December 22 / 13.00 Ayr

13.00

Good To Soft

Coral Get Closer To The Action Junior ‘National Hunt’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £4901.4
  • 2m 0f 0y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
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Coral Get Closer To The Action Junior ‘National Hunt’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

8/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.50
  • Place: £1.70

Form: 6

Last run: 47 days

W: 11st 0lb

3 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
25,000euros 2yo; well-held sixth of 12 in Aintree bumper (2m1f, soft; 11-1) on his debut last month but he ran well to a point in that race; out of an unraced sister to a Grade 3 jumps winner in France and he needs watching in the market on this switch to hurdling.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

23rd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 35y

Class 4

14:10 Perth

Bois Guillbert

11st 9lb

J: Patrick Wadge

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Three-time hurdle winner who has dropped to a mark 5lb lower than when winning on his chase debut last February; he may stage a revival at some stage but has struggled over fences/hurdles on his three runs this season.

50/1

10th

5

1st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 171y

Class 4

14:30 Musselburgh

Bois Guillbert

11st 12lb

J: Stephen Mulqueen

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Returns to hurdles off a workable mark but, judged on his chase efforts this term, has a doubt over current form.

25/1

3

23rd Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 20y

Class 3

14:18 Perth

Bois Guillbert

11st 2lb

J: Patrick Wadge

T: Lucinda Russell

Jumped okay when winning at Newcastle (chase debut) but lacked fluency when disappointing at Wetherby since; not sure what to expect.

10/1

1/2

  • Place: £1.30

Form: 1 D

Last run: 68 days

W: 11st 0lb

3 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
First foal of a bumper and dual hurdles winner; 9-2 for a Newton Abbot hurdle (2m1f, good) on her debut in October and she came out on top under a prominent ride; that was a four-runner race but she showed a willing attitude and is a big player again under a penalty.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

2

5th Jul 2024

Good

2m 5f 122y

Class 5

17:45 Newton Abbot

Sailing Grace

11st 9lb

J: Ben Godfrey

T: Anthony Honeyball

Lightly raced since winning hurdle debut in 2022; returned from long absence with respectable third on handicap debut at Fontwell (2m3f, heavy) in March but pulled up over 3m in April and well held at Worcester since; needs to bounce back with tongue-tie now added.

9/1

6th

7

1st Jun 2024

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

15:30 Worcester

Sailing Grace

11st 0lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Very lightly raced since winning hurdle debut in 2022; returned from long absence with respectable third on handicap debut at Fontwell (2m3f, heavy) in March but was pulled up over 3m the following month; current ability tricky to gauge.

8/1

1

24th Apr 2024

Good

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

17:15 Taunton

Sailing Grace

12st 0lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Anthony Honeyball

Could be interesting in her second handicap, as heavy ground was probably not ideal when reappearing from a long absence in her first; did well in juvenile hurdles (on good and good to soft) and if as good as she was then this mark should be fine.

6/1

OUR TIP

Form: 6

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 0lb

3 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Half-brother to a winning pointer; market springer into 9-1 for a bumper here (2m, soft) three weeks ago but he got outpaced before finishing a 20l last of six; now switches to hurdles and he's probably best watched.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

13th May 2026

2m 4f 35y

Class 5

17:25 Perth

Beat The Retreat

11st 8lb

J: Dominic Hislop

T: N W Alexander

Won two of his last four, accounting for Snow Dragon at Musselburgh (2m4f, soft; from 4lb lower) in February; the snag is that the other two efforts were laboured ones, beaten 28l into fourth over 2m here (good) three weeks ago; this longer trip can assist.

8/1

4th

2

23rd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 47y

Class 5

16:40 Perth

Beat The Retreat

11st 6lb

J: Dominic Hislop

T: N W Alexander

Inconsistent but won at Ayr (2m3f, heavy) in December and returned to form to win at Musselburgh (2m4f, soft) in February on his latest start; ran well on good ground here last May and it's possible he'll cope with the drop back in trip; he can be in the shake-up if on another going day.

7/1

1st

5

15th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 171y

Class 5

16:50 Musselburgh

Beat The Retreat

11st 2lb

J: Dominic Hislop

T: N W Alexander

Three-time winner, most recently at Ayr (2m3f) on penultimate start; however, by no means certain to repeat that form, being far from consistent otherwise.

12/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 0lb

3 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
10,000gns 3yo; second foal; dam 7f/1m winner (RPR 91), sister to a winner in Bahrain, half-sister to 7f AW winner Purple Power; wears headgear over hurdles on his debut and is best watched unless market is persuasive.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

(4)

9th Jul 2024

Standard

1m 0f 1y

Class 5

16:55 Lingfield (AW)

Smart Deal

9st 10lb

J: Kieran O’Neill

T: Alice Haynes

Three 1m Polytrack wins since November, the latest in a small-field C&D claimer six weeks ago; more needed back in a handicap but he's not ruled out; cheekpieces left off today.

4/1

1st

4

(1)

30th May 2024

Standard

1m 0f 1y

Class 5

14:50 Lingfield (AW)

Smart Deal

9st 9lb

J: Kieran O’Neill

T: Alice Haynes

Front-runner; wore cheekpieces on last five starts, including three good runs (one 1m win) on Chelmsford Polytrack this February-April but below form there on latest outing; made less of an impact early in 2024 on his two runs here; wore a hood earlier in career and it's now restored; considered.

2/1

5th

4

(3)

2nd May 2024

Standard

1m 0f 0y

Class 5

18:25 Chelmsford (AW)

Smart Deal

9st 8lb

J: Kieran O’Neill

T: Alice Haynes

led

13/2

Form: 7

Last run: 27 days

W: 10st 7lb

3 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
100-1 for a hurdle event at Doncaster (2m, good) four weeks ago and she ran green before finishing a tailed-off seventh of ten; can only be watched after that low-key start.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Form: 4

Last run: 19 days

W: 10st 7lb

3 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Well-held fourth when well backed for a Wetherby bumper (1m4f, soft; 9-2) 19 days ago but she travelled well for a long way and that was promising; now switches to hurdling and interesting to see if the money comes for her again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

22nd Dec 2022

Good To Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

13:00 Ayr

Noble Intrigue

10st 7lb

J: Jamie Hamilton

T: Michael & David Easterby

in rear on outer, headway and prominent in chasing group 4th

9/2

4th

4

3rd Dec 2022

Soft

1m 4f 77y

Class 5

15:08 Wetherby

Noble Intrigue

11st 0lb

J: Jamie Hamilton

T: Michael & David Easterby

in touch with leaders on inner

9/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £7.20
Straight Forecast £6.59
Trifecta £45.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Sailing Grace

POSTDATA:

Noble Intrigue

RP Ratings:

Sailing Grace

WEST COUNTRY:

Sailing Grace

The Times:

Sailing Grace

Telegraph:

Sailing Grace

The Guardian:

Sailing Grace

Daily Mail:

Sailing Grace

D Express:

Sailing Grace

Daily Mirror:

Sailing Grace

The Sun:

Sailing Grace

The Star:

Sailing Grace

Daily Record:

Sailing Grace