ground; makes a lot more appeal than most of these.

11/2

OUR TIP

Form: 749-78

Last run: 163 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 92

Form & Verdict
Well beaten on both rules runs in 2024, following an absence, and he needs to prove how much ability he retains; however, this 6yo is on a competitive mark on older form and his new stable can do well with recruits from other yards; not written off.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

11

27th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 46y

Class 5

18:38 Cartmel

Mr Globalist

10st 2lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: Lizzie Quinlan

Yet to win in 37 runs Flat and jumps; beaten a long way in a non-handicap seller last time.

33/1

3rd

4

2nd May 2026

Good

2m 0f 48y

Class 4

16:40 Hexham

Mr Globalist

11st 1lb

J: Peter Kavanagh

T: Lizzie Quinlan

Winless after 26 hurdle starts and although he often runs respectably at the right level, he has no realistic chance against rivals who mostly would be giving him plenty of weight in a handicap.

50/1

Non-runners

Morandi Second

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £50.80
Straight Forecast £52.30
Tricast £182.05
Trifecta £165.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

The Cypriot

The Sun:

Morandi Second

D Express:

Hope Hill

The Times:

Bunker Bay

RP RATINGS:

The Cypriot

POSTDATA:

The Cypriot

Telegraph:

The Cypriot

Daily Mirror:

The Cypriot

Daily Record:

The Cypriot

The Star:

Morandi Second