August 06 / 15.25 Catterick

15.25

Good To Firm

Hugh James Handicap

  • Prize money: £4187.2
  • 1m 7f 189y
  • Class 6
  • 9 runners
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Hugh James Handicap

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Scattered showers

11/2 (Won)

  • Win: £8.60
  • Place: £2.00

Form: -74023 C

Last run: 14 days

W: 9st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 57

Form & Verdict
Course winner who has run well in defeat the last twice, most recently third at Musselburgh (2m, good; Zephlyn second); solid claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

(5)

9th Jul 2025

Good

1m 7f 189y

Class 6

16:20 Catterick

Myboymax

9st 7lb

J: Aiden Brookes

T: Micky Hammond

Has won twice here (including over C&D); three places behind Cosmic Soul when fifth of eight over C&D (good) last month; no improvement with blinkers reinstated (retained) at Nottingham 13 days ago; needs to show improvement.

12/1

3rd

5

(2)

26th Jun 2025

Good To Firm

1m 6f 0y

Class 5

17:07 Nottingham

Myboymax

8st 11lb

J: Aiden Brookes

T: Micky Hammond

Catterick regular who was fifth of eight runners there 16 days ago when behind Morandi Second; that race wasn't run to suit and his previous effort there was better; the return of blinkers is no bad thing.

16/1

33/1

  • Place: £16.00

Form: 6007-7 C

Last run: 52 days

W: 8st 9lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 45

Form & Verdict
Fair fourth over hurdles last October but he's struggled subsequently, including on the Flat at Bath two starts ago.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13

11th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 194y

Class 5

12:35 Hereford

Robeam

10st 2lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Michael Mullineaux

Dual hurdle winner in 2022; placed twice on the AW this autumn but his last two Flat runs were disappointing and this chasing debut will be his 82nd career start; 3lb out of the weights; too risky.

66/1

7/1

  • Place: £2.30

Form: 450-22 C

Last run: 193 days

W: 8st 11lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 47

Form & Verdict
11yo whose losing sequence is up to 25 but he was runner-up on AW (1m6f/1m4f) on his two starts this January, following a break, and can be in the mix if resuming where he left off; has won here, and over 2m.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

9

(1)

27th Feb 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 5f 66y

Class 6

19:00 Chelmsford (AW)

The Resdev Way

9st 4lb

J: Joanna Mason

T: Michael & David Easterby

towards rear

8/1

8th

4

(5)

31st Jan 2025

Standard

1m 4f 14y

Class 6

19:30 Southwell (AW)

The Resdev Way

9st 9lb

J: Joanna Mason

T: Michael & David Easterby

raced wide, never better than midfield

5/2

8th

4

(5)

31st Jan 2025

Standard

1m 4f 14y

Class 6

19:30 Southwell (AW)

The Resdev Way

9st 9lb

J: Joanna Mason

T: Michael & David Easterby

raced wide, never better than midfield

5/2

OUR TIP

3/1

Form: 221752 D

Last run: 14 days

W: 9st 9lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 59

Form & Verdict
Won at Southwell (2m, AW) in March and, while he's 0-12 on turf, he went very close when returning to form at Musselburgh (2m, good) a fortnight ago; bang there if backing up that latest performance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

2

(2)

26th Aug 2026

Good

1m 5f 192y

Class 6

15:45 Catterick

Zephlyn

9st 11lb

J: Jason Hart

T: Ewan Whillans

Won back-to-back 2m handicaps here in May of last year and those were off higher marks; however, recent efforts leave him with much to prove.

7/1

6th

4

(4)

4th Aug 2026

Good

1m 7f 189y

Class 6

15:15 Catterick

Zephlyn

9st 5lb

J: Jason Hart

T: Ewan Whillans

Dual C&D winner last May, the most recent coming off a 7lb higher mark than today's; failed to beat a rival home here in May and he was pulled up over hurdles when last seen 52 days ago; bit to prove after those efforts.

5/1

3

13th Jun 2026

Good

2m 0f 48y

Class 5

13:42 Hexham

Zephlyn

11st 13lb

J: William Maggs

T: Ewan Whillans

Below par on the AW this year and again failed to fire when last of five on the Flat at Carlisle (2m, good to firm) two weeks ago; however, his earlier fourth on handicap hurdle debut at Perth (2m4f, good) was more encouraging and gives him a chance of making the frame now down in trip.

10/1

Form: 531442 C BF

Last run: 27 days

W: 9st 7lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 57

Form & Verdict
Has a good record here and was third in this last year; won here (1m6f, good to soft) this May and runner-up over today's C&D (soft) last time; seems versatile ground-wise; could play a leading role.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

(2)

19th Oct 2024

Soft

1m 5f 192y

Class 5

13:30 Catterick

Lord Torranaga

9st 2lb

J: William Pyle

T: Philip Kirby

prominent

12/1

7th

1

(10)

2nd Oct 2024

Good To Soft

1m 7f 189y

Class 6

15:23 Catterick

Lord Torranaga

9st 11lb

J: Connor Beasley

T: Philip Kirby

1m6f course winner; not quite at his best here last time, having raced freely when second over C&D prior to that; a similar effort to that penultimate start would give him claims.

9/2

5th

3

(9)

6th Aug 2024

Good To Firm

1m 7f 189y

Class 6

15:25 Catterick

Lord Torranaga

9st 7lb

J: Connor Beasley

T: Philip Kirby

Has a good record here and was third in this last year; won here (1m6f, good to soft) this May and runner-up over today's C&D (soft) last time; seems versatile ground-wise; could play a leading role.

