January 10 / 14.40 Exeter

14.40

Heavy

British Racing School 40th Anniversary ‘National Hunt’ Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £3960.75
  • 2m 0f 161y
  • Class 4
  • 10 runners
RTV
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British Racing School 40th Anniversary ‘National Hunt’ Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 10 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

2/1 (Won)

  • Win: £2.20
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 22-64 BF

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Point winner and runner-up in both bumpers, one of them here; has not seen either of his hurdle races out with any purpose but his bumper form entitles him to major respect in this weak a maiden.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

6th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 7f 177y

Class 5

15:05 Ffos Las

Hermes Du Gouet

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Performed poorly in handicap chases this season, blinkered on last two outings; easily his best run over fences came in a four-runner race (3m2f, heavy) last March and he's 11lb lower today, also dropped in class, but some recent positives would have been preferable.

16/1

7th

1

6th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 7f 177y

Class 5

15:05 Ffos Las

Hermes Du Gouet

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

disputed lead, led clearly before 5th, headed before 4 out, soon weakened

16/1

6th

6

20th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

3m 1f 100y

Class 4

15:15 Warwick

Hermes Du Gouet

11st 8lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Has performed poorly in 3m1f/2m4f handicap chases this season, latterly tried in the blinkers which are retained; easily his best run over fences came in a four-runner race; others are more compelling.

16/1

4/6

  • Place: £1.10

Form: 1 D

Last run: 48 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Placed in two Irish points and then sold for 60,000gns; scraped home in a soft-ground bumper at Hereford, beating an easy-to-back newcomer (unraced since); has been found a weak maiden in which to kick off over hurdles.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14

15th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

4m 2f 8y

Class 1

15:00 Uttoxeter

Ioupy Collonges

10st 11lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Has won two of his six chase starts but was beaten off this mark in a six-runner handicap at Wincanton last time when in the new cheekpieces (3m1f, heavy); unraced beyond that trip but he's one who doesn't do much in a hurry and today's marathon trip could be up his street.

16/1

2nd

3

30th Jan 2025

Heavy

3m 1f 30y

Class 3

14:55 Wincanton

Ioupy Collonges

11st 9lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Strike-rate of 5-10 under rules and has won two of his last three chases; it wasn't pretty here last time over C&D (good to soft) but he got the job done off just 3lb lower and today's slower surface could benefit him; cheekpieces added.

11/4

2nd

3

30th Jan 2025

Heavy

3m 1f 30y

Class 3

14:55 Wincanton

Ioupy Collonges

11st 9lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Strike-rate of 5-10 under rules and has won two of his last three chases; it wasn't pretty here last time over C&D (good to soft) but he got the job done off just 3lb lower and today's slower surface could benefit him; cheekpieces added.

11/4

40/1

  • Place: £5.40

Form: 89

Last run: 20 days

W: 11st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Mid-division in his bumper but tailed off on his hurdling debut at Hereford (2m3f, soft) when 100-1.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

3rd Oct 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 3

14:55 Warwick

Big Blue Moon

10st 5lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

Off for nearly a year before pulling up on chase debut (jumped poorly) and when reverting to hurdles in March but subsequent efforts back on good ground yielded two wins at around this trip and he didn't run badly off this mark when third in May; needs to cut out the mistakes reverting to fences but interesting back from a break.

11/2

3rd

3

26th May 2024

Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

15:00 Uttoxeter

Big Blue Moon

11st 7lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

prominent, led 6th, headed before 2 out, weakened quickly approaching last

2/1

3rd

3

26th May 2024

Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

15:00 Uttoxeter

Big Blue Moon

11st 7lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

prominent, led 6th, headed before 2 out, weakened quickly approaching last

2/1

Form: 4U8

Last run: 3 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Only ran last weekend when beaten 35l in a 1m7f maiden at Wincanton (good to soft); went off at 80-1.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

9

23rd Nov 2023

Soft

2m 3f 179y

Class 5

15:50 Wincanton

Whenitrainsitpours

10st 9lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Syd Hosie

0-10 for Milton Harris and going nowhere in handicaps when last seen; new trainer fits cheekpieces.

14/1

6th

7

9th Oct 2023

Good

2m 2f 148y

Class 4

16:10 Stratford

Whenitrainsitpours

10st 2lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Milton Harris

Beaten 40l+ in two handicaps in the spring (3m1f/2m5f) and inow 0-8 over hurdles; drops back in trip today; needs to have taken significant benefit from 115-day break.

14/1

5th

3

16th Jun 2023

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

18:45 Fontwell

Whenitrainsitpours

11st 2lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Milton Harris

Maiden; ran well in a big field at Exeter three starts ago but hasn't repeated that effort; very modest effort at Huntingdon last month and will need to leave that well behind.

8/1

12/1

Form: 4

Last run: 46 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Didn't jump great and was beaten a distance into fourth at Ffos Las (2m4f maiden; soft); best watched for now.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

13th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 3f 100y

Class 5

16:20 Chepstow

Mumbles

11st 10lb

J: Osian Radford

T: Evan Williams

Creditable second behind well-handicapped rival here (2m, soft) in November and will be fine over today's longer trip but has become far too inconsistent to rely upon, and needs first-time cheekpieces to help him rebound from a poor run over fences a fortnight ago.

7/1

4

30th Jan 2026

Heavy

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:35 Ffos Las

Mumbles

11st 8lb

J: Osian Radford

T: Evan Williams

Mixed results over hurdles this term; chase record reads 24FPP; returns to this sphere looking well treated on best form but it's difficult to know what to expect from him.

