April 02 / 14.15 Ludlow

14.15

Good

Nightjar Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £4356.8
  • 1m 7f 169y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
RTV
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Nightjar Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

7/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.63
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 133P20

Last run: 22 days

W: 10st 13lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Won slow-ground hurdle in France last spring and bettered disappointing British debut when second over C&D (good to soft) in February; well down the field in Cheltenham Festival handicap last month and remains untested on ground quicker than good to soft but still a leading contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

2

13th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

14:33 Perth

Mister Cessna

11st 13lb

J: Jack Hogan

T: Fergal O’Brien

Off the mark at Uttoxeter on chase debut in October (2m, good); decent second next time but last two runs have been a bit disappointing (26l last of four at Stratford last month); may well have the race run to suit him and he's a possible.

10/1

4th

2

19th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 213y

Class 4

16:53 Stratford

Mister Cessna

11st 8lb

J: Jack Hogan

T: Fergal O’Brien

Won readily by 5l on British chasing debut at Uttoxeter in October (2m, good); absent since disappointing run over 2m4f on New Year's Day but could still have potential and will be dangerous if back on song after 108-day break.

5/1

3

19th Nov 2025

Soft

2m 0f 54y

Class 3

12:55 Warwick

Mister Cessna

11st 1lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Fergal O’Brien

Ex-French and was placed on his chasing debut there last summer; 1-4 as a juvenile hurdler last term but was set some stiff tasks and he made an immediate impact back over fences when readily beating four others at Uttoxeter (2m, good) last month, despite jumping a little to his right; up 5lb but likely has a good bit more to offer.

6/4

OUR TIP

8/11

  • Place: £1.10

Form: 371-11 D

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Has a tendency to race too freely but won good-ground Fakenham bumper in first-time hood at end of last season and has made all in two small-field hurdles at around 2m this term (good to soft/good); we don't yet know the limit of his ability and he ought to make a bold bid here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

19th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 213y

Class 4

16:53 Stratford

Bond Broker

11st 8lb

J: Jay Tidball

T: Paul Nicholls

Doesn't help himself by tending to race too freely but got off the mark over fences at fifth attempt, with front-running success at Ludlow (2m4f, good) last month; 5lb rise is offset by Jay Tidball's claim here, and this drop back in trip won't be a problem; respected.

5/2

1st

1

19th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

14:50 Ludlow

Bond Broker

12st 0lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Bumper winner who picked up maiden and novice hurdles (about 2m1f; good to soft and good) last term; beaten a combined 62l despite finishing second in three of his four subsequent chases but still looks a work in progress and his latest effort offered hope he might be putting it together; weakened on his one try at this sort of trip under rules.

9/4

2nd

3

29th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 75y

Class 4

14:23 Newton Abbot

Bond Broker

11st 13lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Winner of a point, a bumper and twice over hurdles; did far too much early when second of three on his chase debut at Ffos Las (2m3f, good) in May, but the form of that race has worked out well and this sharp 2m may prove ideal; has won after a much longer absence.

100/30

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Failed to complete first two Irish points but got his act together with 15l win in February (yielding to soft); should have a future under rules; market may point the way.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

12th Apr 2026

Good

2m 7f 191y

Class 5

17:20 Ffos Las

An Buachaill Rua

11st 7lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Sheila Lewis

Came good at Ludlow (2m5f, good to soft) in February, his seventh hurdle run, and probably bettered that performance when close second at Bangor (2m7f, good) last month; still unexposed as a stayer; respected.

4/1

2nd

5

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 32y

Class 5

14:45 Bangor-on-Dee

An Buachaill Rua

11st 4lb

J: Harry Atkins

T: Sheila Lewis

A 3l winner at Ludlow (2m5f, good to soft) to get off the mark over hurdles and he'd performed to a similar level before; up 6lb but Harry Atkins claims 7lb (3lb claimer employed last time) and this 6yo has only had seven races under rules.

7/2

1st

8

26th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 5f 55y

Class 5

15:52 Ludlow

An Buachaill Rua

10st 13lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Sheila Lewis

0-6 over hurdles; arguably ran better than eventual 22l defeat suggests when fifth behind Jukebox Joker at Warwick (2m3f, good to soft) last month but needs a better finishing effort.

