January 28 / 14.32 Uttoxeter

14.32

Good To Soft

Diegos 69th Keep Batting Birthday Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £9677.58
  • 2m 3f 207y
  • Class 2
  • 9 runners
SKY
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Diegos 69th Keep Batting Birthday Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

12/1 (Won)

  • Win: £6.50
  • Place: £2.00

Form: 273P-F D

Last run: 30 days

W: 10st 6lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Ended last season with a poor performance for Paul Nicholls and fell on last month's stable/chase debut; needs to get back on track but his current mark is workable and today's trip/ground will suit; can't be ruled out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

2

25th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 178y

Class 2

17:15 Sandown

Dargiannini

11st 9lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Harry Derham

Returned from a break with narrow win at Uttoxter (2m4f, good) in October but pulled up on both starts since, latterly at last month's Cheltenham Festival; younger rivals have much more persuasive profiles.

50/1

18

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 1

14:40 Cheltenham

Dargiannini

10st 13lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Harry Derham

A 9yo won it in 2019 but it's stretching the imagination to see this 11yo prevail, even though he did so at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good) in October and soft ground was a valid excuse at Newbury (2m4f) in November; off since.

50/1

6/1

  • Place: £2.50

Form: 5-0953 D

Last run: 32 days

W: 11st 2lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 133

Form & Verdict
Enjoyed a revival and won four times in a row in early part of last year (2m3f-3m2f, all on soft); slow to return to form this season but last month's Chepstow third (2m7f, soft) was a pretty good effort and he remains on a workable mark; cheekpieces (worn for one below-par run last season) are given another go here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

14th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 3

13:50 Uttoxeter

West To The Bridge

11st 9lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Grand servant to the yard with 11 hurdles wins; did what he's been doing for years by bouncing back to exploit a falling mark on his favoured testing ground at Chepstow (2m3f, soft) in January; most tenacious and impossible to dismiss off 3lb higher.

10/1

1st

1

27th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 3f 100y

Class 3

14:02 Chepstow

West To The Bridge

12st 0lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Long in the tooth now and not the force of old but was nudged up only 1lb for last month's clear second in refitted cheekpieces at Ludlow (2m5f, good to soft) and ought to be better suited by this slower ground.

10/1

10/1

  • Place: £2.20

Form: 1F241/ D

Last run: 678 days

W: 10st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 129

Form & Verdict
2-5 over hurdles in 2020-21 season, the latter win gained by 5l in 16-runner Chepstow novice (2m3f, good to soft); returns from 678-day absence but has been given a chance by the handicapper and market support will make him of significant interest.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

23rd Mar 2026

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 3

16:05 Kempton

Es Perfecto

11st 8lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

Has more to prove than the other 11yos in this field, with form this season suggesting that age may be catching up with him and virtually all of his chase outings at 2m4f; it remains to be seen whether this longer trip sparks a resurgence.

10/1

6th

7

21st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 2

16:05 Kempton

Es Perfecto

11st 0lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

Has some strong handicap form to his name and this isn't quite so demanding as Cheltenham's feature 2m4f early-season handicaps; he is now 11 and the handicapper hasn't been overly generous is dropping him just 3lb for those heavy defeats, but unwise to put a line through him.

25/1

5th

18

13th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

14:00 Cheltenham

Es Perfecto

10st 6lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

in touch with leaders

33/1

Form: 2/7-3P

Last run: 30 days

W: 10st 8lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Returned from long absence with two disappointing chase runs towards end of last year; remains lightly raced for his age and now switches back to hurdling on a dangerous mark but others have much less to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

8

28th Jan 2023

Good To Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 2

14:32 Uttoxeter

Corrieben Reiver

10st 8lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Ewan Whillans

took keen hold, disputed lead, lost position but prominent 5th, mistake when pressed leader 2 out

16/1

2

29th Dec 2022

Heavy

2m 1f 14y

Class 3

13:03 Kelso

Corrieben Reiver

12st 0lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Ewan Whillans

Low-mileage 8yo who was a course winner over hurdles in February 2021 (2m, soft); last month's chasing debut came after a 534-day absence and he is entitled to have needed the run but he was well beaten and his current ability is not easy to gauge.

16/1

Form: 1/124-

Last run: 395 days

W: 10st 11lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Created good impression when winning by 18l on hurdling debut at Bangor (2m, good to soft) in October 2021; absent since respectable fourth in Grade 1 Challow at Newbury (2m4f, soft) two months later but still has significant potential.
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: 137-20 D

Last run: 76 days

W: 11st 4lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 135

Form & Verdict
Won three novice hurdles last season and lost out only by a short head on handicap debut at Aintree (2m4f, good to soft) in October; well beaten after racing too freely in major Cheltenham handicap the following month but is back in calmer waters here and remains of interest.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

2

24th May 2026

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 4

16:37 Uttoxeter

A Different Kind

11st 13lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald McCain

Without a win since scoring over fences in September 2023 and he was 2-7 favourite on that occasion; however, hasn't had a lot of racing since and produced three fair runs during winter off his lower hurdle mark; last run was a backward step but he's no forlorn hope with cheekpieces added.

