May 31 / 17.25 Nottingham

17.25

Good

£9 Racedays At Nottingham Racecourse Handicap

  • Prize money: £6542.5
  • 1m 0f 75y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
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£9 Racedays At Nottingham Racecourse Handicap

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

OUR TIP

3/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.50
  • Place: £1.90

Form: 300-57 D

Last run: 15 days

W: 9st 6lb

6 yo Colt

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
6lb lower than when winning at Haydock last summer (1m, good to firm); two creditable runs in defeat this season and he now drops in class.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

(2)

31st May 2026

Good

1m 0f 75y

Class 5

17:25 Nottingham

Leadenhall

9st 6lb

J: James Sullivan

T: Tim Easterby

6lb lower than when winning at Haydock last summer (1m, good to firm); two creditable runs in defeat this season and he now drops in class.

3/1

7th

14

(2)

16th May 2026

Good

0m 7f 218y

Class 3

16:47 Thirsk

Leadenhall

8st 7lb

J: Duran Fentiman

T: Tim Easterby

Ended 2025 in poor form but he built up a head of steam to take a late fourth on his recent Pontefract return (1m, good); now 4lb lower than his Haydock win (1m, good to firm) last August so weighted to be competitive.

9/1

12

(11)

9th May 2026

Good

1m 0f 75y

Class 4

15:25 Nottingham

Leadenhall

8st 12lb

J: Sean Kirrane

T: Tim Easterby

Now 4lb lower than for his win at Haydock (1m, good to firm) last summer and he wasn't beaten far on his reappearance at Pontefract (1m, good) ten days ago; should get a decent tow into this race and has claims if he can build on that last run.

7/1

7/1

  • Place: £2.70

Form: 54-193 D

Last run: 81 days

W: 9st 6lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Won two AW handicaps (7f/8.6f) over the winter; the handicapper may have caught up now and she still has to prove she can be as effective on turf.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

(7)

31st May 2026

Good

1m 0f 75y

Class 5

17:25 Nottingham

Penelope Valentine

9st 6lb

J: Cieren Fallon

T: James Owen

Won two AW handicaps (7f/8.6f) over the winter; the handicapper may have caught up now and she still has to prove she can be as effective on turf.

7/1

3rd

4

(4)

11th Mar 2026

Standard

1m 0f 13y

Class 4

18:45 Southwell (AW)

Penelope Valentine

9st 2lb

J: Hector Crouch

T: James Owen

Two wins in a lower grade this winter (7f and 8.6f); not beaten far at Lingfield 12 days ago but she will need to produce a career best to take this.

6/1

9th

7

(9)

27th Feb 2026

Standard

0m 7f 1y

Class 2

14:42 Lingfield (AW)

Penelope Valentine

9st 0lb

J: Luke Morris

T: James Owen

Three wins, including C&D, since joining James Owen last summer; far too strong for her five rivals at Wolverhampton last month (8.6f) but that was only Class 5 and she will need more to follow up in this stronger race off a 6lb higher mark.

9/2

Form: 006-94 CD

Last run: 24 days

W: 9st 5lb

6 yo Colt

OR: 71

Form & Verdict
C&D winner; 5lb lower than for his last success; ran a solid race on this month's return to turf at Windsor; one to consider.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

(4)

31st May 2026

Good

1m 0f 75y

Class 5

17:25 Nottingham

Great Blasket

9st 5lb

J: Jack Doughty

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

C&D winner; 5lb lower than for his last success; ran a solid race on this month's return to turf at Windsor; one to consider.

5/1

4th

5

(11)

7th May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 0f 31y

Class 5

15:27 Windsor

Great Blasket

9st 6lb

J: Saffie Osborne

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Bagged a pair of 1m handicaps at Chepstow and Sandown last summer; failed to fire on the AW over the winter but yard is going well so he could bounce back returned to turf after a break.

7/1

9th

3

(6)

26th Jan 2026

Standard

1m 1f 104y

Class 5

19:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Great Blasket

9st 11lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Course winner (8.6f) who has dropped 2lb below his last winning mark, but his four efforts since returning to the AW in Sepember leave plenty to be desired.

33/1

Form: 861624 CD

Last run: 13 days

W: 8st 10lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 62

Form & Verdict
Saw off 14 rivals when narrowly winning over C&D last month (Class 6); also went close in a Class 6 at Leicester this month but either side of that he was unplaced in Class 5 events; others preferred for the win.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

(3)

31st May 2026

Good

1m 0f 75y

Class 5

17:25 Nottingham

The Sweet Escape

8st 10lb

J: Saffie Osborne

T: David Loughnane

Saw off 14 rivals when narrowly winning over C&D last month (Class 6); also went close in a Class 6 at Leicester this month but either side of that he was unplaced in Class 5 events; others preferred for the win.

4/1

4th

8

(2)

18th May 2026

Good

0m 7f 219y

Class 5

14:40 Redcar

The Sweet Escape

9st 3lb

J: William Pyle

T: David Loughnane

Battled well for narrow win at Nottingham (8.3f, good) last month and probably bettered that performance when very close second at Leicester (1m, good to firm) nine days ago; respected in current form.

