December 06 / 13.35 Fontwell

13.35

Good To Soft

Country Inns – Pubs, Restaurants & Rooms Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £4683.56
  • 2m 5f 164y
  • Class 5
  • 8 runners
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Country Inns – Pubs, Restaurants & Rooms Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

8/1 (Won)

  • Win: £6.10
  • Place: £2.00

Form: /0-324

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 11lb

5 yo Mare

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Some improvement since switched to hurdles; beaten 20l when runner-up to an odds-on favourite here (2m1f maiden) on penultimate start; tackles a new trip on this handicap debut with stamina reserves questionable on pedigree; safer options lie elsewhere.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

5

19th Aug 2024

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

17:00 Worcester

Alexandra Romanov

11st 11lb

J: Marc Goldstein

T: Sheena West

Three wins over hurdles but was pulled up at Fontwell (2m6f, good) in May following a six-month break; still 4lb above her last winning mark and steps up in trip; best watched.

12/1

3

26th May 2024

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 4

15:50 Fontwell

Alexandra Romanov

11st 12lb

J: Marc Goldstein

T: Sheena West

Dual winner over hurdles, including over C&D, but twice held since making a winning return at Warwick (2m5f, good) last September; still 5lb above her last winning mark and not seen in seven months, but she is proven fresh; not dismissed easily.

5/1

3

26th May 2024

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 4

15:50 Fontwell

Alexandra Romanov

11st 12lb

J: Marc Goldstein

T: Sheena West

prominent, weakened after 3 out, pulled up before 2 out

5/1

16/1

  • Place: £2.00

Form: 660-74

Last run: 16 days

W: 10st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Fared okay on last month's handicap debut when a staying-on seventh of ten here (2m1f, soft; 28-1) but took a backward step when upped in trip at Uttoxeter (2m4f) next time; still relatively early days so shouldn't be written off yet despite competing from just outside of the handicap proper.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

12th Jun 2024

Good

2m 3f 29y

Class 5

16:43 Fontwell

Hesbehindyou

10st 2lb

J: Philip Armson

T: Andy Irvine

Lightly raced 8yo; 0-10 over hurdles; never threatened when a staying-on sixth of 12 over 2m5f at this course last month, so the drop down in trip would be of a slight concern; others make more appeal.

16/1

6th

11

10th May 2023

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

19:15 Fontwell

Hesbehindyou

10st 7lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Andy Irvine

0-9 over hurdles; kept on well for second over C&D (good; several flights omitted) on Boxing Day and is effectively 5lb lower today but this year's form has been underwhelming and others have more pressing claims.

16/1

7th

12

27th Feb 2023

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 5

14:30 Plumpton

Hesbehindyou

10st 5lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Andy Irvine

held up in rear

13/2

OUR TIP

2/1

  • Place: £1.30

Form: 3863-2

Last run: 48 days

W: 11st 13lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
Bustled up a former stablemate (ex Tom Lacey) when a keeping-on second here (2m3f maiden, good; first run for Harry Whittington) in October; dam won over 2m5f, so this extra yardage promises to suit; open to further improvement on handicap debut and ought to play a leading role.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

3rd Jun 2026

Good

2m 4f 216y

Class 4

15:00 Newton Abbot

Vengeance

10st 2lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Jimmy Frost

0-12 over hurdles and, while there have been hints of encouragement off a sliding mark, he hasn't looked like capitalising and now faces a stiff task from out of the weights on chase debut.

16/1

4th

3

17th Apr 2026

Good To Firm

2m 7f 25y

Class 5

18:10 Exeter

Vengeance

11st 1lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Jimmy Frost

0-14 under rules; sliding in the weights in four starts for this trainer and those efforts suggest he'll need a further favour or two from the handicapper to break his duck.

7/1

5th

7

7th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 137y

Class 5

14:10 Exeter

Vengeance

11st 3lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Jimmy Frost

No wins in 13 but ran okay two weeks ago at Wincanton (2m4f, good), finishing under 8l behind the winner who comfortably followed up last week at Ludlow; each-way claims.

