September 05 / 16.45 Bangor-on-Dee

16.45

Good

Paul Ferguson Jumpers To Follow Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £7921.5
  • 2m 7f 32y
  • Class 3
  • 7 runners
SKY
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Paul Ferguson Jumpers To Follow Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

Form: 11-246

Last run: 59 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Compiled a solid record for this yard but didn't appear to stay this trip when attempting it for the first time at Uttoxeter and Imperial Merlin was runner-up that day.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

22nd May 2026

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

19:41 Worcester

Prince Imperial

12st 0lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

Won four of his first five for Olly Murphy (including a handicap off 12lb higher) but looks to have lost his way, having been pulled up on his last three starts.

100/1

5

5th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 2f 191y

Class 4

15:15 Haydock

Prince Imperial

11st 8lb

J: Philip Armson

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

Won four of his first five for Olly Murphy (including a handicap off 8lb higher) but he's yet to get going for this yard and was pulled up on his last two starts, latterly when 200-1 at Southwell one month ago.

100/1

1

2nd Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 88y

Class 4

15:52 Southwell

Prince Imperial

12st 0lb

J: Sean Grantham

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

Flat winner who won four handicap hurdles at around this trip on good/good to soft for Olly Murphy; below-par on both starts for new yard; bit to prove now.

40/1

OUR TIP

Form: 317-42

Last run: 59 days

W: 11st 10lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Not well handicapped but arrives here after a 3l second of eight at Uttoxeter when tried in cheekpieces (2m7f, good); no reason why he won't be involved once more.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

17th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 26y

Class 4

16:22 Wetherby

Imperial Merlin

12st 0lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: John & Sean Quinn

Pulled up at Warwick in January last time but was in pretty good heart towards the end of last year and he's now 1lb lower than when winning at Haydock (3m, good) last March; also handles soft; capable of going well.

12/1

1

23rd Jan 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 5y

Class 4

14:37 Warwick

Imperial Merlin

12st 2lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: John & Sean Quinn

Only 1lb higher than for his Haydock win over a similar trip last March; does have a lot of weight though and was only fifth at Haydock last time, finishing just behind Gwennie May Star.

8/1

2

5th Sep 2025

Good

2m 7f 32y

Class 3

16:45 Bangor-on-Dee

Imperial Merlin

11st 10lb

J: James Bowen

T: John & Sean Quinn

Not well handicapped but arrives here after a 3l second of eight at Uttoxeter when tried in cheekpieces (2m7f, good); no reason why he won't be involved once more.

6/1

Form: 3-1112 D

Last run: 54 days

W: 11st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
It took a return to selling level to regain the winning thread in May but has since gone 112 in 2m4f/2m7f handicaps; getting high in the weights (nudged up another 1lb) but he's pretty solid.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

1

16th Oct 2025

Good

1m 7f 207y

Class 3

13:57 Carlisle

Matchless

11st 5lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Jennie Candlish

Three consecutive wins over hurdles in May/June (2m-2m7f, good/good to soft) and he was running okay in that sphere last month; however, he has something to find in today's company and he didn't improve for the switch to fences when soundly beaten in January on his sole previous chase start.

12/1

4th

1

26th Sep 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

15:52 Worcester

Matchless

12st 0lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Jennie Candlish

Came up rather short in higher grade last time; solid record (1112) in Class 4 otherwise this term, albeit has shot up the weights as a result; may be in the assessor's grip now.

13/2

3

5th Sep 2025

Good

2m 7f 32y

Class 3

16:45 Bangor-on-Dee

Matchless

11st 6lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Jennie Candlish

It took a return to selling level to regain the winning thread in May but has since gone 112 in 2m4f/2m7f handicaps; getting high in the weights (nudged up another 1lb) but he's pretty solid.

7/2

Form: -21120

Last run: 42 days

W: 11st 3lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Three-time winner this year and nearly went in again at Stratford in his penultimate race; same mark as that day but not sure what went wrong the last time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

3rd Jun 2026

Good

2m 4f 216y

Class 4

15:00 Newton Abbot

Doc McCoy

11st 11lb

J: Isabelle Ryder

T: Jamie Snowden

Five-time hurdle winner but 0-6 over fences; hasn't had much go his way since scoring in October but he was still in contention when unseating three out over fences last time in a race won by Dunkerque; now 10lb better off with that rival and he should be competitive given a change in fortune; forecast rain is a concern though.

11/8

2

11th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 4

15:12 Southwell

Doc McCoy

12st 0lb

J: Isabelle Ryder

T: Jamie Snowden

Strike-rate of 5-13 over hurdles and he's rated 10lb lower as a chaser (0-5); however, hasn't offered a lot in this discipline and it's over a year since he last went chasing.

