May 22 / 14.10 Ffos Las

14.10

Good

Vickers.Bet Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £4224.8
  • 2m 4f 0y
  • Class 4
  • 7 runners
SKY
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Vickers.Bet Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

7/2 (Won)

  • Win: £2.25
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 11544- BF

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 1lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Won two bumpers before making a winning hurdle debut at Worcester in October (2m, good); no improvement since but looked as though worth a crack at 2m4f when fourth at Perth in April; still has time to do better.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

2nd Jun 2025

Good

2m 4f 139y

Class 2

15:25 Market Rasen

Letterston Lady

11st 1lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Mickey Bowen

Has returned from a good absence in fine form and the mare she beat narrowly over 2m7f here last month won at Stratford on Saturday; this 7yo has to go well again off 4lb higher.

3/1

4

2nd Jun 2025

Good

2m 4f 139y

Class 2

15:25 Market Rasen

Letterston Lady

11st 1lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Mickey Bowen

Has returned from a good absence in fine form and the mare she beat narrowly over 2m7f here last month won at Stratford on Saturday; this 7yo has to go well again off 4lb higher.

3/1

1st

7

9th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 16y

Class 3

16:23 Market Rasen

Letterston Lady

11st 1lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Mickey Bowen

Has won two bumpers, a novice hurdle and a 2m4f handicap (on good); close third, and closing, after a mammoth absence at Ffos Las three weeks ago (2m4f, soft); needs to avoid the 'bounce' but every chance otherwise.

11/2

7/2

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 4035-R CD

Last run: 4 days

W: 11st 5lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
In good order in 2022, following a good run at Uttoxeter with easy C&D win last June; patchy since and he blotted his copybook when refusing to race last week, veering left as the tape went up; cheekpieces now reached for; has the ability to figure but there are risks involved.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

2

1st Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 1y

Class 3

16:20 Fakenham

Watergrange Jack

11st 11lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

prominent, lost ground after 2nd, dropped to last after 4th, detached before 4 out, weakened before 2 out

9/2

5th

2

1st Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 1y

Class 3

16:20 Fakenham

Watergrange Jack

11st 11lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

prominent, lost ground after 2nd, dropped to last after 4th, detached before 4 out, weakened before 2 out

9/2

7

26th Oct 2024

Good

3m 2f 39y

Class 2

15:55 Kelso

Watergrange Jack

10st 7lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Neil Mulholland

Unseated early last time at Perth; it was an ordinary handicap by Class 2 standards that he won at Worcester (2m4f, good) the time before but that was all very straightforward as he jumped well out in front; could catch some of these cold from a fitness perspective.

12/1

OUR TIP

Form: 45224- D

Last run: 28 days

W: 12st 2lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Not prolific but running well this spring; is feasibly weighted and has suitable conditions so no obvious reason why he wouldn't make a bold bid back down into a Class 4.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

2nd May 2026

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 3

15:50 Uttoxeter

Whatsupwithyou

12st 1lb

J: Elliott England

T: Ben Pauling

Grand servant to the yard with five wins in this sphere, the latest at Ascot (2m5f, soft) in December off 2lb lower; well held since and it's hard to see him being able to give weight away to these younger rivals.

10/1

5th

4

29th Mar 2026

Good

2m 5f 146y

Class 3

17:25 Ascot

Whatsupwithyou

11st 10lb

J: Elliott England

T: Ben Pauling

Veteran who is usually ridden these days by Elliott England, including for a 2m5f Ludlow win last February and a C&D win (4lb higher today) in December; 33-1 when tailed off at Kempton five weeks ago but no shock if he surges back to form today in search of his third C&D win.

12/1

7th

4

21st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 3

13:10 Kempton

Whatsupwithyou

11st 3lb

J: Elliott England

T: Ben Pauling

Veteran who goes well for Elliott England, gaining his second success for this rider in conditionals' event at Ascot (2m5f, soft) in December; no obvious reason why he won't be thereabouts again but he'll need more off 5lb higher.

9/1

Form: 15/P-

Last run: 143 days

W: 11st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
Won 2m2f conditions event at Fontainebleau (very soft) on racecourse debut in November 2021; struggled in two runs for this yard, including when 66-1 for handicap debut in December (3m, good to soft); dropped 5lb but not easily recommended.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

22nd May 2023

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

14:10 Ffos Las

Invictus Smart

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Neil Mulholland

Won 2m2f conditions event at Fontainebleau (very soft) on racecourse debut in November 2021; struggled in two runs for this yard, including when 66-1 for handicap debut in December (3m, good to soft); dropped 5lb but not easily recommended.

