March 20 / 13.40 Taunton

13.40

Good To Soft

Melanie And Philip Gibbs RNLI “Hands And Heels” Handicap Hurdle (Cond/Am) (Excellence Initiative)

  • Prize money: £5016.95
  • 2m 3f 1y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
RTV
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Melanie And Philip Gibbs RNLI “Hands And Heels” Handicap Hurdle (Cond/Am) (Excellence Initiative)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

8/1 (Won)

  • Win: £8.10
  • Place: £1.90

Form: -33264

Last run: 126 days

W: 11st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Made the frame in three good-ground maiden/novice hurdles last spring/summer (2m-2m4f) but his first two handicap runs were no better than respectable and he needs to find something extra on first start for four months.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

15

4th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 1

14:20 Aintree

Ike Sport

10st 12lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

Consistent form last term featured three wins; less reliable this season and is held by some of these rivals on Coral Cup running; addition of hood needs to make a difference.

40/1

5th

15

4th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 1

14:20 Aintree

Ike Sport

10st 12lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

Consistent form last term featured three wins; less reliable this season and is held by some of these rivals on Coral Cup running; addition of hood needs to make a difference.

40/1

14th

26

12th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 1

14:40 Cheltenham

Ike Sport

10st 6lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

Fell in his second chase; back hurdling for his three starts since, all over about 3m and he's not proven over that far but latest was a step back in the right direction (travelled best); this appears more his trip and a look at his smooth win by nearly 7l in 17-runner handicap at Sandown (2m4f, good; 7lb higher today) last April sparks major interest.

66/1

OUR TIP

8/11

  • Place: £1.10

Form: 121 D

Last run: 23 days

W: 12st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Unexposed 5yo who made all to win Chepstow maiden (2m3f, good to soft) fairly comfortably by 10l last month, his second hurdle start; should have more improvement to come in handicaps and commands respect.
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

9/2

  • Place: £1.60

Form: 595F17 D BF

Last run: 32 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Led close home to open account under Jack Martin at Exeter (2m3f, good to soft) last month, his fifth start over hurdles; disappointed when dropped back to 2m at Sandown a fortnight ago but his winning form has worked out pretty well and he's not yet fully exposed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

16

29th Oct 2024

Good To Soft

3m 2f 54y

Class 4

14:35 Chepstow

Gingerbred

11st 0lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Placed on all three starts since opening chase account at Ffos Las (3m, heavy) in February, most recently when creditable third of 16 at Cheltenham (3m4f, good) in April; respected.

9/1

3rd

16

29th Oct 2024

Good To Soft

3m 2f 54y

Class 4

14:35 Chepstow

Gingerbred

11st 0lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Placed on all three starts since opening chase account at Ffos Las (3m, heavy) in February, most recently when creditable third of 16 at Cheltenham (3m4f, good) in April; respected.

9/1

3rd

18

17th Apr 2024

Good To Soft

3m 4f 21y

Class 3

15:15 Cheltenham

Gingerbred

10st 12lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Came good over fences at Ffos Las (3m, heavy) in early February and was runner-up twice on heavy ground last month (3m1f/3m); contests a deeper race here but will be suited by the quicker conditions and is well worth a crack at the marathon trip.

12/1

Form: 5/4-3P

Last run: 69 days

W: 10st 3lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 90

Form & Verdict
Pulled up on heavy ground at Exeter in January and now 0-11 over hurdles but the forecast better ground here ought to be much more suitable and he is too well handicapped to rule out; hood refitted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

7th Jun 2024

Good

2m 4f 139y

Class 5

15:18 Market Rasen

If Karls Berg Did

11st 0lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Harriet Dickin

Won twice on good ground for Milton Harris last summer (2m4f/2m7f); good third at Uttoxeter after 322-day break on stable debut last month (2m4f, soft); should come on for that; a contender.

3/1

3rd

5

26th May 2024

Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 5

17:20 Uttoxeter

If Karls Berg Did

11st 1lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Harriet Dickin

held up in rear

7/1

3rd

5

26th May 2024

Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 5

17:20 Uttoxeter

If Karls Berg Did

11st 1lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Harriet Dickin

held up in rear

7/1

Form: 81-250

Last run: 32 days

W: 12st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Won over hurdles in France (2m1f, soft) a year ago but was well beaten on last month's British debut at Sandown (2m, good to soft) and needs to have taken significant benefit from that outing.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

20th Apr 2025

Good

2m 0f 214y

Class 4

14:20 Plumpton

Flamelco

11st 1lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Sarah Humphrey

Two chase wins this season, on good and soft ground; reportedly bled from the nose when second at Ffos Las (good to soft) where he kept responding for pressure; this does look a better race, however.

