October 04 / 14.15 Huntingdon

14.15

Good

Skomal Memorial Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £4084.5
  • 1m 7f 171y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
RTV
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Skomal Memorial Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

Form: 215-25 D

Last run: 111 days

W: 11st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Good and bad since winning at odds of 1-3 in a novice hurdle at Newcastle in March; can't afford to be off his game if he's to defy the penalty here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

10

3rd Nov 2022

Good

2m 5f 55y

Class 4

17:19 Ludlow

Rock Legend

10st 13lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

1-7 over hurdles, the win coming in a small-field novice at Newcastle in March; no impact in two handicap runs and although he ran creditably at Fakenham last month, he could prove vulnerable once more; accessories added now upped in distance.

7/1

3rd

1

14th Oct 2022

Good

2m 0f 3y

Class 4

14:40 Fakenham

Rock Legend

11st 7lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

raced in second, pushed along after 3 out, lost second and well held 2 out

11/4

Form: 66

Last run: 86 days

W: 11st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Irish point winner but has finished tailed off in two runs over hurdles and handicaps beckon.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

15th Jun 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 5

17:27 Hexham

Artic Breeze

10st 12lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Lucinda Russell

Irish point winner (soft ground); placed on good to soft in both a 2m novice hurdle and a 3m novices' handicap chase at Market Rasen; well beaten and pulled up in two further starts; still early days and not written off from a workable mark.

16/1

6

21st May 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 5

19:28 Hexham

Artic Breeze

11st 0lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: Lucinda Russell

Eight-race rules maiden who needs to jump much better than when down the field at Ayr in February last time out; however, prior to that he was a fairly encouraging second on his chase and stable debut at Market Rasen on Boxing Day and he's not ruled out.

8/1

6

21st May 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 5

19:28 Hexham

Artic Breeze

11st 0lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: Lucinda Russell

Eight-race rules maiden who needs to jump much better than when down the field at Ayr in February last time out; however, prior to that he was a fairly encouraging second on his chase and stable debut at Market Rasen on Boxing Day and he's not ruled out.

8/1

Form: 44-

Last run: 200 days

W: 11st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Hooded for his first two runs at Doncaster (tongue-tie added the second time) and didn't look the easiest of rides on either occasion; has ability but it remains to be seen how he progresses.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

23rd Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 20y

Class 3

14:18 Perth

Bashers Reflection

10st 13lb

J: Jack Quinlan

T: Ben Case

Respectable strike-rate over hurdles; record of 0-6 since switched to fences but has place possibilities on most of that form.

11/2

6

23rd Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 20y

Class 3

14:18 Perth

Bashers Reflection

10st 13lb

J: Jack Quinlan

T: Ben Case

Respectable strike-rate over hurdles; record of 0-6 since switched to fences but has place possibilities on most of that form.

11/2

3rd

10

15th Mar 2025

Good

2m 4f 110y

Class 2

15:20 Kempton

Bashers Reflection

10st 2lb

J: Jack Quinlan

T: Ben Case

Record of 0-5 since switched to fences but turn looks near, having finished second at Wetherby and Newbury the last twice; however, needs some improvement to go one better in this stronger grade.

8/1

OUR TIP

Form: 2- BF

Last run: 213 days

W: 11st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Bought for £115,000 after finishing second to a good horse in his Irish point and he bumped into another in a soft-ground bumper at Newbury, with the two of them clear; promising hurdler/chaser in the making.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

16

18th Apr 2026

Soft

3m 7f 176y

Class 1

15:35 Ayr

Collectors Item

10st 13lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Won the Somerset National over an extended 3m2f at Wincanton in January 2025 and second in the Welsh National Trial at Chepstow in December this term; he also showed last season that he stays 3m4f but there have been too many disappointing shows in major long-distance handicaps for him to be greatly fancied for this one.

