January 02 / 15.30 Plumpton

15.30

Soft

Zoe Davison Memorial Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £6997.32
  • 1m 7f 195y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
SKY
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Zoe Davison Memorial Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

OUR TIP

5/1 (Won)

Form: 2432

Last run: 48 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
Irish point winner who has shown promise in bumpers and over hurdles, including when runner-up in Lingfield novice (2m, soft) in November; needs to find more to defy this opening mark but he's still lightly raced and has a useful pedigree.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

28th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 5

18:30 Market Rasen

El Muchacho

12st 0lb

J: William Maggs

T: Mike Sowersby

Won twice on good ground (2m5f/2m3f) for this new stable last season and has been placed on last three appearances, most recently when second over C&D (good) three weeks ago; 1lb lower today and seems very likely to be in the thick of things again.

7/4

2nd

3

8th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 5

15:15 Market Rasen

El Muchacho

11st 7lb

J: William Maggs

T: Mike Sowersby

Holding form well since January's Catterick success (2m3f, good), actually achieving more on RPRs when a close third at Newcastle latest; still well treated on his 2023-24 peak form, and no ground concerns.

9/2

3rd

1

31st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 19y

Class 5

16:30 Newcastle

El Muchacho

12st 0lb

J: William Maggs

T: Mike Sowersby

Won at Catterick in January (2m3f, good) and best form since when 0.5l second at Sedgefield last time (2m5f, good); conditions suit; chance.

11/2

Form: 3111O5 C

Last run: 51 days

W: 11st 5lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Transformed with Sheena West over hurdles, winning on good ground at Fontwell (twice) and Plumpton in September; looked a big threat before he was hampered and ran out in a Listed race at Wetherby (2m, good to soft) in October and it was a tough assignment in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham last time; back in calmer waters now and he's respected on his handicap hurdle debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

14th May 2026

Good

1m 6f 44y

Class 3

14:40 Salisbury

Mr Freedom

9st 3lb

J: Kieran O’Neill

T: Sheena West

Six-time Flat winner who scored a fifth win on turf when taking Sandown handicap (1m6f, good) off 2lb lower in July 2024; also a multiple winner over hurdles who was on the premises when taking heavy last-flight fall at Plumpton just over one year ago; interesting to see how he goes in the market ahead of this comeback.

13/2

5

20th Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 114y

Class 3

17:15 Plumpton

Mr Freedom

11st 3lb

J: Marc Goldstein

T: Sheena West

Gained two of his five hurdle wins at this track and was second in Sussex Champion Hurdle here (2m, good) just over a year ago; returned from seven-month break with encouraging third at Bangor (2m3f, good; form working out well) in March and has slipped to a workable mark; can make presence felt.

7/1

5

20th Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 114y

Class 3

17:15 Plumpton

Mr Freedom

11st 3lb

J: Marc Goldstein

T: Sheena West

Gained two of his five hurdle wins at this track and was second in Sussex Champion Hurdle here (2m, good) just over a year ago; returned from seven-month break with encouraging third at Bangor (2m3f, good; form working out well) in March and has slipped to a workable mark; can make presence felt.

7/1

Form: 1212-1 D

Last run: 43 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Has form figures of 12121 since sent handicapping over hurdles and his latest win at Exeter (2m, good to soft) in November was after 252 days off; up another 4lb but he's open to more progress and all of his wins have come under Rex Dingle; big player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

6

26th Mar 2026

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 2

16:30 Warwick

Pilsdon Pen

11st 0lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Jeremy Scott

Wincanton specialist who kept on for second there (2m4f, good to soft) three weeks ago in first-time cheekpieces (retained); he's run well here in the past but needs to prove his stamina, having faded over 3m1f at Wincanton in December.

7/1

2nd

5

5th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 35y

Class 4

16:15 Wincanton

Pilsdon Pen

11st 8lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Jeremy Scott

Gained all three chase wins over C&D, the latest off today's mark on seasonal debut in December (good to soft); has suffered a slump in form this winter, though, and has questions to answer now; tongue-tie added.

10/1

5th

1

14th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 4f 35y

Class 4

15:20 Wincanton

Pilsdon Pen

12st 2lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Jeremy Scott

Made it 3-7 over fences with narrow win on his C&D reappearance (good to soft) in December; only 1lb higher here but he's been disappointing since that last success and was pulled up at Exeter (first-time blinkers) last time; regular cheekpieces are now reapplied but he needs to get back in track.

10/1

Form: 21-221 CD

Last run: 55 days

W: 12st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
Fit from the Flat when posting a good second in Fakenham handicap in October and he was awarded the race at Lingfield (2m, soft; bumped towards finish) the following month; up 4lb but he has a solid record over hurdles and may not have reached his ceiling yet; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

31st Jan 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 124y

Class 2

13:43 Musselburgh

Saligo Bay

10st 7lb

J: Jonathan England

T: Sam England

Won three in a row (1m7f/2m, good-soft) prior to heavy defeat at Windsor a fortnight ago; however, the ground was soft, heavy in places last time which may have been too demanding, and he's not written off today.