8/1

2

12th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 82y

Class 3

16:00 Wincanton

Doc McCoy

11st 11lb

J: Isabelle Ryder

T: Jamie Snowden

Strike-rate of 5-12 over hurdles and won easily at Warwick (2m5f, good) before pulling up at Ascot in October; he does have a bit to prove off this mark even if returning in good order.

13/2

Form: 46-216 C BF

Last run: 63 days

W: 10st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
A rare poor run around here last time having previously registered a third course success over 2m3f (narrowly off 3lb lower); a nagging concern that he's never raced over this far but the Bangor factor makes him a player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

4

25th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 83y

Class 2

15:23 Cartmel

Lipa K

11st 9lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Best known for his heroics at Bangor but showed career-best form when winning narrowly at Warwick (3m1f, good) last month; 3lb rise demands even more from him here; usual cheekpieces left off; tongue-tie added.

11/2

1st

4

23rd Apr 2026

Good

3m 1f 5y

Class 3

14:30 Warwick

Lipa K

11st 5lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Goes particularly well at Bangor but was runner-up at Aintree on final run in October (3m, good); however, a 3lb rise sees him on a career-high mark and he's been off a good while.

4/1

9

26th Oct 2025

Good

3m 0f 149y

Class 3

12:40 Aintree

Lipa K

11st 5lb

J: Ben Smith

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Made it two wins from his last three starts when scoring at Bangor (2m7f, good) in September; however, his last four wins have come there and he was well beaten at Uttoxeter (2m7f, good) last time; has his first run here.

10/1

Form: 52-221 D

Last run: 42 days

W: 10st 11lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Ended his run of seconds with a narrow verdict over this far at Uttoxeter (good); travelled strongly in that race and could still be well handicapped off 5lb higher, especially with Harry Atkins taking away the 7lb.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

27th May 2026

Good

3m 2f 105y

Class 4

17:30 Newton Abbot

Supreme Yeats

11st 8lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Veteran who returned to form when landing a gamble with his smooth success over C&D (good; cheekpieces added) three weeks ago; up 6lb but he beat a clear second last time and he's still unexposed at this sort of trip; big player.

2/1

1st

4

6th May 2026

Good To Soft

3m 2f 105y

Class 4

16:20 Newton Abbot

Supreme Yeats

11st 8lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Well handicapped on his Uttoxeter win (3m, good) last July but he's 0-9 since and has been out of sorts this year; has something to prove and he was pulled up in only go at this sort of trip; cheekpieces (last used in October) are reapplied.

10/1

8th

2

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 123y

Class 5

16:30 Bangor-on-Dee

Supreme Yeats

11st 13lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Dan Skelton

Arrives in no sort of form but he has been running over 2m and he's won over nearly 3m in the past; back up in trip and off a reduced mark, there's some cause for optimism.

10/1

Form: 554-52 CD

Last run: 20 days

W: 10st 9lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Well handicapped and looked booked for a return to winning ways at Market Rasen (2m7f, good) until reeled in late on; strongly considered on the back of that effort.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

6

26th Sep 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

15:52 Worcester

Halifax

11st 2lb

J: Conor Ring

T: Grace Harris

Best effort this term when second in this grade at Market Rasen (2m7f, good) on penultimate start; on last winning mark so holds a fighting chance from a handicapping perspective.

8/1

7

5th Sep 2025

Good

2m 7f 32y

Class 3

16:45 Bangor-on-Dee

Halifax

10st 9lb

J: Conor Ring

T: Grace Harris

Well handicapped and looked booked for a return to winning ways at Market Rasen (2m7f, good) until reeled in late on; strongly considered on the back of that effort.

3/1

2nd

7

16th Aug 2025

Good

2m 7f 16y

Class 4

19:28 Market Rasen

Halifax

11st 2lb

J: Conor Ring

T: Grace Harris

Back on same mark as Kempton win in May 2024 (3m, good); likely to be all the better for his latest run (first for 290 days); interesting.

8/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £73.40
Straight Forecast £67.10
Trifecta £520.90

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Supreme Yeats

SPOTLIGHT:

Halifax

Daily Mail:

Imperial Merlin

The Sun:

Imperial Merlin

POSTDATA:

Halifax

Telegraph:

Halifax

The Star:

Halifax

TOPSPEED:

Supreme Yeats

The Times:

Supreme Yeats

The Guardian:

Supreme Yeats

D Express:

Supreme Yeats

Daily Mirror:

Supreme Yeats

Daily Record:

Supreme Yeats