February 24 / 14.12 Plumpton

14.12

Soft

Launching: Alfriston Hotel, Restaurant And Spa Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £3828.72
  • 1m 7f 195y
  • Class 5
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Launching: Alfriston Hotel, Restaurant And Spa Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

Form: 954360 D

Last run: 164 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Has not raced at 2m since winning a Tramore handicap hurdle (soft) off 6lb lower in August 2023; inconsistent since; new headgear may help but he doesn't look obviously well treated on debut for new yard.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

10th Jul 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

17:00 Worcester

Boskill Borden

10st 3lb

J: Shane Fenelon

T: David Rees

Twice placed in 2m4f hurdle races here last summer (good) but ended last year's campaign on a low, achieving little on October's chasing debut; can't be certain he will hit the ground running in 2026.

25/1

5

2nd Oct 2025

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 5

15:05 Southwell

Boskill Borden

11st 5lb

J: Shane Fenelon

T: David Rees

Flat-bred, but one half-brother has won three chases; trail has gone cold since the summer's pair of Worcester 2m4f handicap hurdle frame finishes (good), and moderate results last time cheekpieces were tried.

16/1

Form: 16561 D

Last run: 8 days

W: 11st 11lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 97

Form & Verdict
Bumper winner who left previous hurdles efforts behind when making a winning handicap debut at Musselburgh (1m7f, good to soft; tongue-tie refitted) eight days ago, ridden by Toby Wynne; escapes a penalty for that success and has obvious claims off the same mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

15th Jul 2026

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 4

15:48 Uttoxeter

King Ulanda

11st 8lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Dual hurdle winner who landed a 2m1f chase in May; failed to repeat that form when well held the following month but back over hurdles off a 6lb lower mark and can play a part if back on song.

10/1

4th

3

13th Jun 2026

Good

1m 7f 214y

Class 3

17:42 Uttoxeter

King Ulanda

10st 10lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Dual winner over hurdles and made a winning chase debut at Bangor (2m1f, good) four weeks ago; that race did fall apart with none of his rivals running their races and he has been whacked up 10lb as a result; that should still have given his confidence a boost.

5/2

1st

7

16th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 77y

Class 4

17:05 Bangor-on-Dee

King Ulanda

11st 2lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Productive autumn included a Carlisle hurdles win (2m1f, good) off 4lb lower; two flops either side of a late fall since March, however, and doesn't enter this chasing debut in the same good heart as some.

12/1

OUR TIP

Form: 765

Last run: 19 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Runner-up in a soft-ground Irish point last April and ran encouragingly, despite fading late, in first-time blinkers at Sedgefield (2m4f, good to soft) on latest hurdles start; headgear now removed but the drop back in distance on handicap debut could unlock improvement; interesting.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

11th Mar 2026

Good

2m 3f 189y

Class 5

14:18 Huntingdon

Synchronist

11st 12lb

J: Jack Andrews

T: Sarah Humphrey

A dual 2m hurdles winner last season; nowhere near that form sent chasing this season, a remote fourth of six in 2m handicap here 48 days ago; others appeal more.

10/1

4th

3

22nd Jan 2026

Soft

2m 0f 104y

Class 4

12:28 Huntingdon

Synchronist

11st 10lb

J: Jack Andrews

T: Sarah Humphrey

Won two handicap hurdles (2m, good to soft/good) towards end of last season but has not really convinced on his three chasing starts this term, with best run coming in race in which half the fences were omitted; the forecast ground here might be slower than ideal; others preferred.

12/1

3

29th Sep 2025

Good

2m 0f 75y

Class 3

13:56 Newton Abbot

Synchronist

10st 6lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Sarah Humphrey

Displayed significant improvement when switched to handicap hurdles towards end of last season, winning at Southwell (2m, good to soft) and by 10l at Plumpton (2m, good); makes chasing debut after 161-day absence and takes on two in-form rivals but could still have more to offer.

