October 29 / 15.00 Wetherby

15.00

Good To Soft

bet365 Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The West Yorkshire Hurdle) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £28475
  • 3m 0f 26y
  • Class 1
  • 6 runners
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bet365 Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The West Yorkshire Hurdle) (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

OUR TIP

7/2 (Won)

  • Win: £5.50
  • Place: £2.10

Form: 52F-37 C

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 143

Form & Verdict
Best hurdling effort when second to Indefatigable in this race last year and he's now 6lb better off with the winner; warmed up with a seventh of ten in handicap at Chepstow (first run for four months) three weeks ago and should be spot-on now; unlikely to be far away.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

1

17th Apr 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 213y

Class 2

15:50 Cheltenham

Proschema

12st 0lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

held up in rear, headway on outer after 2 out, outpaced approaching last, weakened run-in

8/1

8th

1

17th Apr 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 213y

Class 2

15:50 Cheltenham

Proschema

12st 0lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

held up in rear, headway on outer after 2 out, outpaced approaching last, weakened run-in

8/1

8/1

  • Place: £3.80

Form: 414P4- D

Last run: 203 days

W: 11st 8lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 154

Form & Verdict
9yo who was as good as ever towards the end of 2021, winning the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury; well below par on his last two outings and he'll need to be at his best to defy a penalty, but he's had wind surgery since last seen and can't be discounted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

2

13th Jan 2024

Soft

3m 0f 0y

Class 2

15:35 Warwick

Thomas Darby

11st 12lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Olly Murphy

Made his name over hurdles but he's 2-6 over fences and 3m on soft ground is right up his alley; it was quite comfortable when he accounted for Mill Green and Aye Right over C&D in November and a 4lb rise is not the end of the world; he's not your typical veteran chaser being so lightly raced in this discipline.

8/1

1st

2

22nd Nov 2023

Heavy

3m 0f 0y

Class 2

15:15 Warwick

Thomas Darby

11st 11lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

prominent, led 4th

5/1

Form: 11116- D

Last run: 227 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 146

Form & Verdict
Has served connections well with nine wins from 13 starts; thrived in small fields over fences last season before coming up short in 3m Grade 1 novice at the Cheltenham Festival; may get his own way in front back over hurdles but on the figures he has a bit to find with one or two of these.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

14th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 185y

Class 1

15:00 Ascot

Threeunderthrufive

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Two attempts in this race comprise a success in 2024 and close second last year, both off higher marks; however, has a doubt over current form and needs to stage a revival.

10/1

3

26th Apr 2025

Good

3m 4f 146y

Class 1

16:10 Sandown

Threeunderthrufive

11st 0lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Fourth in the 2023 Scottish National (4m, good); commendable efforts most starts since, for instance beaten a nose by Victtorino at Ascot (3m, good; 1lb higher today) in February, but this race last year was not one of them and neither was the Grand National three weeks ago.

16/1

3

26th Apr 2025

Good

3m 4f 146y

Class 1

16:10 Sandown

Threeunderthrufive

11st 0lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Fourth in the 2023 Scottish National (4m, good); commendable efforts most starts since, for instance beaten a nose by Victtorino at Ascot (3m, good; 1lb higher today) in February, but this race last year was not one of them and neither was the Grand National three weeks ago.

16/1

Form: P/141- D

Last run: 287 days

W: 11st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 154

Form & Verdict
Did well when switched back to hurdles from fences last season, winning handicaps at Cheltenham (3m, good) and Warwick (3m1f, soft); won a Grade 1 chase earlier in his career and looks well worth his place back in this higher grade; leading contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

2

20th May 2023

Good

2m 7f 70y

Class 2

19:05 Uttoxeter

Sporting John

11st 13lb

J: Aidan Coleman

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

in touch with leaders, headway after 8th, ridden after 3 out, weakened after 2 out

12/1

8th

4

1st May 2023

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 3

15:40 Kempton

Sporting John

11st 9lb

J: Aidan Coleman

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Grade 1 novices' chase winner in his prime; no trip/ground issues, but 21lb descent since pulling up in the Rowland Meyrick says plenty about a pretty poor 2022-23 season, including dropped to Class 3 latest.

14/1

4th

2

10th Apr 2023

Good To Soft

2m 7f 131y

Class 3

14:35 Chepstow

Sporting John

11st 10lb

J: Aidan Coleman

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Smart in his prime but has become disappointing this season; will find this much easier than Cheltenham Festival handicap hurdle he contested last month but he was never competitive there and now switches back to chasing with some questions to answer.

12/1

Form: 3453P- D

Last run: 203 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 139

Form & Verdict
Competed over fences last season, running a cracker when third in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival (3m1f, good to soft; bled from the nose, not for the first time) in March; in and out otherwise and he doesn't have an obvious chance at these weights on his first hurdle run since April 2021.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

22nd Apr 2023

Good To Soft

3m 0f 20y

Class 2

13:50 Ayr

Oscar Elite

11st 11lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Joe Tizzard

Has plenty of chasing experience for a novice and chose a good day to open his account in this discipline when beating two rivals in the Grade 2 Reynoldstown at Ascot (3m, good to soft); it was not his first notable effort at the Festival when fifth in a very warm opening-day staying handicap (soft) won by Corach Rambler; solid credentials back in novice company.

9/2

5th

17

14th Mar 2023

Soft

3m 1f 0y

Class 1

14:50 Cheltenham

Oscar Elite

10st 12lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Joe Tizzard

Runner-up in the 3m Albert Bartlett in 2021 and another rock-solid Festival run when third to Corach Rambler in this race last year (good to soft; when 1lb lower) especially as he bled from the nose; hard to catch on a good day since but was his best self when winning a three-runner Grade 2 novice at Ascot in February and ought to be set fair to go well.

11/1

1st

4

18th Feb 2023

Good

2m 7f 180y

Class 1

13:50 Ascot

Oscar Elite

11st 2lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Joe Tizzard

Point winner in his younger days but he's 0-8 over rules fences and has a question mark over current form; useful on his day (finished third in last season's Ultima) but needs to stage a revival.

8/1

Form: 623F2- CD

Last run: 189 days

W: 11st 1lb

9 yo Mare

OR: 145

Form & Verdict
Durable 9yo who was as good as ever last season, beating Proschema decisively in this race; a respectable fifth of eight on the Flat 12 days ago should have blown away the cobwebs and, while a 6lb penalty makes her task tougher this time around, she should make a bold bid to follow up.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

11th Feb 2023

Good

2m 5f 0y

Class 1

14:05 Warwick

Indefatigable

11st 8lb

J: Daryl Jacob

T: Paul Webber

led before 2 out, pressed leader when headed 2nd, lost two places 6th, ridden after 8th, went third before 2 out, stayed on but no match for first two

20/1

5

4th Feb 2023

Good To Soft

2m 7f 98y

Class 1

14:55 Sandown

Indefatigable

11st 12lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Paul Webber

An admirable mare over many seasons but she has failed to beat a rival in her two runs this term and looked badly out of sorts last time.

33/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £46.80
Straight Forecast £42.50
Trifecta £86.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Sporting John

TOPSPEED:

Proschema

The Times:

Indefatigable

D Express:

Oscar Elite

RP Ratings:

Sporting John

WEST COUNTRY:

Sporting John

Telegraph:

Sporting John

The Guardian:

Sporting John

Daily Mail:

Sporting John

Daily Mirror:

Sporting John

Daily Record:

Sporting John

The Star:

Indefatigable

POSTDATA:

Proschema

The Sun:

Proschema