8/1

3

23rd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 47y

Class 4

16:10 Perth

A Different Kind

12st 0lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald McCain

Hasn't won since scoring over fences here in September 2023 (2m4f, soft; 2-7 favourite); decent run after a wind op when second to a subsequent winner in a 2m handicap hurdle at Doncaster last time; chance on that form.

10/1

2nd

2

27th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 128y

Class 4

15:22 Doncaster

A Different Kind

11st 13lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald McCain

9yo who has returned from a long absence this season and hasn't recaptured his considerable 2023 promise, but he ran well when third off his reduced mark at Haydock (1m7f, good to soft) last month; has had wind surgery since and he could be in the mix.

12/1

Form: P1PP-P CD

Last run: 81 days

W: 10st 13lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
Bounced back to form to make all over C&D (heavy) in first-time blinkers in December 2021 but was pulled up on all three appearances in 2022; hopes of another sudden revival today are pinned on the first-time visor.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

25th Jul 2025

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

16:23 Uttoxeter

Ballybegg

11st 11lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Kerry Lee

Dual C&D winner; went close off today's mark at Ludlow (2m5f, good) in March but this regressive 10yo was soundly beaten over fences when last in action and would appeal much more on slower ground.

25/1

3

1st Jul 2025

Good To Firm

2m 3f 98y

Class 4

20:18 Stratford

Ballybegg

12st 1lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Kerry Lee

Inconsistent 10yo who was well beaten when back over fences in May (2m6f), then unsuited by the drop back to 2m on his most recent start at Newton Abbot last month when a well-held third of six; on a good mark if the mood takes him now back up to a more suitable test.

10/1

3rd

3

13th Jun 2025

Good

2m 0f 75y

Class 4

19:55 Newton Abbot

Ballybegg

11st 6lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Kerry Lee

Went close over hurdles at Ludlow (2m5f, good) in March but this inconsistent and steadily regressive 10yo was well beaten when back over fences last month (2m6f); drops back to about 2m for first time since hurdle debut in 2020; has done all his winning on ground slower than good.

10/1

Form: P-P018

Last run: 28 days

W: 12st 1lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 146

Form & Verdict
4-10 over hurdles in Ireland, the latest win gained for Gordon Elliott in Clonmel conditions race (3m, soft to heavy; first-time blinkers) last month; did that very easily but was quickly back in the doldrums on latest appearance and has become very unreliable; tried in first-time cheekpieces on today's stable debut; others look much safer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

25th Apr 2024

Soft

3m 2f 127y

Class 3

16:45 Perth

Floueur

12st 1lb

J: Nathan Moscrop

T: Rebecca Menzies

raced in second

16/1

1

25th Apr 2024

Soft

3m 2f 127y

Class 3

16:45 Perth

Floueur

12st 1lb

J: Nathan Moscrop

T: Rebecca Menzies

raced in second

16/1

10

13th Apr 2024

Soft

3m 0f 149y

Class 1

13:20 Aintree

Floueur

11st 1lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Rebecca Menzies

Unpredictable over the years for several different stables; easily best effort this season when going down narrowly at Doncaster (3m, soft) in March but was beaten 41l at Uttoxeter on Midlands National day; unconvincing.

66/1

OUR TIP

Form: 2-101P D

Last run: 14 days

W: 10st 9lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Doesn't help himself by tending to race too freely but displayed good turn of foot to win a shade cosily off 3lb lower at Doncaster (2m3f, good) last month; subsequent defeat in Lanzarote at Kempton can be overlooked (effectively lost all chance when badly hampered at second flight) and he remains lightly raced; good chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

26th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 5f 55y

Class 5

15:52 Ludlow

Rathmacknee

11st 3lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Danni O’Neill

Regressive 10yo who is better known as a chaser now and was just a modest third at Warwick (2m4f, good to soft) on New Year's Eve; reverts to hurdling on a tempting mark but others have more appealing profiles.

12/1

8

30th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 6f 125y

Class 5

15:47 Stratford

Rathmacknee

11st 2lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Danni O’Neill

Has some fairly useful form on his CV but has become disappointing; returned from a break with respectable fourth in modest Worcester handicap (2m, good) in June but his 2m4f run there in July was below that level.

16/1

8

30th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 6f 125y

Class 5

15:47 Stratford

Rathmacknee

11st 2lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Danni O’Neill

Has some fairly useful form on his CV but has become disappointing; returned from a break with respectable fourth in modest Worcester handicap (2m, good) in June but his 2m4f run there in July was below that level.

16/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £64.70
Straight Forecast £68.14
Tricast £589.52
Trifecta £579.50

Selections

TOPSPEED:

Go Dante

SPOTLIGHT:

Rathmacknee

Daily Mail:

Dargiannini

Daily Record:

West To The Bridge

The Times:

Go Dante

Telegraph:

Go Dante

The Guardian:

Go Dante

D Express:

Go Dante

Daily Mirror:

Go Dante

The Sun:

Go Dante

The Star:

Go Dante

RP Ratings:

Rathmacknee

POSTDATA:

Rathmacknee

LAMBOURN:

Rathmacknee