7/1

8

30th Dec 2022

Good

2m 7f 198y

Class 3

14:45 Taunton

Invictus Smart

11st 6lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Neil Mulholland

Bought for £200,000 after winning on his debut in France 13 months ago; tongue-strap worn then left off when he was tailed off at Market Rasen in March; aid returns for handicap debut but lot to prove; up in trip.

14/1

Form: 62/31-

Last run: 359 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Got off the mark at the 12th attempt when landing a 2m maiden hurdle at Punchestown last May; sold for £30,000 three days later and absent since; betting useful.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

3

26th Jun 2024

Good

2m 0f 110y

Class 4

14:23 Worcester

Showbusiness

11st 6lb

J: Alan Johns

T: Tim Vaughan

Sold out of Gordon Elliott's in May 2022 but he's had only four races since; started his chase career with a good second at Chepstow (2m, soft) in November but he's been tailed off in both runs since and has plenty to prove again.

20/1

3

30th May 2024

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

15:35 Ffos Las

Showbusiness

11st 8lb

J: Alan Johns

T: Tim Vaughan

Sold out of Gordon Elliott's in May 2022; has had only three races since, all last year with far and away the best of those when second on chase debut at Chepstow (2m, soft) in November on penultimate start; no ground worries on good or soft and he has a strong chance if returning on song.

7/1

7th

8

27th Dec 2023

Good To Soft

2m 0f 11y

Class 3

15:25 Chepstow

Showbusiness

11st 5lb

J: Alan Johns

T: Tim Vaughan

Ex-Irish 6yo; well beaten over hurdles on stable debut in May but, following a break, made good start to chasing career when clear second over C&D (soft) last month; nudged up only 1lb for that and will be a very tough nut to crack if in similar form.

7/2

Form: 34312/ D BF

Last run: 543 days

W: 11st 5lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Won selling hurdle on final run for Paul Nicholls (November 2021) and ran to a similar level on stable debut two weeks later; absent for 534 days prior to a modest run in a seller on the Flat nine days ago; that may have sharpened him up but he's still not easy to recommend.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

5

22nd May 2023

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

14:10 Ffos Las

Celestial Force

11st 5lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Christian Williams

Won selling hurdle on final run for Paul Nicholls (November 2021) and ran to a similar level on stable debut two weeks later; absent for 534 days prior to a modest run in a seller on the Flat nine days ago; that may have sharpened him up but he's still not easy to recommend.

10/1

4th

1

(3)

13th May 2023

Heavy

1m 3f 179y

Class 4

18:10 Leicester

Celestial Force

10st 2lb

J: Ben Curtis

T: Christian Williams

Hasn't run on the Flat since 2019 and hasn't been seen since being turned over as favourite in a claiming hurdle 18 months ago; has run well on this sort of ground, though, and Ben Curtis is a positive booking.

3/1

Form: /1PUP-

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 114

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

3

3rd Apr 2025

Good

2m 0f 214y

Class 5

13:55 Plumpton

Stony Man

11st 5lb

J: Sean Clarke

T: Robbie Llewellyn

held up in rear, outpaced and detached 5th, struggling 7th, pulled up before 2 out

4/1

3

3rd Apr 2025

Good

2m 0f 214y

Class 5

13:55 Plumpton

Stony Man

11st 5lb

J: Sean Clarke

T: Robbie Llewellyn

held up in rear, outpaced and detached 5th, struggling 7th

4/1

6th

4

16th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 98y

Class 5

16:47 Chepstow

Stony Man

11st 11lb

J: Sean Clarke

T: Robbie Llewellyn

Maiden hurdle winner; has failed to go on from a respectable first run over fences and left former yard for £4,000 before finishing tailed off on stable debut at Market Rasen two months ago; the tongue-tie tried there is absent this time with cheekpieces retained.

16/1

Non-runners

Stony Man

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £4.60
Straight Forecast £5.44
Trifecta £8.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Whatsupwithyou

Daily Mirror:

Showbusiness

D Express:

Letterston Lady

The Star:

Invictus Smart

Telegraph:

Celestial Force

The Sun:

Showbusiness

Daily Record:

Showbusiness

RP RATINGS:

Whatsupwithyou

TOPSPEED:

Whatsupwithyou

POSTDATA:

Whatsupwithyou

WEST COUNTRY:

Whatsupwithyou

The Times:

Whatsupwithyou

The Guardian:

Whatsupwithyou

Daily Mail:

Whatsupwithyou