December 10 / 13.57 Hereford

13.57

Good To Soft

Go Racing With Vickers.Bet Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £10406
  • 2m 3f 147y
  • Class 2
  • 9 runners
SKY
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Go Racing With Vickers.Bet Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

Form: 1325-1 D

Last run: 211 days

W: 12st 0lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 135

Form & Verdict
Winning for an eighth time when making all in a 2m4f handicap at Aintree (good) in May, which he deserved after some good runs in defeat; 4lb rise is fair and Finn Lambert again takes off 7lb; has won when fresh.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

26th Dec 2022

Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 3

15:40 Kempton

Paddys Motorbike

11st 12lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Sam Thomas

held up in rear

14/1

Form: 5-1433 D

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 133

Form & Verdict
Let down by his jumping over fences and on his return to hurdling at Doncaster (2m3f, good) he was left behind by the front pair; was beaten 18l by the winner and he'll need to raise the bar here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

23rd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 35y

Class 4

14:40 Perth

Stoners Choice

12st 1lb

J: Tom Broughton

T: Fergal O’Brien

Course winner whose mark continues to fall and he's not been devoid of spark this season; however, this 11yo is without a win since April 2023 and was disappointing at Ludlow last month.

8/1

6th

4

19th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 55y

Class 4

16:20 Ludlow

Stoners Choice

11st 12lb

J: Fern O’Brien

T: Fergal O’Brien

Second of 12 over 2m5f at Kempton just over a year ago but he hasn't posed a serious threat since, including at about 2m on his last four starts; wasn't disgraced in a valuable event at Windsor (strong handicap form) last time, however, and he's undoubtedly well handicapped these days.

9/1

7th

15

16th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 2

15:35 Windsor

Stoners Choice

10st 7lb

J: Fern O’Brien

T: Fergal O’Brien

Well handicapped on form as recent as last February but this 11yo has been unable to pose a serious threat on his six starts since May.

50/1

OUR TIP

Form: 2112-5 C

Last run: 183 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 133

Form & Verdict
Won two handicap chases over 2m here (on good and soft) earlier in the year, the latest off this very mark; has won twice in this discipline and not ruled out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

16th May 2025

Good

2m 3f 200y

Class 3

17:45 Aintree

Prince Escalus

11st 4lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Missed most of last season but returned from nine-month break with quite encouraging third (albeit well held in the end) at Perth (2m, good to soft) last month; on a good mark and will also be suited by today's trip-and-ground combination; contender if that recent outing has brought him on.

9/2

4th

4

16th May 2025

Good

2m 3f 200y

Class 3

17:45 Aintree

Prince Escalus

11st 4lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Missed most of last season but returned from nine-month break with quite encouraging third (albeit well held in the end) at Perth (2m, good to soft) last month; on a good mark and will also be suited by today's trip-and-ground combination; contender if that recent outing has brought him on.

9/2

3rd

4

23rd Apr 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 3

15:48 Perth

Prince Escalus

11st 8lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Absent since below-par effort in the 2024 Summer Plate and hasn't won for over two years; however, he's well treated on best form and market support should be noted.

10/1

Form: 3523P-

Last run: 245 days

W: 11st 8lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 129

Form & Verdict
Won four times for Colin Tizzard and ran well on occasions in six defeats for Harry Fry (twice over fences); remains in the same ownership and could well make the breakthrough again sooner or later for Christian Williams; needs a market check back from a break.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

14th May 2023

Good

2m 4f 114y

Class 3

15:50 Plumpton

Master Debonair

11st 10lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Christian Williams

Well beaten in two of three starts for this yard but not beaten far in the other, when fourth at Ffos Las in January; hasn't won since December 2019 but has often faced tough tasks; facing a few questions but not impossible off this mark; can make the running.

9/1

3

10th Apr 2023

Good

2m 4f 1y

Class 4

15:42 Fakenham

Master Debonair

12st 1lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Christian Williams

His last win was in a Grade 2 event but that was over 1m7f in December 2019 and he's struggled in two of his three runs for current yard, including at Sandown (2m4f, soft) last time; on much-reduced mark but he comes with risks attached.

6/1

8th

8

7th Mar 2023

Good

2m 3f 173y

Class 3

15:35 Sandown

Master Debonair

11st 5lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Christian Williams

in touch with leaders

12/1

Abandoned

Form: 1/124-

Last run: 346 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Bumper/novice winner who didn't run at all badly in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury (2m4f, soft) when last seen 12 months ago; off since, but the potential is there to do some damage off this sort of mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

2

24th Apr 2026

Good

2m 4f 35y

Class 3

15:47 Perth

Go Dante

12st 1lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Added to his excellent Sandown record when winning over 2m on soft in December; below par since, including a never-dangerous seventh when bidding for a third successive Imperial Cup back at Sandown, but this is the first time he's dropped to a Class 3 since winning at Cheltenham in December 2023; yard has won the last two runnings of this.

7/1

7th

4

7th Mar 2026

Soft

1m 7f 216y

Class 2

14:27 Sandown

Go Dante

11st 7lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

10yo who was well beaten at Windsor in January and pulled up at Newbury last month; however, he's had wind surgery since and there can be optimism he'll be a different proposition now back here, having won the last two runnings of this race (soft/good to soft) and also scored over C&D in December.

12/1

2

7th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 0f 69y

Class 1

15:20 Newbury

Go Dante

11st 10lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Beaten twice off lower marks in this race (third in 2024, seventh in 2025) and seems unlikely to make it third time lucky; unbeaten at Sandown and likely to be more persuasive back there next month for a crack at an Imperial Cup hat-trick.