13/2

2nd

5

(4)

9th May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 0f 53y

Class 6

20:25 Leicester

The Sweet Escape

9st 6lb

J: Rowan Scott

T: David Loughnane

Finally opened his account at Nottingham (1m) in April but failed to back it up when sixth at Ripon (1m) two weeks ago; needs to get back on track.

5/1

Form: 834-90 D

Last run: 23 days

W: 8st 9lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 61

Form & Verdict
Ended 2025 with two good runs but he has been well short of that level in two runs this year, a wind op before the latest making no difference; tongue tie returns; risky despite his reduced mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

7

(5)

31st May 2026

Good

1m 0f 75y

Class 5

17:25 Nottingham

Bass Player

8st 9lb

J: William Pyle

T: Kevin & Lauren Frost

Ended 2025 with two good runs but he has been well short of that level in two runs this year, a wind op before the latest making no difference; tongue tie returns; risky despite his reduced mark.

20/1

11th

9

(8)

8th May 2026

Good To Soft

1m 1f 170y

Class 5

19:45 Ripon

Bass Player

8st 11lb

J: William Pyle

T: Kevin Frost

First win was on turf (7f) and last two have been on Tapeta (8.6f); reached the frame in two starts at Wolverhampton in December but he had a major blip there the following month; had another wind operation since and needs a major revival after four months off.

12/1

4/1

Form: 2/237-

Last run: 319 days

W: 9st 9lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 75

Form & Verdict
Promise in AW novices and again when third of ten at Doncaster on her handicap debut last June (7f, good); disappointed at Yarmouth the following month and absent since; has undergone wind surgery during his layoff; drops in class, up in trip and tongue tied for his return; still has potential.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

(6)

31st May 2026

Good

1m 0f 75y

Class 5

17:25 Nottingham

Stardancer

9st 9lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Clive Cox

Promise in AW novices and again when third of ten at Doncaster on her handicap debut last June (7f, good); disappointed at Yarmouth the following month and absent since; has undergone wind surgery during his layoff; drops in class, up in trip and tongue tied for his return; still has potential.

4/1

5

(4)

16th Jul 2025

Good To Firm

0m 7f 3y

Class 4

20:40 Yarmouth

Stardancer

9st 8lb

J: Finley Marsh

T: Clive Cox

Improved with each of three 6f races and it looked more a case of just needing the run than lack of stamina when a close third of ten on handicap debut at Doncaster (7f, good) in June; respected off the same mark.

11/4

3rd

10

(10)

6th Jun 2025

Good

0m 7f 6y

Class 4

19:50 Doncaster

Stardancer

9st 1lb

J: P J McDonald

T: Clive Cox

Runner-up in two 6f Southwell (AW) novice races during the winter, latterly behind a subsequent Listed winner; makes handicap debut after a five-month break but could have untapped potential over 7f.

6/1

Form: 958-13 D

Last run: 19 days

W: 9st 2lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 68

Form & Verdict
Blinkers have helped him this spring, seeing off five rivals at Bath (1m, firm) last month and then finishing close up in third back at Bath (1m2f, firm) 19 days ago; returning to a mile can help and Mason Paetel's claim is a useful one.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

5

(1)

31st May 2026

Good

1m 0f 75y

Class 5

17:25 Nottingham

Prodigal Son

9st 2lb

J: Mason Paetel

T: Heather Main

Blinkers have helped him this spring, seeing off five rivals at Bath (1m, firm) last month and then finishing close up in third back at Bath (1m2f, firm) 19 days ago; returning to a mile can help and Mason Paetel's claim is a useful one.

9/2

3rd

4

(4)

12th May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 2f 37y

Class 5

16:23 Bath

Prodigal Son

9st 5lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Heather Main

Travelled well in the new blinkers over 1m here recently (firm) and got the job done by just over a length; has stamina to prove over this longer trip and no guarantees the headgear will work a second time.

7/2

1st

5

(2)

29th Apr 2026

Firm

1m 0f 0y

Class 5

18:20 Bath

Prodigal Son

9st 0lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Heather Main

He's dropped down the weights and was a close fifth at Wolverhampton (7f, AW) last November on his penultimate start; however, a lesser run followed (6f, AW) to make it 0-7 and there's a stamina question to answer on his reappearance; first-time blinkers replace cheekpieces.

11/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £18.50
Straight Forecast £19.68
Trifecta £84.40

Selections

TOPSPEED:

The Sweet Escape

SPOTLIGHT:

Leadenhall

LAMBOURN:

Prodigal Son

Telegraph:

Stardancer

NEWMARKET:

Penelope Valentine

D Express:

Great Blasket

POSTDATA:

The Sweet Escape

The Times:

The Sweet Escape

Daily Mirror:

The Sweet Escape

Daily Record:

The Sweet Escape

RP RATINGS:

Leadenhall

The Sun:

Leadenhall

The Star:

Leadenhall