12/1

13

28th Oct 2025

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

15:58 Ffos Las

Mumbles

11st 3lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Evan Williams

Proven on deep ground and has run well here over 2m-2m4f; failed to complete on his last three starts (all here) last winter; returns on a handy mark and has won when fresh, so he could be involved if revived.

12/1

Form: P

Last run: 9 days

W: 11st 1lb

6 yo Mare

OR:

Form & Verdict
Remote third in a point bumper and showed nothing on her hurdling debut (150-1).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

8

18th May 2023

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

19:05 Fontwell

Can You See Her

10st 2lb

J: Harry Kimber

T: Polly Gundry

in rear, headway before 4th, not fluent when in touch with leaders 8th

20/1

9th

13

27th Apr 2023

Good

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

19:00 Taunton

Can You See Her

10st 6lb

J: Harry Kimber

T: Polly Gundry

Remote third in a point bumper and has subsequently achieved little in four maiden hurdles (2m-2m4f) this year; still early days and steps up to 3m but she needs a transformation on handicap debut; hood added.

33/1

Form: 3-P

Last run: 51 days

W: 11st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Encouraging third in a Chepstow bumper but, at odds of 12-1, he stopped quickly once push came to shove on his hurdling debut at Uttoxeter (2m4f, soft; tongue tied following wind surgery); bit to prove after that but should be capable of better.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

17th Oct 2025

Good

3m 0f 10y

Class 4

14:57 Uttoxeter

Mikhailovich

11st 10lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls

Came from poor position to win by 7l on chasing debut at Market Rasen (2m5f, good) in June 2024 and returned from long absence with good second over hurdles at Worcester (2m7f, good) in August, where he travelled much more sweetly; it's hard to tell what mood he'll be in here but he could still have significant potential over fences.

7/2

1

20th Aug 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 5

17:55 Worcester

Mikhailovich

12st 0lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls

Won a handicap over hurdles and won going away on chase debut at Market Rasen (2m5f, good) 14 months ago; on a competitive mark but likely best watched on this return to hurdling after his absence.

8/1

1st

5

14th Jun 2024

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 4

18:25 Market Rasen

Mikhailovich

11st 8lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Kim Bailey

Easy Huntingdon winner (2m3f, Class 5 handicap hurdle) last October and placed off a higher mark here next time; however, his last two efforts have been below-par, pulling-up at Taunton two months ago; switches to fences with enough to prove at present.

14/1

Form:

Last run: 57 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Flat bred, though there is a winning hurdler in the family; 50-1 for a novice hurdle here in November and never figured.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

13

16th Feb 2023

Good

2m 0f 190y

Class 4

14:10 Newcastle

Steel My Thunder

11st 5lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

Represents in-form stable and he's one to watch in the betting on this third start, but he's been well beaten at 50-1 on his first two outings (2m, good/heavy) and may be one for handicaps.

33/1

8th

8

10th Jan 2023

Heavy

2m 0f 161y

Class 4

14:40 Exeter

Steel My Thunder

11st 8lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Tom Lacey

always towards rear

33/1

12th

12

14th Nov 2022

Good

2m 0f 161y

Class 4

14:00 Exeter

Steel My Thunder

11st 0lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

Although Flat bred there is a winning hurdler in the family; still looks best watched first time out.

16/1

OUR TIP

Form: 6-7

Last run: 57 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Single-figure odds when never dangerous in his bumper and went off 50-1 when beaten further on his switch to hurdling at Plumpton (2m4f, good to soft); hard to make a case.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

4

27th May 2026

Good

3m 2f 105y

Class 4

17:30 Newton Abbot

Belgarum

11st 3lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Joe Tizzard

Pulled up in his final two runs last year but he returned after wind surgery with a front-running win at Fontwell (2m3f, good; 22-1) this month; this is a different test but he won over fences here (3m2f) last spring and 3lb rise for that last success looks fair; respected.

4/1

1st

6

14th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 29y

Class 4

18:10 Fontwell

Belgarum

11st 7lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Joe Tizzard

Four-time chase winner who was out of sorts when last seen in the autumn, most recently when pulled up on return to hurdling; had another wind op (his fourth) during 168-day break; needs to get career back on track.

16/1

Form: 000

Last run: 11 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Tailed off in his two novice hurdles and went off at 300-1 for both of them.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

10th Jan 2023

Heavy

2m 0f 161y

Class 4

14:40 Exeter

Chairman Fitz

11st 8lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Harriet Dickin

always towards rear, pulled up before 3 out

100/1

11th

4

30th Dec 2022

Soft

1m 7f 144y

Class 3

13:30 Haydock

Chairman Fitz

11st 0lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Harriet Dickin

Third in a British maiden point (2m4f) in May, but tailed off at 200-1 in an Exeter bumper and 300-1 in a Ludlow novice hurdle.

100/1

15th

7

20th Dec 2022

Good To Soft

1m 7f 169y

Class 4

15:25 Ludlow

Chairman Fitz

11st 0lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Harriet Dickin

Fair third of seven in British maiden point (2m4f, good to firm) on debut in May but he was tailed off at 200-1 in a bumper at Exeter (2m, good) last month and is hard to fancy now going hurdling.

200/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £3.30
Straight Forecast £2.79
Trifecta £26.00

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Ioupy Collonges

RP Ratings:

Hermes Du Gouet

WEST COUNTRY:

Ioupy Collonges

Telegraph:

Ioupy Collonges

Daily Mail:

Ioupy Collonges

The Sun:

Ioupy Collonges

The Star:

Ioupy Collonges

Daily Record:

Ioupy Collonges

POSTDATA:

Hermes Du Gouet

The Times:

Hermes Du Gouet

The Guardian:

Hermes Du Gouet

D Express:

Hermes Du Gouet

Daily Mirror:

Hermes Du Gouet