10/1

66/1

Form: P

Last run: 64 days

W: 10st 7lb

5 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Won on the Flat last spring but was badly out of form in that sphere in the autumn and struggled (albeit on heavy ground) on hurdling debut at Chepstow in January.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

(10)

30th May 2025

Good To Soft

1m 4f 0y

Class 5

13:55 Chepstow

Cherryhawk

9st 10lb

J: Fern O’Brien

T: Nikki Evans

In good form this time last year when winning over C&D (soft) but her career has gone south since, including over hurdles this year; just 1lb higher than for the win but revival desperately needed.

33/1

10th

4

(10)

30th May 2025

Good To Soft

1m 4f 0y

Class 5

13:55 Chepstow

Cherryhawk

9st 10lb

J: Fern O’Brien

T: Nikki Evans

In good form this time last year when winning over C&D (soft) but her career has gone south since, including over hurdles this year; just 1lb higher than for the win but revival desperately needed.

33/1

4th

5

2nd Apr 2025

Good

1m 7f 169y

Class 4

14:15 Ludlow

Cherryhawk

10st 7lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Nikki Evans

Won on the Flat last spring but was badly out of form in that sphere in the autumn and struggled (albeit on heavy ground) on hurdling debut at Chepstow in January.

66/1

50/1

Form: 4

Last run: 141 days

W: 11st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Out of a well-connected French hurdle winner but was well beaten when fourth in modest Hereford novice hurdle (2m, good) on debut in November and has not raced again since.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

15th Oct 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

16:58 Worcester

New Man

10st 2lb

J: Luke Scott

T: Ian Williams

Pulled-up 100-1 shot when making handicap debut for Tom Gretton at Stratford (2m good to firm) in August and effectively on same mark for stable debut; moves up in trip; considered only if much stronger in betting this time.

40/1

11

18th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

2m 0f 70y

Class 5

16:27 Stratford

New Man

10st 2lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Tom Gretton

Showed no significant promise in his three qualifying races (all 2m, good; latest in May) and is 3lb wrong for this handicap debut; considered only if lively in the betting.

25/1

4th

4

10th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

19:15 Warwick

New Man

11st 4lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Tom Gretton

Tailed off in good-ground novice hurdles at Hereford and Ludlow; the new tongue-tie will need to make a huge difference.

50/1

Form: 74

Last run: 146 days

W: 10st 6lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Out of a mare from a very good Flat family; displayed promise in two good-ground bumpers in the autumn but needs to take a big step forward to pose a threat on this hurdling debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

15

19th Apr 2026

Good

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

16:18 Stratford

Farhh Echo

10st 11lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: D J Jeffreys

Showed significant improvement when fourth in Worcester maiden (2m, good) last summer but safely held in all four subsequent handicaps, the latest here (2m6f) last month; needs to turn a corner.

33/1

8th

3

28th Mar 2026

Good

2m 6f 7y

Class 5

15:57 Stratford

Farhh Echo

11st 6lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: D J Jeffreys

Fourth in a maiden at Worcester last July but he's struggled in three handicaps since; Flat bred and this is a radically new trip, after all previous starts over about 2m, but he rallied well in that Worcester race; could be interesting if strong in the market.

16/1

8th

6

11th Mar 2026

Good

1m 7f 171y

Class 5

15:38 Huntingdon

Farhh Echo

11st 10lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: D J Jeffreys

Backed at prices when showing more at Worcester last summer but has struggled in two handicaps since; yard has been quiet and he's not obviously fancied back from four months off.

20/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £2.90
Straight Forecast £2.96
Trifecta £7.20

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Bond Broker

RP RATINGS:

Mister Cessna

POSTDATA:

Mister Cessna

D Express:

Mister Cessna

Daily Mirror:

Mister Cessna

The Times:

Bond Broker

Telegraph:

Bond Broker

The Guardian:

Bond Broker

Daily Mail:

Bond Broker

The Sun:

Bond Broker

The Star:

Bond Broker

Daily Record:

Bond Broker