August 21 / 15.55 Newton Abbot

15.55

Good

South West Rail Solutions Ltd. Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £5281
  • 2m 0f 167y
  • Class 4
  • 5 runners
SKY
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South West Rail Solutions Ltd. Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

Form: 4-1212 CD

Last run: 38 days

W: 12st 0lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Revitalised mare who has collected handicaps at Southwell (2m) and over C&D (also on good) this season; no match for clear winner when second of four here last month, though, and takes on some lightly raced rivals today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

3rd Jul 2026

Good

2m 0f 167y

Class 3

16:30 Newton Abbot

Max Of Stars

11st 7lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Ollie Pears

Beat three rivals in this 12 months ago and has added further wins since then, on the Flat and over hurdles; only beaten a length in 1m4f handicap last time after a wind operation; not handicapped out of it by any means.

3/1

2nd

5

(2)

18th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

1m 4f 10y

Class 6

13:40 Ripon

Max Of Stars

10st 7lb

J: Miss Chelsea Brooks

T: Ollie Pears

117-rated hurdler, who regularly took travelling in her stride (three wins down at Newton Abbot); won well, making all, on the Flat at Thirsk (1m4f, soft; from 7lb lower) last September; notable candidate back to this discipline following more wind surgery.

13/2

2

19th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 70y

Class 4

15:08 Stratford

Max Of Stars

11st 13lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Ollie Pears

Front-runner who enjoyed a resurgence last year, winning three times over hurdles and once on the Flat; absent since November, though, and will need to resume in peak form to have any chance off current mark.

7/1

Form: 37-111 CD

Last run: 32 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Improving 5yo who won twice in novice company this spring and made all in C&D match (also on good ground) when back in a handicap last month; contests a much deeper race today but still commands respect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

8th Oct 2025

Good To Firm

1m 7f 169y

Class 4

14:35 Ludlow

Sergeant Fury

11st 12lb

J: Jack Hogan

T: Harry Derham

5yo who won twice in novice company this spring before making all in a match at Newton Abbot (2m1f, good) in July; held in second of five there last time but that was another creditable effort and he still has potential in this sphere; key player.

6/4

2

21st Aug 2025

Good

2m 0f 167y

Class 4

15:55 Newton Abbot

Sergeant Fury

11st 8lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Harry Derham

Improving 5yo who won twice in novice company this spring and made all in C&D match (also on good ground) when back in a handicap last month; contests a much deeper race today but still commands respect.

5/2

1st

1

20th Jul 2025

Good

2m 0f 167y

Class 4

14:25 Newton Abbot

Sergeant Fury

11st 13lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Harry Derham

Well beaten in latest handicap (March) and now 5lb higher but was a dual winner back in novice company this spring (2m/2m2f, good); evidently in good nick and has obvious claims in this small field.

Evs

OUR TIP

Form: F/4-11 C

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Won run-of-the-mill course maiden (2m2f, good) in June, after a layoff, and bettered that performance when pipping a next-time-out winner at Uttoxeter (2m, good) last month; could be on a good mark for this handicap return; leading contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

19th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

2m 0f 213y

Class 2

15:58 Stratford

Breaking Cover

11st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

3-10 over fences, the latest win gained at Newton Abbot (2m, good to soft) last autumn; returned from break with respectable fourth (a nose behind Sir Tivo) in race fought out by two progressive rivals at Uttoxeter (2m, good) last month and has a big role to play if that outing brought him on.

100/30

4th

2

28th Jun 2026

Good

1m 7f 214y

Class 2

14:52 Uttoxeter

Breaking Cover

11st 11lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Faced a stiff task on unsuitably soft ground when last seen; progressive otherwise and ran well in Grade 2 novice chase at Wincanton earlier in November; interesting with Sam Twiston-Davies back on board, having been successful in five of his last six starts (fences/hurdles) under this rider.

11/2

1st

2

29th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 75y

Class 4

14:23 Newton Abbot

Breaking Cover

12st 0lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

In fine form since returning from 14 months off in July, winning twice over hurdles and twice over fences including over C&D (good) in August; seemed to be beaten fair and square when second of three off this mark back here last time, but still a player in this field.

3/1

Form: 71212 D

Last run: 32 days

W: 11st 3lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
2-5 in novice company this season, the wins gained on good ground at Southwell and Uttoxeter; has a bit more on her plate on this handicap debut but ought to make her presence felt.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

(6)

15th Jul 2026

Firm

1m 3f 137y

Class 6

16:31 Bath

Hope Rising

9st 11lb

J: Charles Bishop

T: Jamie Snowden

Unplaced in seven Flat starts (last ran in this sphere in 2024); triple good-ground hurdle winner at up to 2m1f last summer; reluctant to race when well beaten over hurdles latest; others make more appeal.

3/1

2nd

2

28th Jun 2026

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 4

16:43 Uttoxeter

Hope Rising

11st 10lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Comes with some risk, having refused to race on one occasion and lost many lengths by whipping around at the start last time (ran well in the circumstances); otherwise capable of playing a big role.

5/2

2nd

3

30th May 2026

Good To Firm

2m 2f 148y

Class 3

18:50 Stratford

Hope Rising

11st 9lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Won three in her first season over hurdles last term and may not have got home when third of five at Huntingdon (2m3f, good) on her return to action 23 days ago; should be sharper for the run and holds claims.

3/1

Form: F2536-

Last run: 355 days

W: 10st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Placed in two maiden hurdles last summer; not seen over jumps since 17l defeat over C&D on handicap debut just under a year ago but won on the Flat in June and last month's poor run is probably best overlooked (become upset in the preliminaries); not ruled out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

(4)

12th May 2026

Standard

1m 7f 169y

Class 5

17:15 Lingfield (AW)

Polling Day

10st 0lb

J: Harry Vigors

T: Bernard Llewellyn

Looked rusty after seven months off when last of seven in 1m4f Wolverhampton handicap last month; this course winner can build on that now.

10/1

7th

6

(1)

4th Apr 2026

Standard

1m 4f 51y

Class 4

19:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Polling Day

9st 0lb

J: David Probert

T: Bernard Llewellyn

Soft-ground win last summer came off a 4lb lower mark and he's entitled to need this at his age back from seven months off; trainer also saddles Bulldog Spirit.

25/1

3

(8)

13th Sep 2025

Good

1m 4f 63y

Class 4

17:05 Chester

Polling Day

11st 7lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Bernard Llewellyn

Won over 1m4f here in June (soft) and got upset in the preliminaries before finishing tailed off on his return visit; was running well when falling back over hurdles; entitled to be involved.

25/1

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Hope Rising

LAMBOURN:

Sergeant Fury

SPOTLIGHT:

Breaking Cover

Daily Mail:

Max Of Stars

Daily Mirror:

Sergeant Fury

The Star:

Sergeant Fury

Daily Record:

Sergeant Fury

TOPSPEED:

Hope Rising

POSTDATA:

Hope Rising

The Times:

Hope Rising

The Guardian:

Hope Rising

D Express:

Hope Rising

The Sun:

Hope Rising

WEST COUNTRY:

Breaking Cover

Telegraph:

Breaking Cover