7/1

1st

4

20th Apr 2025

Good

2m 0f 214y

Class 4

14:20 Plumpton

Flamelco

11st 1lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Sarah Humphrey

Two chase wins this season, on good and soft ground; reportedly bled from the nose when second at Ffos Las (good to soft) where he kept responding for pressure; this does look a better race, however.

7/1

2nd

3

6th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

15:00 Ffos Las

Flamelco

11st 2lb

J: James Bowen

T: Sarah Humphrey

Has won over fences at Catterick (1m7f, good) and Huntingdon (2m, soft) this season; hasn't been quite at his best on last two starts but wouldn't rule out.

7/1

Form: /P085P

Last run: 11 days

W: 10st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
Very respectable fifth over C&D (good) on last month's handicap debut (last-flight error extended margin of defeat) and still has low mileage but needs to bounce back quickly from a poor performance 11 days ago and is 2lb out of the weights.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

11

14th Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 28y

Class 5

16:18 Hexham

Prince Nino

10st 2lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Lizzie Quinlan

held up in midfield, slow jump 4th, soon reminder and towards rear, weakened after 2 out

16/1

7th

11

14th Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 28y

Class 5

16:18 Hexham

Prince Nino

10st 2lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Lizzie Quinlan

held up in midfield, slow jump 4th, soon reminder and towards rear, weakened after 2 out

16/1

9

28th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 26y

Class 5

17:20 Wetherby

Prince Nino

10st 8lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Lizzie Quinlan

Went close to snapping a losing sequence at Newcastle (2m4f, good to soft) in January; not a forlorn hope but he's unproven at this longer trip and hasn't been at his best the last twice.

12/1

Form: /2U3-P

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 11lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Ran big race over fences at Cheltenham (3m1f, good) in November 2021 but seen only twice again since, more recently when pulled up over hurdles on last month's seasonal debut; might have needed that run and drops in grade here but others have less to prove; sports first-time cheekpieces.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

18th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

14:05 Taunton

Pontresina

11st 1lb

J: Nick Scholfield

T: Ben Lund

411 days off before pulled up at 125-1 over fences four weeks ago; also hard to support on 2023 evidence (including twice in cheekpieces) but he was pretty useful before that.

50/1

7

18th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

14:05 Taunton

Pontresina

11st 1lb

J: Nick Scholfield

T: Ben Lund

411 days off before pulled up at 125-1 over fences four weeks ago; also hard to support on 2023 evidence (including twice in cheekpieces) but he was pretty useful before that.

50/1

7

21st Dec 2024

Good To Soft

3m 1f 44y

Class 4

13:03 Hereford

Pontresina

11st 2lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Ben Lund

An 11yo returning from 411 days away and wasn't looking the force of old when last seen; too much to prove.

33/1

Form: -35P5P

Last run: 24 days

W: 10st 7lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
Close third on hurdle debut for Gordon Elliott at Perth (2m4f, good) last summer but this year's form for Seamus Mullins has been very underwhelming; drops back in trip after racing too freely in two handicaps last month (3m1f/3m2f); needs to turn a corner.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

5

4th Jul 2023

Good

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

18:40 Stratford

Dame Prestige

11st 4lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Seamus Mullins

held up in rear, ridden after 2 out, soon weakened

40/1

2

31st May 2023

Good

2m 2f 110y

Class 5

17:03 Newton Abbot

Dame Prestige

11st 5lb

J: Daniel Sansom

T: Seamus Mullins

Close third on hurdle debut for Gordon Elliott at Perth (2m4f, good) last summer but he's been pulled up in three of his four runs for new yard this year, including in his last two handicaps; dropped another 5lb but has a lot to prove.

33/1

6

20th Mar 2023

Good To Soft

2m 3f 1y

Class 4

13:40 Taunton

Dame Prestige

10st 7lb

J: Mr William Gough

T: Seamus Mullins

Close third on hurdle debut for Gordon Elliott at Perth (2m4f, good) last summer but this year's form for Seamus Mullins has been very underwhelming; drops back in trip after racing too freely in two handicaps last month (3m1f/3m2f); needs to turn a corner.

33/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £16.40
Straight Forecast £14.22
Tricast £24.74
Trifecta £49.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Ioupy Collonges

The Guardian:

Ike Sport

TOPSPEED:

Gingerbred

RP Ratings:

Ioupy Collonges

POSTDATA:

Ioupy Collonges

WEST COUNTRY:

Ioupy Collonges

The Times:

Ioupy Collonges

Telegraph:

Ioupy Collonges

Daily Mail:

Ioupy Collonges

D Express:

Ioupy Collonges

Daily Mirror:

Ioupy Collonges

The Sun:

Ioupy Collonges

The Star:

Ioupy Collonges

Daily Record:

Ioupy Collonges