December 28 / 13.24 Leicester

13.24

Heavy

Four Calling Birds Selling Hurdle

  • Prize money: £4356.8
  • 2m 4f 110y
  • Class 4
  • 5 runners
RTV
View Course
Four Calling Birds Selling Hurdle

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

OUR TIP

Abandoned

Form: /32-12

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 5lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Steady type in handful of hurdle starts at up to 2m4f and successfully dropped to this level at Stratford in November (2m2f, soft); has run well in claiming company since (first-time cheekpieces, discarded today); should have solid claims again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

1

21st Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 0f 53y

Class 5

12:28 Hereford

Iddergem

12st 0lb

J: David Noonan

T: Claire Dyson

Won two selling hurdles for Olly Murphy last season but struggled (albeit on heavy ground) in two handicaps for new stable in February and returns from ten-month break with a lot to prove.

20/1

12th

1

21st Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 0f 53y

Class 5

12:28 Hereford

Iddergem

12st 0lb

J: David Noonan

T: Claire Dyson

Won two selling hurdles for Olly Murphy last season but struggled (albeit on heavy ground) in two handicaps for new stable in February and returns from ten-month break with a lot to prove.

20/1

5th

1

22nd Feb 2024

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:45 Lingfield

Iddergem

12st 0lb

J: David Noonan

T: Claire Dyson

Competitive at plating level this winter for Olly Murphy, winning two sellers; heavy ground was no excuse last week when tailed off in a handicap on stable debut; blinkers return in place of cheekpieces but he's 3lb lower in future.

12/1

Form: 34P-25 D

Last run: 13 days

W: 11st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Form ebbs and flows over fences but he is suited by 2m4f, he acts on testing ground and it's possible the drop in class and return to hurdles will do the trick; well held in first-time blinkers in April, now tries cheekpieces.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

10th Oct 2024

Good

2m 3f 48y

Class 5

16:43 Exeter

Fakir

11st 4lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

towards rear, reminders after 1st, not fluent and cajoled along 2nd, outpaced 9th

5/1

4th

5

8th Sep 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 104y

Class 4

16:15 Fontwell

Fakir

10st 13lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

prominent, awkward jump 2nd, not fluent 11th, bad mistake and 2nd, lost ground 3 out, not fluent 2 out, weakened approaching last

7/2

Form: 22-44F

Last run: 11 days

W: 11st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Should be nailed on for a race at this level if repeating his best 2m form this year but he found little at about 2m2f in May and stamina questioned on first attempt beyond that trip; came a right cropper early in the race at Southwell only 11 days ago.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

3

(2)

18th May 2026

Good

1m 6f 32y

Class 5

15:30 Carlisle

Swinging London

9st 4lb

J: Ray Dawson

T: John Mackie

Five wins on AW, including at Southwell (1m6f) last time; may remain competitive but looks by no means guaranteed to follow up, being 0-15 in Flat turf events; just 1-20 over hurdles.

6/1

1st

3

(2)

23rd Apr 2026

Standard

1m 6f 21y

Class 5

18:00 Southwell (AW)

Swinging London

9st 7lb

J: Finley Marsh

T: John Mackie

Dual C&D winner; beaten 2l when fourth of six here last month and he was unfortunate not to go even closer when fourth of 12 at Pontefract (1m4f, good to soft; short of room late on) 16 days ago; switches back to the AW with a good chance.

7/4

4th

3

(7)

7th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

1m 4f 5y

Class 5

16:27 Pontefract

Swinging London

9st 7lb

J: Connor Beasley

T: John Mackie

Returned to the Flat with respectable fourth of six at Southwell (1m4f, AW) last month but is still 3lb higher than for narrow AW win last autumn, and his Flat turf strike-rate is 0-14.

10/1

Form: -37PP6

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Looked likely to get off the mark at Newton Abbot in July 2022 (2m2f, good) but he fell two out and has achieved little since, including in a claimer latest (first-time blinkers, retained); has it to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

10

29th Mar 2025

Good

2m 6f 7y

Class 5

16:50 Stratford

Tip Top Tonto

10st 8lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Alison Thorpe

In April last year he won a Fakenham handicap off 4lb higher but there's been nothing positive to take out of his last four races.

40/1

8th

7

30th Oct 2024

Good

2m 4f 1y

Class 5

12:50 Fakenham

Tip Top Tonto

11st 1lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Alison Thorpe

Won off 1lb higher over C&D (good) for the Newland/Insole stable in April but both runs for John and Rhys Flint this season were very disappointing and he was tailed off for latest new trainer this month; the return to this track is a big plus but it still takes a leap of faith to support him.

25/1

8th

7

30th Oct 2024

Good

2m 4f 1y

Class 5

12:50 Fakenham

Tip Top Tonto

11st 1lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Alison Thorpe

Won off 1lb higher over C&D (good) for the Newland/Insole stable in April but both runs for John and Rhys Flint this season were very disappointing and he was tailed off for latest new trainer this month; the return to this track is a big plus but it still takes a leap of faith to support him.

25/1

Form: 1178-5

Last run: 53 days

W: 11st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Won consecutive handicaps at 2m1f and 2m3f (both on good) for Gary Moore in 2022 but off the track for nearly a year before finishing remote for new yard at Huntingdon last month; in theory he's the pick of the weights but needs to show he retains his ability.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

3

10th Jan 2024

Heavy

1m 7f 113y

Class 4

13:40 Leicester

Vorashann

11st 10lb

J: Joe Anderson

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

Four-time hurdle winner for Gary Moore (always at Fontwell) and will be very hard to beat if anywhere his best form here but, following a ten-month layoff, was beaten about 28l when fifth in this grade for new stable at Huntingdon in November; needs that outing to have done him good; has won on soft ground but his record on heavy is not persuasive.

7/1

5th

6

5th Nov 2023

Good To Soft

1m 7f 171y

Class 4

12:30 Huntingdon

Vorashann

11st 0lb

J: Dylan Whelan

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

prominent, weakened 2 out

5/1

Verdict

Swinging London is respected on his 2m form but there is a query about his stamina for this new trip with the ground so testing, and whether he can put a recent heavy fall behind him. Stablemate IDDERGEM has a less obvious chance at the weights but has proved consistent since switched to hurdles and may be able to give the weight away. Fakir has had his ups and downs over fences but is another to consider now back hurdling.[Emily Weber]