December 05 / 14.50 Southwell

14.50

Good To Soft

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  • Prize money: £4224.8
  • 3m 0f 60y
  • Class 4
  • 5 runners
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Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

Form: 2532-F

Last run: 27 days

W: 12st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Fell in one of three Irish points and again two out on chase debut at Warwick last month when held in second; however he shaped well when runner-up in a competitive race for the grade on handicap hurdle debut at Newbury in March (3m, soft) and should go well if none the worse for the fall.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

10

17th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 177y

Class 4

17:12 Ffos Las

Howaya Now

11st 3lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Richard J Bandey

prominent, pressed leaders 11th, led 14th, jumped right from 4 out, kept on but headed towards finish

15/2

2nd

10

17th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 177y

Class 4

17:12 Ffos Las

Howaya Now

11st 3lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Richard J Bandey

Won 2m6f maiden hurdle at Exeter but minimal impact in handicaps since and fifth of six finishers at Wincanton recently; dam was a 3m-4m chase winner, though, so this second start over fences could offer a way forward.

15/2

OUR TIP

Form: 322P2- BF

Last run: 225 days

W: 11st 13lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Very useful 3m hunter chase form under Ben Sutton for previous connections; acts well on testing surfaces but he hasn't run over hurdles since late 2019 and he came on for his reappearance in January, albeit after a longer layoff than today's.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

2nd May 2025

Good

4m 0f 97y

Class 4

19:30 Cheltenham

Drop Flight

12st 1lb

J: Mr Ben Sutton

T: S Loxton

Ran well in only one of six hurdling starts for Dan Skelton last season and, having rejoined Sam Loxton, was pulled up in a hunter chase in February; last of three finishers in 4m point last month; revival needed.

25/1

4

2nd May 2025

Good

4m 0f 97y

Class 4

19:30 Cheltenham

Drop Flight

12st 1lb

J: Mr Ben Sutton

T: S Loxton

Ran well in only one of six hurdling starts for Dan Skelton last season and, having rejoined Sam Loxton, was pulled up in a hunter chase in February; last of three finishers in 4m point last month; revival needed.

25/1

Form: 211141 D

Last run: 13 days

W: 11st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Having a fine spell in staying hurdles, perhaps finding good to firm ground too quick for him two starts ago but looking in very good heart when ridden more patiently than usual for his latest win at Ffos Las in November (3m, soft); raised further 6lb but may well be up to the task.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

25th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 32y

Class 4

15:00 Bangor-on-Dee

Classic Concorde

11st 10lb

J: Harry Atkins

T: David Brace

Veteran who is on a losing run but ran well enough for a long way in a Class 2 handicap at Chepstow two months ago (2m7f, good to soft) to command respect at this lower level; goes well on this ground.

6/1

10th

1

11th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 131y

Class 4

17:10 Chepstow

Classic Concorde

12st 0lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: David Brace

Won twice over C&D in 2023-24 season and ran well when fourth over C&D in February but this 12yo is far too inconsistent to rely upon nowadays, and has been absent since two heavy defeats in the spring.

20/1

5

24th Apr 2025

Good

3m 1f 0y

Class 3

15:37 Warwick

Classic Concorde

10st 13lb

J: Connor Brace

T: David Brace

Veteran who has proved far from consistent since winning a Pertemps qualifier at Chepstow 14 months ago; not the percentage call.

16/1

Form: 4-1687 C

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Had an excellent spell between November 2022 and May, when unbeaten in six races at about 2m4f on ground ranging from soft to good; has taken a wrong turn since, though, and the return to a staying trip was no good to him at Ffos Las last month; risky for now.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

30th May 2024

Good

2m 3f 83y

Class 4

15:00 Ffos Las

Blue Shark

11st 4lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Strike-rate of 6-17 over hurdles and the latest of those wins was off a 3lb higher mark; however, there's been pretty much nothing to take from his last five appearances and would appear to be going chasing under a cloud.

12/1

0

8

25th Jan 2024

Good

2m 4f 145y

Class 4

14:35 Huntingdon

Blue Shark

11st 10lb

J: James Smith

T: Jonjo O’Neill

Six wins between November 2022 and May 2023 included one over C&D (good); back to within 1lb of the final winning mark in that sequence, but too far below par the last four times to expect him to capitalise.

16/1

0

5

16th Dec 2023

Good

3m 1f 119y

Class 4

14:48 Hereford

Blue Shark

11st 10lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Jonjo O’Neill

Between November of last year and this May he won six times in seven starts (2m3f-2m4f); however, shot up the weights as a consequence and he's beaten only one finisher in his last three appearances; has stamina to prove.

12/1

Abandoned

Form: 13-113 BF

Last run: 18 days

W: 11st 1lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Has his own way of doing things but progressive at about 2m5f and that trip on an easy track looked inadequate when a close third of 12 finishers at Doncaster 18 days ago; has won on soft; good chance of staying the new trip and an interesting contender; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

3rd Oct 2025

Good

2m 7f 63y

Class 5

16:27 Hexham

Zwicky

12st 0lb

J: Joe Williamson

T: Philip Kirby

Won over fences at Sedgefield last autumn and kept on for creditable second of 12 behind Ocean Legacy when back over hurdles there (3m3f, good to soft) in February; absent since disappointing C&D run in March but resumes on a workable mark.

10/1

13th

3

13th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 63y

Class 5

17:00 Hexham

Zwicky

11st 9lb

J: Joe Williamson

T: Philip Kirby

towards rear

11/2

2nd

2

5th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

3m 3f 9y

Class 5

14:05 Sedgefield

Zwicky

12st 0lb

J: Joe Williamson

T: Philip Kirby

held up in last

7/2

Verdict

Howaya Now comes into it on his Newbury form in the spring but his recent chase fall was a heavy one and he needs to put that behind him. Classic Concorde hardly turned a hair when winning last time out and is also respected but ZWICKY gets the vote in receipt of weight all round. He doesn’t look the easiest of rides but stamina was very much in evidence when winning on Carlisle’s stiff track in October and his recent foray over 2m5f also suggested he can cope with this step up in trip.[Emily Weber]

Selections

POSTDATA:

Classic Concorde

SPOTLIGHT:

Zwicky

The Star:

Howaya Now

WEST COUNTRY:

Blue Shark

RP RATINGS:

Zwicky

TOPSPEED:

Zwicky

The Times:

Classic Concorde

Telegraph:

Classic Concorde

The Guardian:

Classic Concorde

Daily Mail:

Classic Concorde

D Express:

Classic Concorde

Daily Mirror:

Classic Concorde

The Sun:

Classic Concorde

Daily Record:

Classic Concorde