16/1

11th

12

16th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 2

15:35 Windsor

Saligo Bay

10st 11lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Sam England

Won on the Flat in September and also successful on four of his five hurdle starts since, including on soft ground and in good style at Haydock (1m7f, good to soft) last time; he's 7lb higher than last time and in a hotter race today, but he's clearly thriving and could go well once more.

11/1

10

1st Nov 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 3

15:30 Wetherby

Saligo Bay

10st 6lb

J: Jonathan England

T: Sam England

Beaten favourite when third to Max Of Stars over C&D 17 days ago but still ran creditably and that followed Flat and hurdles wins in September; tough, reliable and unlikely to be far away.

11/4

Form: 696222 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 10st 9lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
Runner-up in last three starts and he was only just caught at Uttoxeter (2m, good to soft) last time; hard to rule out another good run but a rising mark makes things tougher and both his wins have come on good ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

26th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 166y

Class 4

19:09 Plumpton

Begin The Luck

12st 0lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: Daisy Hitchins

Largely reliable veteran and a three-time winner since December, latterly over C&D in April; touched off at Fontwell 20 days ago, with I Shut That d'Or about 5l back in third; nudged up 1lb but likely to make his presence felt again.

2/1

2nd

2

6th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

19:42 Fontwell

Begin The Luck

11st 13lb

J: Robbie David

T: Daisy Hitchins

Veteran who has won three times over fences since December including at Plumpton (2m4f, good) 17 days ago; that was in a small field and his main rival made a bad mistake at the last but he still looks feasibly treated and is versatile ground-wise; respected.

5/1

1st

2

19th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 166y

Class 5

14:17 Plumpton

Begin The Luck

11st 7lb

J: Robbie David

T: Daisy Hitchins

Reliable sort who scored at Leicester (2m4f) in March; not discredited when fifth in 2m5f handicap chase at Newton Abbot 15 days ago so ought to be in the shake-up eased 1lb.

3/1

Form: 4-25P3 CD

Last run: 13 days

W: 10st 9lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
C&D winner but her last success was 22 months ago and she was a well-held third of six back here last month; drops back in trip/grade but she's not easy to predict and others are more convincing; tongue-tie added.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

9

7th Jan 2024

Soft

2m 3f 164y

Class 4

15:25 Plumpton

Brown Bullet

10st 2lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Andy Irvine

Three-time hurdle winner who is rated lower over fences after struggling in her first two attempts in late 2021; however, she gave it a right go on returning to this discipline over C&D three weeks ago when conceding the lead only late on (Shaw's Cross runner-up); this is a higher grade but she is entitled to a second look.

13/2

3rd

4

18th Dec 2023

Good To Soft

2m 3f 164y

Class 5

15:10 Plumpton

Brown Bullet

11st 5lb

J: James Best

T: Andy Irvine

Struggled in two chases in late 2021 and has raced exclusively over hurdles since; scored off 5lb higher mark here (2m, soft) in March and might have needed last month's reappearance run but still looks risky on this switch back to fences; usual hood removed; cheekpieces remain.

10/1

8/1

Form: 43P-63

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 1lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
0-6 over hurdles but he's attracted support in last two runs and was a creditable third of 14 in Taunton handicap (2m, good; cheekpieces added) last month; travelled strongly for a long way in that race and he's respected off unchanged mark; had Flat form on soft/heavy in France last year.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

4

(1)

29th Mar 2023

Standard To Slow

1m 7f 218y

Class 4

20:00 Kempton (AW)

Vazir

9st 6lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Alan King

Sole win came on Polytrack at Deauville (12.5f) in August 2021; made the frame in three of his seven starts over hurdles after joining this yard, but he never figured here on Flat (1m3f/2m) on last two outings; wore cheekpieces on last four starts, now it's a visor.

25/1

8th

8

(8)

22nd Feb 2023

Standard To Slow

1m 7f 218y

Class 3

19:30 Kempton (AW)

Vazir

9st 2lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Alan King

hampered start, towards rear

25/1

6th

5

(7)

28th Jan 2023

Standard

1m 2f 219y

Class 2

19:30 Kempton (AW)

Vazir

8st 10lb

J: Kieran O’Neill

T: Alan King

Fairly useful form on the Flat in France in 2021, including a 1m4f Polytrack maiden; however, he disappointingly hasn't bettered modest form over hurdles in Britain since and can only be watched back on the Flat in a good race.

25/1

Form: P1-244 CD

Last run: 12 days

W: 10st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 97

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Straight Forecast £31.72
Tricast £76.06

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Pilsdon Pen

Daily Mail:

Saligo Bay

POSTDATA:

Tara Iti

D Express:

El Muchacho

Telegraph:

Vazir

Daily Mirror:

Begin The Luck

RP Ratings:

Brown Bullet

Daily Record:

Saligo Bay

The Times:

Tara Iti

TOPSPEED:

Pilsdon Pen

WEST COUNTRY:

Pilsdon Pen

The Guardian:

Pilsdon Pen

The Sun:

Pilsdon Pen

The Star:

Pilsdon Pen