11/4

Form: 120/43

Last run: 13 days

W: 9st 3lb

6 yo Filly

OR: 53

Form & Verdict
Her last win came in a 3m2f handicap hurdle last June and she was a fair third of seven behind a highly progressive winner on the Flat at Salisbury (1m6f, good to firm) a fortnight ago; might not be far away.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

21st Oct 2024

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 5

17:30 Plumpton

Baby Sham

10st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Seamus Mullins

midfield, dropped to rear 8th, detached 5 out, pulled up before 4 out

12/1

9th

12

24th Sep 2024

Good

3m 1f 166y

Class 5

15:05 Fontwell

Baby Sham

10st 2lb

J: Oscar Palmer

T: Seamus Mullins

midfield

16/1

10th

16

7th Sep 2024

Good

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

16:12 Stratford

Baby Sham

10st 2lb

J: Oscar Palmer

T: Seamus Mullins

Won twice over hurdles in spring 2023 (2m4f/3m2f) but has lost her way in this sphere and, although she made the frame on the Flat in July, she makes only limited appeal from 11lb out of the weights here.

33/1

7/2

Form: 7794-2

Last run: 145 days

W: 9st 6lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 56

Form & Verdict
Lightly raced on the Flat and runner-up at Southwell (1m3f, AW) in March on last start in this code; she did well in juvenile hurdles last season and has potential off this modest Flat mark if tapping into her hurdling ability now up in trip; interesting.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

22nd Aug 2026

Good To Firm

2m 0f 167y

Class 4

16:52 Newton Abbot

Max Of Stars

11st 11lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Ollie Pears

Front-runner; C&D record reads 111244, albeit Arctic Voyage beat her 11l here in July and she finished 27l fourth in this race last year; back on her last winning mark, but vulnerable to less exposed types.

10/1

5th

1

(2)

5th Aug 2026

Good To Firm

1m 2f 5y

Class 6

14:45 Pontefract

Max Of Stars

11st 2lb

J: Miss Chelsea Brooks

T: Ollie Pears

Multiple hurdle winner over 2m-2m1f who is 1-6 on turf in this code (1m4f win on soft); below her best in both codes across her last two starts but if able to reproduce her Ripon effort from mid-June (1m4f, good) then she could come into this over a shorter trip but a much stiffer track.

5/1

4th

3

(2)

24th Jul 2026

Good

1m 4f 8y

Class 6

16:53 Thirsk

Max Of Stars

9st 5lb

J: Harry Russell

T: Ollie Pears

Seven-time hurdle winner who is 1-11 on the Flat; faded back over hurdles at Newton Abbot three weeks ago but she was runner-up at Ripon (1m4f, good) last month, and that was a bold bid after wind surgery; has claims on that form and she's in the mix back in this sphere.

7/2

Form: 9-8888

Last run: 26 days

W: 8st 9lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 45

Form & Verdict
Running well in low-grade chases this year but has struggled off this basement mark back on the Flat the last twice; major turnaround needed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

11

29th Aug 2026

Good

2m 5f 34y

Class 5

17:05 Cartmel

Fast Deal

10st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Michael Chapman

His last two starts were better than his first two this year, but he still needs much more and is 5lb out of the handicap.

100/1

6th

8

15th Aug 2026

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 5

19:34 Market Rasen

Fast Deal

10st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Michael Chapman

Sole win in 68 career starts did at least come over fences but he's not in much form and 10lb out of the weights.

40/1

6th

10

20th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

2m 5f 34y

Class 5

16:47 Cartmel

Fast Deal

10st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Michael Chapman

Well beaten on both starts this year (3m1f/2m3f) and makes no appeal from 10lb out of the handicap.

100/1

40/1

Form: 3479-0

Last run: 57 days

W: 8st 9lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 45

Form & Verdict
A couple of fair efforts on AW in early 2023 but form went the wrong way subsequently; tailed off at Pontefract in June after an absence.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

8

(8)

6th Aug 2024

Good To Firm

1m 7f 189y

Class 6

15:25 Catterick

Third Avenue

8st 9lb

J: Mark Winn

T: Andrew Crook

A couple of fair efforts on AW in early 2023 but form went the wrong way subsequently; tailed off at Pontefract in June after an absence.

40/1

13th

13

(3)

10th Jun 2024

Good To Firm

2m 1f 27y

Class 6

20:00 Pontefract

Third Avenue

8st 9lb

J: William Pyle

T: Andrew Crook

Nearly three years since Irish win; far from solid on his form for current yard and lacks recent match practice (absent for eight months).

50/1

9th

7

(6)

9th Oct 2023

Standard

1m 5f 219y

Class 6

18:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Third Avenue

9st 3lb

J: Josephine Gordon

T: Andrew Crook

Has generally struggled since a couple of absences and this summer's work was poor under both codes; would be a surprise winner.

33/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £164.70
Straight Forecast £428.35
Tricast £7893.40
Trifecta £5008.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Lord Torranaga

RP RATINGS:

Max Of Stars

The Guardian:

The Resdev Way

The Times:

Zephlyn

THE NORTH:

Myboymax

D Express:

Baby Sham

The Star:

Max Of Stars

Daily Record:

Max Of Stars

POSTDATA:

Lord Torranaga

Telegraph:

Lord Torranaga

The Sun:

Lord Torranaga

Daily Mail:

The Resdev Way

Daily Mirror:

The Resdev Way