October 29 / 16.25 Ascot

16.25

Good To Soft

Grundon Waste Management Conditional Jockeys’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £6753.04
  • 2m 3f 58y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
SKY
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Grundon Waste Management Conditional Jockeys’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

OUR TIP

11/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.50
  • Place: £1.40

Form: 2223-1 D

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 6lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Placed in two good-quality bumpers last season (one here) and delivered on earlier hurdling promise when making all on recent handicap debut at Stratford (2m2f, good); the bare form of his win isn't anything to go wild about but he probably has more in the locker; good chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

22nd Mar 2026

Soft To Heavy

3m 0f 150y

16:37 Limerick

Dream In The Park

11st 3lb

J: Calum Hogan

T: E McNamara

Dual hurdles winner whose chase win came in 2m2f handicap here last season (yielding-to-soft); not at that level of form so far this term, reportedly coughing when very disappointing in attempting repeat win here at Christmas; cheekpieces now tried and upped in trip.

13/2

3rd

1

26th Oct 2025

Yielding

2m 6f 111y

14:00 Galway

Dream In The Park

12st 0lb

J: Calum Hogan

T: E McNamara

Two wins in Britain in October 2022; off the mark over fences at Limerick last Christmas; was entitled to need the run over hurdles here in July, likely to be sharper now; stablemate Hees Dynamite is more appealing.

12/1

7/2

  • Place: £2.00

Form: 5U313-

Last run: 189 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Came good over hurdles in Plumpton maiden in April and stayed on for good third in valuable novices' handicap at Sandown (also 2m, good) later that month; resumes on the same mark and ought to have untapped potential over today's longer trip; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

3

6th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

19:42 Fontwell

Alto Alto

11st 11lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Chris Gordon

All of his five wins have been gained at Plumpton but he's been well held at that track (2m1f/2m4f) in last three runs; now 9lb lower than for his last success but that that was 14 months ago and others are preferred.

8/1

3rd

1

19th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 166y

Class 5

14:17 Plumpton

Alto Alto

12st 0lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Chris Gordon

All his five victories have been gained here but he arrives under a cloud, last of five in 2m1f handicap chase here last month; yard is back among the winners though so not totally dismissed.

11/2

5th

3

16th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 219y

Class 4

14:45 Plumpton

Alto Alto

11st 13lb

J: Freddie Gordon

T: Chris Gordon

All five wins on this track, over hurdles and fences (good and soft); ran his best race for a while over C&D last month, but soundly beaten when last of four finishers (odds-on) here since; reservations now.

11/4

Form: 4-42

Last run: 10 days

W: 10st 9lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Made the frame in Taunton bumper on rules debut in April and bettered underwhelming hurdle debut when second of six behind short-odds winner at Fontwell (2m3f, good) ten days ago; can probably improve again in handicaps on slower ground; impossible to rule out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 136y

Class 4

14:50 Chepstow

Camulus

11st 6lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Won his final two starts last season and he made it 3-8 over fences when completing a hat-trick over 3m1f at Wincanton (the vet reported he was treated for post-race ataxia) on his comeback in February; up another 4lb but he seems versatile ground-wise and is open to more progress as a staying chaser; key player.

5/2

1st

4

14th Feb 2026

Heavy

3m 1f 30y

Class 4

16:00 Wincanton

Camulus

11st 2lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Made his breakthrough in a chase handicap at Leicester (2m6f, soft) last January and he completed a double at Taunton (2m7f, good to soft) the following month; has been absent since then but he still looks feasibly treated and should have more to offer in this sphere; needs a close look on comeback.

7/2

Form: 111 D

Last run: 15 days

W: 12st 1lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
Fair Flat-racer who is 3-3 since switched to hurdling; went up 9lb for recent handicap success at Fakenham (2m4f, good) but he did that pretty easily, and promising conditional Daire McConville claims a useful 8lb here; will be a tough nut to crack if coping with today's slower ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

(2)

18th Feb 2025

Standard

1m 5f 219y

Class 6

18:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Sophosc

9st 5lb

J: Ryan Kavanagh

T: Ian Williams

It's now 15 runs since his last success but this course winner posted a solid third of ten over C&D 17 days ago; he's one for the shortlist.

9/2

3rd

7

(1)

1st Feb 2025

Standard

1m 5f 219y

Class 6

17:10 Wolverhampton (AW)

Sophosc

9st 5lb

J: Charles Bishop

T: Ian Williams

Winner of 12 races under rules including two here, but losing run up to 16 and he ran poorly at this venue (1m4f) a fortnight ago; enough to prove.

12/1

Form: 0325-P

Last run: 33 days

W: 10st 4lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 96

Form & Verdict
0-7 over hurdles; placed twice on slow ground at start of this year (2m/1m7f) and may not have been suited by the good ground when pulled up on last month's seasonal debut, but others in this line-up have much more appealing profiles.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

7

16th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 189y

Class 5

17:20 Uttoxeter

Universal Secret

11st 4lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Helen Nelmes

In excellent form over fences since undergoing a second breathing operation, scoring at Wincanton (2m4f) in February before a clear second of seven over that C&D last month; up 2lb but that form is working out well so he's a big player.