50/1

4

14th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

4m 2f 8y

Class 1

15:00 Uttoxeter

Collectors Item

11st 9lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Has a National in the bag already having captured the Somerset version over an extended 3m2f at Wincanton 14 months ago (good to soft; fine on softer), and best run since was his second in the Welsh National Trial in December; however, his form has dipped markedly on his last two starts, and his two runs over extreme distances have ended in disappointment.

20/1

4th

2

29th Jan 2026

Heavy

3m 1f 30y

Class 3

15:33 Wincanton

Collectors Item

12st 1lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Has contested some competitive staying chases since winning the Somerset National over 3m3f here last January and found only one too good in the Welsh National Trial in December; offered little when only 11-1 for the real thing over Christmas but capable of bouncing back from that; hasn't shone on heavy ground previously but he's effective on soft.

5/2

Form: 224P-7 BF

Last run: 152 days

W: 11st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Winning pointer; 0-9 under rules but there has been promise and for whatever reason he just didn't run his race in a handicap the last time; if better for a break he shouldn't be far away.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

14th May 2023

Good

1m 7f 169y

Class 4

14:35 Ludlow

Great HeartJac

11st 1lb

J: Paddy Brennan

T: Fergal O’Brien

Fair hurdler/chaser who was 2-5 over fences last season; not at best at Ayr last month but will be suited by today's trip/ground and has pretty good chance at the weights on this hurdling return; cheekpieces added.

11/4

4th

4

21st Apr 2023

Good To Soft

2m 0f 110y

Class 3

16:10 Ayr

Great HeartJac

11st 2lb

J: Paddy Brennan

T: Fergal O’Brien

Two small-field wins at Leicester (2m, good to firm/good) from his first three chase starts and again ran well when second of four at Market Rasen (2m1f, good to soft) 12 days ago; needs another step forward here but that's possible, especially if good ground prevails; tongue-tie goes on.

6/1

3

10th Apr 2023

Good

2m 3f 189y

Class 4

13:05 Huntingdon

Great HeartJac

11st 10lb

J: Jack Hogan

T: Fergal O’Brien

Going great guns in 2m handicap chases, winning two of first three starts (on good to firm/good); failed to find much in one 2m4f handicap but, as an Irish point winner, he should stay this far over fences; ran well when runner-up at Market Rasen yesterday.

100/30

Form: /31-23 D

Last run: 68 days

W: 11st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Newton Abbot bumper winner; ran okay behind the favourite on his hurdling debut but he finished tailed off at Stratford after pulling hard (also ran without a shoe); others appeal more.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

12th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 147y

Class 4

16:03 Hereford

Maxcel

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Mel Rowley

Won two in a row last June (2m) and he's much better than he showed in the Summer Hurdle at Market Rasen (2m) in July last time; unraced on worse than good to soft and unproven beyond 2m1f, having pulled hard when tailed off in 2022 on one attempt at an extended 2m2f.

10/1

Betting Forcast

5/1 Rock Legend, 66/1 Artic Breeze, 6/1 Bashers Reflection, 8/11 Collectors Item, 4/1 Great HeartJac, 16/1 Maxcel

Non-runners

Collectors Item

Verdict

Jonjo O’Neill’s COLLECTORS ITEM has chased home very promising horses in both his starts and this looks very winnable. Great Heart’Jac has had a break since failing to give his running the last time and, if back to his best, he could be a greater threat than Rock Legend.[Alistair Jones]

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Collectors Item

TOPSPEED:

Great Heart'Jac

The Times:

Bashers Reflection

The Sun:

Rock Legend

POSTDATA:

Great Heart'Jac

The Guardian:

Great Heart'Jac

Daily Mail:

Great Heart'Jac

Daily Express:

Great Heart'Jac

RP Ratings:

Collectors Item

WEST COUNTRY:

Collectors Item

Telegraph:

Collectors Item

Daily Mirror:

Collectors Item

The Star:

Collectors Item

Daily Record:

Collectors Item