33/1

Form: 424-22 D BF

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 5lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Beaten six times since winning his novice but improved form in his recent handicaps, bumping into improvers on both occasions (2m3f/2m6f; soft); effectively on the same mark as last time (with Shane Quinlan claiming 3lb) but these conditions might be borderline for him.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

30th Jan 2023

Soft

2m 4f 194y

Class 3

15:00 Hereford

Franco dAunou

11st 5lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Acts well on testing surfaces and stayed further over hurdles but seemingly ran out of options from handicapping point of view; lacks public experience of fences and probably needs to improve for them.

13/2

3rd

4

6th Jan 2023

Soft

2m 7f 174y

Class 3

15:30 Ludlow

Franco dAunou

11st 5lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Easy winner of 2m4f novice at Fontwell (heavy) in February 2021; 0-6 since but runner-up in four of those, including on both this term; moves up in trip, having seen the 2m6f out well on soft ground on latest outing; improvement needed.

7/1

Form: 17-108 C

Last run: 21 days

W: 10st 11lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Seemed to like the good ground when winning two 2m5f novices in the spring, one of them here; has returned this winter with two very quiet runs and this is no easy race in which to steady the ship.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

5

23rd May 2026

Good

2m 1f 77y

Class 4

15:32 Bangor-on-Dee

Gris Majeur

11st 6lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Sheila Lewis

Got off the mark over fences at Ludlow (2m4f, good to firm) last October and has been placed on all five starts since; drops back in trip which may not be in his favour.

7/2

3rd

4

22nd Apr 2026

Good

2m 7f 171y

Class 4

15:30 Ludlow

Gris Majeur

11st 7lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Sheila Lewis

Triple hurdle winner who made the breakthrough over fences in a Ludlow handicap (2m4f, good to firm) in October; that was a four-runner race but he's been placed in four runs since including when runner-up at Chepstow (2m7f) 11 days ago; should go well again and all of his wins have been on good/good to firm.

9/2

2nd

4

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 136y

Class 4

14:50 Chepstow

Gris Majeur

11st 7lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Sheila Lewis

Triple hurdle winner who made the breakthrough over fences in a Ludlow handicap (2m4f, good to firm) in October; that was a four-runner race but he's been placed in three runs since including over 3m at Taunton; should go well again and it would be a positive if the ground dries out.

5/1

Form: 1332-3 BF

Last run: 28 days

W: 10st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Progressed well in non-handicaps last season and looks to have more to offer judged on his third of nine off this mark at Wetherby (2m, good); ran as though that race was needed and should go well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

24th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 123y

Class 5

19:40 Bangor-on-Dee

Risk DArgent

12st 0lb

J: Mr Frederick Philipson-Stow

T: Alastair Ralph

prominent, lost ground after 2nd, towards rear when fell 7th

25/1

1

24th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 123y

Class 5

19:40 Bangor-on-Dee

Risk DArgent

12st 0lb

J: Mr Frederick Philipson-Stow

T: Alastair Ralph

prominent, lost ground after 2nd, towards rear when fell 7th

25/1

11

29th Mar 2025

Good

2m 7f 70y

Class 4

17:05 Uttoxeter

Risk DArgent

10st 11lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Alastair Ralph

mistake 8th

16/1

Form: 43P5-3

Last run: 32 days

W: 10st 6lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
On a useful mark on last season's best efforts, and he reappeared with a fair third at Lingfield a month ago; however, he needs to raise his game if he's to win this.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

21st Feb 2026

Soft

2m 3f 98y

Class 4

14:17 Chepstow

Pyramid Place

11st 13lb

J: James Best

T: Harriet Dickin

Nine-time hurdle winner who was useful in his prime and is versatile regarding ground; out of form since rejoining Harriet Dickin this season, though, and has left it late in the day to launch his chasing career; hood/cheekpieces removed; first-time blinkers tried.

33/1

8th

2

27th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 3f 100y

Class 3

14:02 Chepstow

Pyramid Place

11st 12lb

J: Miss Megan Bevan

T: Harriet Dickin

Nine hurdle wins (various ground), including valuable C&D race in 2023; safely held on both starts since rejoining Harriet Dicken, though, and has much more to prove than some of these; cheekpieces added to usual hood.

33/1

1

26th Oct 2025

Good

3m 0f 149y

Class 3

12:40 Aintree

Pyramid Place

12st 0lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Harriet Dickin

Nine-time hurdle winner (including here for Harriet Dickin) who is below his last winning mark but struggled in the first half of this year for Olly Murphy; went through the sales ring for £13,500 in May and has plenty to prove, including stamina, on his first start since rejoining this trainer.

25/1

Verdict

A good handicap that will take some winning. RISK D’ARGENT could be the answer if finding the anticipated improvement from Wetherby. Paddys Motorbike was bang in form back in the spring and goes well fresh, while Go Dante is dangerously unexposed.[Alistair Jones]

Selections

The Times:

Go Dante

TOPSPEED:

Franco d'Aunou

RP Ratings:

Paddys Motorbike

SPOTLIGHT:

Risk D'Argent

WEST COUNTRY:

Stoner's Choice

Telegraph:

Go Dante

The Guardian:

Go Dante

Daily Mail:

Go Dante

D Express:

Go Dante

Daily Mirror:

Go Dante

The Sun:

Go Dante

POSTDATA:

Franco d'Aunou

Daily Record:

Franco d'Aunou

The Star:

Paddys Motorbike