9/1

Form: 548-24

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 3lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
Various near misses over hurdles (0-12); beaten favourite at Plumpton (Dusky Days pulled up) on penultimate start and didn't appear to stay in very testing conditions (2m7f) latest; easing in the weights.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

6th Apr 2025

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 4

15:52 Plumpton

San Pedro

10st 13lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Chris Gordon

prominent, not fluent 4 out, soon lost ground, struggling from 3 out

10/1

4th

5

6th Apr 2025

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 4

15:52 Plumpton

San Pedro

10st 13lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Chris Gordon

prominent, not fluent 4 out, soon lost ground

10/1

Form: 74-P66

Last run: 22 days

W: 10st 9lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 86

Form & Verdict
Glimpses of ability in Ireland but has offered little in three starts over hurdles since wind surgery, hence the continued fall in the weights; plenty to find with today's rivals El Hageb Rose and San Pedro; difficult to fancy.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

11th Apr 2024

Soft

2m 7f 3y

Class 5

16:28 Taunton

Aikenbreakinheart

10st 4lb

J: James Davies

T: Richard Rowe

Won at Wincanton (3m1f, good to soft) last March on his second chase start and is now 5lb lower, but he's struggled on his three starts since and may be best watched on this first outing since December.

50/1

11

11th Apr 2024

Soft

2m 7f 3y

Class 5

16:28 Taunton

Aikenbreakinheart

10st 4lb

J: James Davies

T: Richard Rowe

Won at Wincanton (3m1f, good to soft) last March on his second chase start and is now 5lb lower, but he's struggled on his three starts since and may be best watched on this first outing since December.

50/1

Form: 022-3P

Last run: 36 days

W: 12st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Runner-up on first two attempts over hurdles during the spring before running to a similar level here (2m1f; third) in September; bitterly disappointing in a first-time tongue-tie (left off on this occasion) on handicap debut at Plumpton latest; others make more appeal.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

6

27th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 83y

Class 5

19:38 Cartmel

Dusky Days

11st 8lb

J: Leah Noreci

T: James Moffatt

After a break he's been tailed off behind Wee Alki and here on Monday faded into sixth over 2m6f; others preferred.

16/1

6th

2

25th May 2026

Good

2m 6f 31y

Class 5

14:48 Cartmel

Dusky Days

11st 11lb

J: Charlotte Jones

T: James Moffatt

Made all over 2m1f here (good) last July and came second here on next two outings (2m6f/3m1f); probably needed recent reappearance run and has a big role to play if back on song.

5/1

12th

3

2nd May 2026

Good

2m 7f 63y

Class 5

20:15 Hexham

Dusky Days

11st 8lb

J: Charlotte Jones

T: James Moffatt

Three sound efforts on last three starts last summer (good/soft), winning over 2m1f at Cartmel and finishing creditable second over 3m there on final start; off for 252 days and likely to be better for the run.

12/1

Form: /6/P-1

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Finished off strongly from a seemingly impossible position to spring a 100-1 shock on stable debut at Plumpton (3m1f, good to soft) three weeks ago; has had very little racing in recent years, so whether or not he'll back that up over this shorter trip from a 4lb higher mark looks debatable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

28th Apr 2023

Good

3m 2f 54y

Class 5

17:20 Chepstow

El Hageb Rose

10st 10lb

J: Luke Scott

T: Paddy Butler

100-1 winner in a 3m1f handicap hurdle at Plumpton (3m1f, good to soft) last November off 7lb higher; reverted to lesser shows since but, wearing cheekpieces first time, he did make some late progress from right out the back when fifth of nine at Huntingdon (3m) last time on a rare run over fences; not entirely dismissed.

10/1

5th

6

28th Mar 2023

Good To Soft

2m 7f 129y

Class 5

13:30 Huntingdon

El Hageb Rose

11st 4lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Paddy Butler

in rear, ridden after 3 out, no chance with winner but stayed on from 2 out, never on terms

25/1

8

27th Feb 2023

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 5

14:30 Plumpton

El Hageb Rose

11st 6lb

J: Harry Kimber

T: Paddy Butler

towards rear

14/1

Form: 3-3164

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Hit the target over hurdles at Ffos Las (2m4f, good; from a 5lb lower mark) in June; 33-1 but still in the mix when clouting the final flight at Hereford (2m5f, good to soft) four weeks ago after summer break; entitled to plenty of respect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

4

30th Aug 2023

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 5

17:15 Uttoxeter

Prison Break

11st 6lb

J: Alan Johns

T: Tim Vaughan

Won off 6lb higher over hurdles in June 2022 but hasn't really fired this year; chasing debut and others have less to prove.

10/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £38.30
Straight Forecast £37.40
Tricast £142.31
Trifecta £211.70

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Vengeance

D Express:

Prison Break

The Guardian:

San Pedro

RP Ratings:

El Hageb Rose

Daily Mail:

Alexandra Romanov

LAMBOURN:

Vengeance

The Times:

Vengeance

Telegraph:

Vengeance

The Star:

Vengeance

Daily Record:

Vengeance

Daily Mirror:

Prison Break

The Sun:

San Pedro

POSTDATA:

El Hageb Rose