13.35
HeavyBetMGM Kingwell Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race)
- Prize money: £41608
- 1m 7f 50y
- Class 1
- 4 runners
Runners: 4 runners
Type: Hurdle Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Cloudy
4/6 (Won)
- Win: £1.50
Form: 8-2113 D BF
Last run: 56 days
W: 11st 8lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 148
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3rd 1 |
9th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 4f 0y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Acts on any ground; good strike-rate includes wins in the Greatwood and Kingwell this season; ties in with Brighterdaysahead and The New Lion on Champion Hurdle running where a late blunder cost him ground when challenging for the places; has form at up to 2m3f; remains a progressive sort. |
8/1 |
|
4th 1 |
10th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 2m 0f 87y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Acts on any ground; impressive in major handicap over C&D in November; made harder work of justifying favouritism in the Kingwell (1m7f Grade 2) at Wincanton most recently, wandering under pressure to boot, and this is a stiffer assignment, but he's a broadly progressive contender who is 5-9 over hurdles and may rate higher still; possibilities in a year where some big names have dropped out. |
16/1 |
|
1st 2 |
14th Feb 2026 Heavy 1m 7f 50y Class 1 |
11st 8lb |
Upwardly mobile 6yo who completed a double in the Greatwood at Cheltenham (2m, soft) in November and was creditable third under topweight in another valuable handicap at Ascot (1m7f, good to soft) in December; now steps up into a Grade 2 event but he sets the standard on his latest form and is open to more progress; leading contender. |
4/6 |
7/4
Form: 5-5113 CD
Last run: 50 days
W: 11st 10lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: 149
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4th 3 |
25th Apr 2026 Good 2m 5f 110y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Form dipped in Cheltenham Festival handicap returned to fences last time; multiple Grade 2 winner but has raced mostly at about 2m and isn't crying out for this step back up in trip; first go beyond a sharp 2m4f. |
14/1 |
|
3 |
11th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 1m 7f 199y Class 1 |
11st 7lb |
Listed/Grade 2 wins over hurdles this term; goes back over fences for the first time since last May and he's 1-5 in this sphere, the win coming in a Grade 2 novice last February; sixth of 15 off this mark in the Scottish Champion Hurdle in April 2024 when he last tackled a handicap; may be vulnerable. |
16/1 |
|
2nd 1 |
14th Feb 2026 Heavy 1m 7f 50y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Front-runner who is 2-3 since returned to hurdles from fences, winning races at Kempton (Listed) and Wincanton (Elite Hurdle) that he also took in 2023 and 2024; held in a 9l third at Kempton on Boxing Day but that was behind Sir Gino in a Grade 1 and he's strongly respected on this drop back in class; most of his wins have been on good ground but he's effective on soft. |
7/4 |
7/1
Form: /3F1F- D BF
Last run: 371 days
W: 11st 4lb
7 yo Gelding
OR: 133
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5th 6 |
18th Apr 2026 Soft 2m 0f 0y Class 1 |
10st 6lb |
Just two starts this season and down the field in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham last month; however, prior to that he was a creditable third of four in the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton (1m7f, heavy) and he was a progressive handicapper last term (various ground); not discounted. |
7/1 |
|
19th 23 |
13th Mar 2026 Good 2m 0f 179y Class 1 |
10st 5lb |
Won a valuable handicap hurdle at Windsor (2m, soft) last winter and probably would have been placed in two others but for falling at the last; showed more than enough to think he retains all of his ability when third of four to Alexei in the Grade 2 Kingwell at Wincanton (1m7f, heavy) on reappearance four weeks ago; entitled to come on for that. |
12/1 |
|
3rd 4 |
14th Feb 2026 Heavy 1m 7f 50y Class 1 |
11st 4lb |
Overall record of 5-12, including three wins at around 2m over hurdles (good to soft/soft); his last win was at Windsor last January but he fell at the last in a major handicap at Newbury the following month and has been on the sidelines since; has something to prove after a year off and this looks tough on the figures. |
7/1 |
33/1
Form: /3-133 D
Last run: 169 days
W: 11st 4lb
6 yo Colt
OR: 140
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
7th 4 |
5th Apr 2026 Good 1m 7f 195y Class 2 |
11st 11lb |
Flat and jumps winner for Joseph O'Brien; it's not been an easy start for current yard, finishing last in the Grade 2 Kingwell (50-1) and then well down the field when 100-1 for the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham; has something to prove all of a sudden. |
100/1 |
|
19th 12 |
13th Mar 2026 Good 2m 4f 56y Class 2 |
11st 6lb |
Flat and jumps winner for Joseph O'Brien; ran according to market expectations (rank outsider of four) in the Kingwell Hurdle on return from layoff and debut for new stable; drops back in class but needs to prove he's still capable of reproducing best Irish form. |
66/1 |
|
4th 3 |
14th Feb 2026 Heavy 1m 7f 50y Class 1 |
11st 4lb |
Flat, chase and dual hurdle winner for Joseph O'Brien but he was out of sorts under both codes in his final two runs in Ireland; now returns to hurdling for new yard and this is a daunting task after 139 days off; blinkers worn last time are removed. |
33/1 |
+o+e Accumulators
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | £2.10 |
| Straight Forecast | £2.44 |
| Trifecta | £2.50 |