September 27 / 16.40 Ripon

16.40

Good To Soft

Thank You To Our Groundstaff Novice Stakes (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £5234
  • 1m 4f 10y
  • Class 5
  • 4 runners
SKY
View Course
Thank You To Our Groundstaff Novice Stakes (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

OUR TIP

Form: 4/242-

Last run: 367 days

W: 9st 11lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Useful form in four French runs for Andre Fabre, posting an RPR of 94 when narrowly beaten over 1m4f on final run last September (heavy; effective on good to soft); difficult to know what form he'll be in after an absence but he sets the standard.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

16th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 125y

Class 5

12:18 Market Rasen

Drivers Pick

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Donald McCain

Struggled on heavy ground last month but his first two hurdle runs (good/good to soft) were quite promising and his fairly useful French Flat form suggests he could be on a good mark for this handicap hurdle debut.

7/1

7

16th Oct 2025

Good

2m 1f 33y

Class 4

14:32 Carlisle

Drivers Pick

10st 13lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

Well beaten on last month's stable debut on the Flat when back from a year off, but he may have needed the run and he was fairly useful in that code when trained in France; brings potential to this first hurdle start.

4/1

1

(1)

27th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

1m 4f 10y

Class 5

16:40 Ripon

Drivers Pick

9st 11lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Donald McCain

Useful form in four French runs for Andre Fabre, posting an RPR of 94 when narrowly beaten over 1m4f on final run last September (heavy; effective on good to soft); difficult to know what form he'll be in after an absence but he sets the standard.

11/8

Form: 1

Last run: 36 days

W: 9st 6lb

3 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
50,000gns yearling; won a muddling four-runner novice at Hamilton (1m3f, good to firm), flooring the long odds-on favourite who had been close up in a Listed race the time before; unwise to take that form at face value but probably the safest option here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

10

(11)

9th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

1m 6f 0y

Class 1

14:30 Bath

Aequitas

9st 0lb

J: Daniel Tudhope

T: David O’Meara

Out of a modest but very well-connected French 1m4f winner; began career with wins in four-runner novice races at Hamilton (1m3f, good to firm) in August and Ripon (1m4f, good) 12 days ago; has more on her plate here but it's very hard to gauge the limit of her ability.

10/1

2

(3)

27th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

1m 4f 10y

Class 5

16:40 Ripon

Aequitas

9st 6lb

J: Daniel Tudhope

T: David O’Meara

50,000gns yearling; won a muddling four-runner novice at Hamilton (1m3f, good to firm), flooring the long odds-on favourite who had been close up in a Listed race the time before; unwise to take that form at face value but probably the safest option here.

4/5

Form:

Last run:

W: 9st 4lb

3 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
20,000gns yearling; fifth foal; closely related to a winner in Spain; dam placed 1m4f (68), sister to useful 7f-2m Flat and 2m hurdle winner Mirsaale; market can guide as to expectations.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

25th May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 7f 171y

Class 5

14:35 Huntingdon

Knighton

11st 5lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Only four completed when second on his handicap debut at Ludlow (2m) but the winner was a Pauling-trained favourite; that was his first run on good ground as a jumper.

4/5

2nd

5

19th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 169y

Class 4

15:20 Ludlow

Knighton

10st 11lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Fairly close second of four in 1m4f Ripon novice (good) in sole start on the Flat last September; getting the hang of things in three qualifying starts over hurdles, on the last two occasions on soft ground in a hood; that aid is discarded but he brings potential to this handicap debut and warrants respect.

7/2

Form: 32-960

Last run: 33 days

W: 8st 13lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Former stablemate of Driver's Pick when trained in France but wasn't of his ability; left Andre Fabre for 6,000gns and was tailed off on British debut at Southwell (1m).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

(1)

19th May 2026

Standard

2m 0f 56y

Class 6

14:30 Newcastle (AW)

Stitching Wheel

9st 9lb

J: Zoe Lewis

T: Chris Grant

Trainer not saddled a Flat winner in around six years; this maiden has tumbled down the handicap since joining from Andre Fabre and needs to improve on this spring's turf efforts.

16/1

7th

1

(8)

11th May 2026

Good

1m 4f 13y

Class 6

16:30 Catterick

Stitching Wheel

9st 9lb

J: Paul Mulrennan

T: Chris Grant

Displayed early promise in France but unable to make an impact on her two runs this spring and she needs to raise her game.

20/1

7th

7

(7)

25th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

15:00 Ripon

Stitching Wheel

9st 1lb

J: Alistair Rawlinson

T: Chris Grant

Displayed early promise on the Flat in France but hasn't shown much since coming to Britain, including back on the Flat at Catterick (1m4f) 17 days ago; up markedly in trip now with a tongue-tie added.

33/1

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Aequitas

RP RATINGS:

Aequitas

POSTDATA:

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The Times:

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Telegraph:

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The Guardian:

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Daily Mail:

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D Express:

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Daily Mirror:

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The Sun:

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The Star:

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Daily Record:

Aequitas