4/1

Form: 63/714 CD

Last run: 13 days

W: 11st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
Successful in a weak two-finisher novice over C&D last month; beaten 42l under his penalty in a much deeper race at Lingfield (2m, heavy) since; makes handicap debut but others look better treated.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

(3)

1st Jul 2026

Good

1m 4f 6y

Class 6

19:32 Epsom

Dotties Star

9st 9lb

J: Paddy Bradley

T: Pat Phelan

Got up on the line to bag 1m4f AW classified event in March but he's made little impact in two subsequent handicaps and is 0-7 here.

14/1

10th

8

(3)

20th May 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 3f 219y

Class 6

21:00 Kempton (AW)

Dotties Star

9st 1lb

J: James Glennon

T: Pat Phelan

Better known as a hurdler these days, but he made a successful return to the Flat when narrowly landing a classified event at Lingfield (1m4f, Polytrack) in March; never involved in a C&D handicap last time but that was against a pace bias and he has claims if things go more to plan this time.

6/1

7th

11

(9)

8th Apr 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 3f 219y

Class 6

20:30 Kempton (AW)

Dotties Star

8st 10lb

J: Sean D Bowen

T: Pat Phelan

Better known as a hurdler these days, but he made a successful return to the Flat when narrowly landing a 0-50 classified event at Lingfield (1m4f, Polytrack) a fortnight ago; this will be harder, but he remains unexposed on the AW.

8/1

Form: 484350 D

Last run: 39 days

W: 11st 8lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
Exposed 9yo who is an infrequent winner (3-46 over hurdles) but he's often placed; has to bounce back from a lesser effort last time but he's down another 2lb and has the assistance of Joe Anderson who is good value for his 3lb claim.
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

16:35 Newton Abbot

John Betjeman

11st 13lb

J: Joe Anderson

T: Mark Gillard

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

16:35 Newton Abbot

John Betjeman

11st 13lb

J: Joe Anderson

T: Mark Gillard

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

17:00 Ffos Las

John Betjeman

11st 10lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Mark Gillard

pressed leader, chased clear leader after 2nd

7/1

Form: 343823 BF

Last run: 28 days

W: 10st 5lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
Recorded sole win over fences but he ran well for a long way when just over 6l third over C&D (soft) returned to hurdles last month; likely to be in the mix again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

24th May 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

16:55 Fontwell

Gorcombe Moonshine

10st 7lb

J: Harry Kimber

T: Robert Walford

Gave very good account when close second over C&D (good to soft) last month and subsequent fifth of 12 over C&D (good) was perfectly respectable but his overall strike-rate is just 1-35 and others appeal more.

5/1

5th

9

24th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

19:20 Fontwell

Gorcombe Moonshine

10st 11lb

J: Harry Kimber

T: Robert Walford

Just 1-34 under rules but the win came here (in 2023) and he went very close to a second course success 16 days ago, going down by only a head over this trip on good to soft; another who could be involved in the finish.

5/1

2nd

7

8th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

16:47 Fontwell

Gorcombe Moonshine

10st 5lb

J: Ben Godfrey

T: Robert Walford

Just 1-33 under rules but the win came here (in 2023) and he gave a good account when second from out of the weights at Hereford (2m5f, good) last month, after a break; could have a say.

6/1

Verdict

Gorcombe Moonshine ran well when third over C&D last time but he’s likely to play second fiddle to the unexposed KING ULANDA, who escapes a penalty for last week’s comfortable Musselburgh win. [Tim Mitchell]

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

King Ulanda

POSTDATA:

Gorcombe Moonshine

RP RATINGS:

King Ulanda

TOPSPEED:

King Ulanda

THE NORTH:

King Ulanda

The Times:

King Ulanda

Telegraph:

King Ulanda

The Guardian:

King Ulanda

Daily Mirror:

King Ulanda

The Star:

King Ulanda

Daily Record:

King Ulanda

Daily Mail:

Gorcombe Moonshine