5/2

2nd

6

1st Apr 2026

Good

2m 4f 35y

Class 5

16:20 Wincanton

Universal Secret

10st 6lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Helen Nelmes

Pulled up in his first two starts this season but he returned after another wind operation with a win over C&D (good to soft; tongue-tie added; Hatos second) in February; up 6lb but he remains feasibly treated and has claims if he can back up that last run.

100/30

1st

6

25th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 4f 35y

Class 5

15:50 Wincanton

Universal Secret

10st 6lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: Helen Nelmes

Went close here (about 2m, good to soft) in December 2024 but he's 0-9 over fences and his two runs this term have been troubling; has his first start following wind surgery, with a tongue-tie joining the cheekpieces of latest start; needs a revival.

25/1

Form: 222

Last run: 30 days

W: 10st 11lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Second on all three hurdling starts; it's tricky to nail down what he achieved behind wide-margin, odds-on winners in small fields on two of those occasions but his run in a 12-runner Uttoxeter maiden (2m4f, good) in between looks a fairly solid piece of form; open to improvement in handicaps.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

19th Aug 2023

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 5

19:00 Market Rasen

Harry dAlene

12st 0lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: D J Jeffreys

pressed leader early, prominent from 1st, dropped to last with one circuit to go

9/2

2

20th May 2023

Good

2m 7f 70y

Class 5

17:35 Uttoxeter

Harry dAlene

11st 10lb

J: Finn Lambert

T: D J Jeffreys

Safely held in handicaps at Ascot (2m3f) and Cheltenham (2m5f) in the autumn and not seen again since but returns in an easier race and is well worth keeping an eye on in the betting.

9/1

12th

18

11th Nov 2022

Good To Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 3

13:10 Cheltenham

Harry dAlene

10st 6lb

J: Finn Lambert

T: D J Jeffreys

All four runs have been on good ground; made his debut in late August and was runner-up at about this trip over hurdles on first three starts; last of six, however, on handicap debut at Ascot (2m3f) 13 days ago and needs to bounce back from that.

28/1

Form: 5211-7 BF

Last run: 2 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Ended last season with two good-ground handicap wins in April (both 2m4f); should be okay on today's slower surface and is open to further improvement; due to reappear at Worcester (5.20) on Thursday.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

9th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 16y

Class 3

16:23 Market Rasen

Hardy Boy

11st 10lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

C&D winner last August and his close fourth at Cheltenham three runs back was his best form yet; soft ground was no good to him on final appearance; nothing wrong with his mark.

12/1

4th

4

9th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 16y

Class 3

16:23 Market Rasen

Hardy Boy

11st 10lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

C&D winner last August and his close fourth at Cheltenham three runs back was his best form yet; soft ground was no good to him on final appearance; nothing wrong with his mark.

12/1

9th

9

29th Nov 2024

Soft

3m 0f 52y

Class 3

15:40 Newbury

Hardy Boy

10st 12lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Ready winner over 2m7f at Market Rasen in August and he ran at least as well in defeat at Cheltenham in October but he has his share of weight now and soft ground has not been helpful so far.

14/1

Form: -12S44

Last run: 23 days

W: 10st 10lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Gained clearcut success at Southwell (2m4f, good) in May (first run after second wind op) and also ran well when fourth at Worcester (2m4f, good) this month; effective on slower ground and recent 2lb drop helps but, after 18 hurdle starts, he's the most exposed runner in this field.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

31st May 2025

Good

2m 6f 7y

Class 5

21:00 Stratford

Rare Clouds

11st 12lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Dan Horsford

Seems versatile regarding ground and has slipped to a workable mark but was inconsistent for Simon Earle last year and fell quite heavily on last month's stable debut; others look safer.

20/1

4

31st May 2025

Good

2m 6f 7y

Class 5

21:00 Stratford

Rare Clouds

11st 12lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Dan Horsford

Seems versatile regarding ground and has slipped to a workable mark but was inconsistent for Simon Earle last year and fell quite heavily on last month's stable debut; others look safer.

20/1

8

15th Apr 2025

Good

3m 0f 60y

Class 4

16:25 Southwell

Rare Clouds

11st 6lb

J: James Best

T: Dan Horsford

Landed good prize at Wincanton (2m5f, heavy) in early 2024 and also has a good-ground course win on his CV; signed off for Simon Earle with poor run in December but makes stable debut from a workable mark; not ruled out.

16/1

Non-runners

Hardy Boy, Rare Clouds

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £7.20
Straight Forecast £7.76
Tricast £22.31
Trifecta £24.40

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Dream In The Park

TOPSPEED:

Alto Alto

WEST COUNTRY:

Hardy Boy

Telegraph:

Sophosc

The Star:

Camulus

POSTDATA:

Dream In The Park

Daily Mirror:

Dream In The Park

Daily Record:

Dream In The Park

The Guardian:

Hardy Boy

The Times:

Alto Alto

Daily Mail:

Alto Alto

D Express:

Alto Alto

The Sun:

Sophosc