January 17 / 16.05 Ascot

16.05

Good To Soft

BetMGM EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle (Qualifier) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £13202.5
  • 2m 5f 146y
  • Class 3
  • 9 runners
SKY
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BetMGM EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle (Qualifier) (GBB Race)

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

9/1 (Won)

  • Win: £15.90
  • Place: £3.10

Form: 2-

Last run: 302 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Brother to the same connections' useful 2m3f/3m hurdle winner Ed Keeper and made a promising start when second of five in Ffos Las bumper (good ground; 5-2) last spring; related to lots of winners over jumps and he's respected on hurdling debut after ten months off; fitted with a tongue-strap.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

16th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

15:30 Ffos Las

Whiskey Yankee

11st 12lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Sam Thomas

Showed that stamina is his strong suit on hurdling debut at Ascot (2m5f, soft) in January, battling on well to win by over 2l, and fared much better than Lon Chaney when fifth in Haydock Grade 2 (3m, good to soft) last month, despite a sketchy round of jumping; obvious contender.

4/7

5th

10

14th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 58y

Class 1

14:40 Haydock

Whiskey Yankee

11st 2lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Sam Thomas

Runner-up in sole bumper and won warm novice at Ascot (2m5f, soft) last month when wearing a first-time tongue-tie (retained) on hurdle debut; his talented brother Ed Keeper (same connections) was at his best over 3m and this bright prospect could play another leading role now up in trip/grade.

15/2

1st

9

17th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 146y

Class 3

16:05 Ascot

Whiskey Yankee

11st 2lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Sam Thomas

Brother to the same connections' useful 2m3f/3m hurdle winner Ed Keeper and made a promising start when second of five in Ffos Las bumper (good ground; 5-2) last spring; related to lots of winners over jumps and he's respected on hurdling debut after ten months off; fitted with a tongue-strap.

9/1

OUR TIP

9/4

  • Place: £1.20

Form: 531

Last run: 38 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Has shown promise all three starts; was third to a useful rival at Sandown on hurdling debut, and his Hereford win (2m3f, good to soft) last month is already working out well; should be suited by the further step up in distance; yard won this race in 2019 and 2020 (no runners since); big chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

2

18th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 5f 91y

Class 2

16:15 Ayr

Laguna Beach

11st 10lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

Pulled up on handicap debut at Sandown (2m4f, soft) last month but that was the competitive EBF Final; promising previously, finishing first at Hereford (2m3f, good to soft) and second at Ascot (2m5f, soft); with a top trainer and could bounce back with a big performance.

12/1

4

7th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 3f 178y

Class 1

13:50 Sandown

Laguna Beach

11st 11lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

Hereford win (2m3f, good to soft) worked out well and he might have followed up at Ascot (2m5f, soft) with a more fluent round of jumping; still unexposed and not ruled out.

9/1

2nd

2

17th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 146y

Class 3

16:05 Ascot

Laguna Beach

11st 8lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

Has shown promise all three starts; was third to a useful rival at Sandown on hurdling debut, and his Hereford win (2m3f, good to soft) last month is already working out well; should be suited by the further step up in distance; yard won this race in 2019 and 2020 (no runners since); big chance.

9/4

4/1

  • Place: £1.80

Form: 515 D

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Bought for £130,000 after Irish point win last March, and he got up late on over hurdles at Kempton (2m5f, good) in November; made further progress when a close fifth in Grade 2 novice at Cheltenham (3m, good to soft) five weeks ago; going the right way and should be thereabouts again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

4

14th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 3

13:50 Uttoxeter

Kasino Des Mottes

11st 10lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Irish point winner who got off the mark over hurdles, on his second attempt, at Kempton (2m5f, good) in November; has dipped his toe into a couple of Grade 2 novice events since without success and makes his handicap debut; still unexposed but drop in trip may not be in his favour.

9/1

8th

3

14th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 58y

Class 1

14:40 Haydock

Kasino Des Mottes

11st 2lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Joe Tizzard

Won at Kempton (2m5f, good) in November on second hurdle start before 5l fifth of seven in Grade 2 at Cheltenham (3m, good to soft) and solid third in warm Ascot novice (2m5f, soft); needs something extra today.

14/1

3rd

1

17th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 146y

Class 3

16:05 Ascot

Kasino Des Mottes

11st 8lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Bought for £130,000 after Irish point win last March, and he got up late on over hurdles at Kempton (2m5f, good) in November; made further progress when a close fifth in Grade 2 novice at Cheltenham (3m, good to soft) five weeks ago; going the right way and should be thereabouts again.

4/1

Form: P

Last run: 69 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
No promise when pulled up on hurdling debut at Ffos Las (stablemate Mymilkman was also well held); hard to fancy.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

14th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

15:10 Fontwell

Betgoodwin

11st 12lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Chris Gordon

Beaten a long way by the winner in a C&D handicap a few weeks ago in which the market leaders came to grief and he didn't achieve much; not many miles on the clock given his age, however.

4/1

2nd

5

22nd Feb 2026

Soft

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

15:50 Fontwell

Betgoodwin

11st 0lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Chris Gordon

Still very unexposed but didn't show any significant promise in three maiden/novice hurdles (2m4f-2m5f) and connections have a much more obvious chance with Local Derby.

16/1

10th

4

2nd Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 4

14:02 Kempton

Betgoodwin

11st 5lb

J: Freddie Gordon

T: Chris Gordon

Twice-raced 7yo who has poor claims on form.

100/1

Form: 17

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Form: 1

Last run: 48 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Form: 6P

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Form: 233-22 BF

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
More experienced than most of these and he keeps giving his running, beaten off only on the run-in when second of four in novice at Doncaster (2m3f, good to soft) five weeks ago; should be winning before long and he's not ruled out here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

21st Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

16:38 Ffos Las

Uptown Dandy

11st 12lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Delivered on earlier promise when winning C&D (heavy) maiden last month, recovering well from slow jump at third-last flight; ran to fairly useful level that day but probably needs to improve again to land this prize.

11/2

1st

6

1st Mar 2026

Heavy

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

14:30 Ffos Las

Uptown Dandy

11st 7lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Pulled up after significant mid-race jumping error at Ascot six weeks ago but was runner-up on first two hurdling starts (2m3f, soft/good to soft), and his bumper form suggests he'll be well suited by the forecast heavy ground here; probably won't be far away.

5/2

8

17th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 146y

Class 3

16:05 Ascot

Uptown Dandy

11st 2lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

More experienced than most of these and he keeps giving his running, beaten off only on the run-in when second of four in novice at Doncaster (2m3f, good to soft) five weeks ago; should be winning before long and he's not ruled out here.

8/1

Non-runners

Mymilkman

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £56.00
Straight Forecast £40.40
Trifecta £230.50

Selections

TOPSPEED:

The Burren Man

SPOTLIGHT:

Laguna Beach

RP RATINGS:

Kasino Des Mottes

Daily Mail:

Minella Marathon

LAMBOURN:

The Burren Man

Telegraph:

The Burren Man

The Guardian:

The Burren Man

D Express:

The Burren Man

Daily Mirror:

The Burren Man

The Sun:

The Burren Man

The Star:

The Burren Man

The Times:

Laguna Beach

Daily Record:

Laguna Beach

POSTDATA:

Kasino Des Mottes