May 28 / 15.10 Fontwell

15.10

Good

Danny Bowers 50th Birthday Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £5809.1
  • 2m 3f 49y
  • Class 3
  • 7 runners
SKY
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Danny Bowers 50th Birthday Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

11/2 (Won)

  • Win: £5.00
  • Place: £1.80

Form: 23562- D

Last run: 36 days

W: 12st 1lb

13 yo Gelding

OR: 131

Form & Verdict
Still capable of fine efforts, as he showed when narrowly beaten at Ayr last month; remains on a fair mark, despite top weight, but could again prove vulnerable for win purposes.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

28th May 2023

Good

2m 3f 49y

Class 3

15:10 Fontwell

Hunters Call

12st 1lb

J: Miss Alice Stevens

T: Olly Murphy

Still capable of fine efforts, as he showed when narrowly beaten at Ayr last month; remains on a fair mark, despite top weight, but could again prove vulnerable for win purposes.

11/2

2nd

2

22nd Apr 2023

Good To Soft

2m 5f 91y

Class 2

16:10 Ayr

Hunters Call

11st 10lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Olly Murphy

Old-timer who was still capable of useful form last season, finishing third of four in this race; however, age may now be catching up with him and he hasn't found much under pressure on his last two outings; opposable.

7/1

6th

1

4th Mar 2023

Good

3m 0f 84y

Class 2

15:50 Doncaster

Hunters Call

12st 0lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Olly Murphy

In career-best form last season despite his advancing years but he's not fired as he can in his last two starts some 92 days apart; worth taking on.

14/1

9/4

  • Place: £1.50

Form: 052P-1

Last run: 17 days

W: 10st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
First start since wind surgery when scoring in decisive fashion at Huntingdon this month; can't argue with 7lb rise, still relatively unexposed and looks a lively candidate, assuming he repeats the effort.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

5

22nd May 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

20:11 Worcester

Estacas

11st 9lb

J: Luke Scott

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Well handicapped on old form for David Bridgwater but he returned for new yard after a mammoth absence with a well-held eighth at Stratford (2m2f, good) last month; shaped as though he needed that run but this looks a tough assignment against some improvers and he's probably best watched; cheekpieces (tried once in 2023) are reapplied.

20/1

8th

11

19th Apr 2026

Good

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

16:18 Stratford

Estacas

11st 10lb

J: Luke Scott

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Well handicapped on old form for David Bridgwater but absent since two disappointing runs in November 2023; considered only if lively in the betting before this stable debut; had wind op in 2024.

14/1

Form: 33334- D

Last run: 219 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Four wins in 2021 but none since; chasing not really his scene and unable to recapture his best back hurdling; now on a decent mark if he could find top form on first start for seven months.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

10th May 2026

Good

1m 7f 169y

Class 4

16:02 Ludlow

Hooper

12st 0lb

J: Miss Amber Jackson-Fennell

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Fairly useful for Nicky Henderson until form went awry; hasn't raced since December 2024 and was sold for £3,500 last May; on a five-year losing spell; best watched unless the market speaks positively.

20/1

8

28th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 118y

Class 3

13:45 Newbury

Hooper

11st 2lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

prominent, dropped to midfield 3rd, weakened before 3 out, soon pulled up

40/1

8

28th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 118y

Class 3

13:45 Newbury

Hooper

11st 2lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

prominent, dropped to midfield 3rd, weakened before 3 out, soon pulled up

40/1

Form: 2422P- CD

Last run: 57 days

W: 11st 9lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Better known as a chaser but narrowly beaten at Newton Abbot last August (off this mark) on most recent hurdle start; easy to forgive being pulled up over fences last month (wrong ground) and not without hope.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

18th Jun 2024

Good

2m 0f 70y

Class 3

15:55 Stratford

Vision Des Flos

11st 10lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Joe Tizzard

Smart hurdler/chaser in his prime but without a win since September 2022 and looked out of sorts on latest outing in September; current ability tricky to gauge.

12/1

0

5

23rd Nov 2023

Soft

2m 3f 179y

Class 3

14:40 Wincanton

Vision Des Flos

11st 7lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Joe Tizzard

prominent, outpaced when short of room after 3 out

8/1

Form: 71630-

Last run: 219 days

W: 11st 13lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 129

Form & Verdict
Landed valuable Market Rasen prize (off just 1lb lower) last July; mixed results in three outings later in the year and returns from eight months off (and a fifth wind op) with a bit to prove; good ground ideal, though.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

28th Sep 2024

Good

2m 0f 125y

Class 2

16:35 Market Rasen

Pisgah Pike

11st 2lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Resumed winning ways in 2m Worcester handicap hurdle last month; up 5lb now but he still can't be ruled out.

7/1

1st

1

28th Aug 2024

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

19:10 Worcester

Pisgah Pike

12st 2lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Close up at Newton Abbot on return from a long absence and didn't run at all badly in a Class 2 at Market Rasen; at this easier level he makes more appeal.

8/1

8th

5

20th Jul 2024

Good

2m 0f 125y

Class 2

14:40 Market Rasen

Pisgah Pike

11st 6lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Has not seen a lot of racing since winning this two years ago off 4lb higher and he returned from an absence to be close up at Newton Abbot; could go well.

12/1

OUR TIP

Form: 211/6/

Last run: 597 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Good third in Flat contest at Nottingham 15 days ago (1m6f, soft) on return from 19 months off; made all and romped home in two novice hurdles in April 2021; on a tempting mark if the ability is fully intact, which could well be the case.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

9th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 0f 70y

Class 3

15:20 Stratford

Casa Loupi

11st 4lb

J: Rob Hargreaves

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Didn't jump with fluency but took advantage of ease in grade to justify favouritism in a Leicester seller (2m4f, soft) on penultimate start; toiled back in a handicap (Class 4) at Lingfield latest; this is a tough task, even if returning to this shorter trip may suit.

25/1

12th

2

19th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 3f 110y

Class 4

14:20 Lingfield

Casa Loupi

12st 0lb

J: Ben Pollard

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Bounced back from disappointing seasonal debut with clear win in Leicester seller (2m4f, soft) three weeks ago but faces much tougher task on this handicap return and still has something to prove; cheekpieces refitted.

10/1

6th

2

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 164y

Class 4

18:17 Fontwell

Casa Loupi

11st 12lb

J: Rob Hargreaves

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Returned from layoff with two clearcut wins at Sandown (both 2m, soft) this year but his revival came to an end with a pulled-up effort at Warwick in February; bit to prove after that and he's untried over this far.

10/1

Form: 15850- D

Last run: 42 days

W: 11st 4lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Burst back into life with two wins at the end of last year but seems to have returned to the doldrums since; more to prove than some and cheekpieces, worn in all wins under rules, are missing.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

19th Aug 2023

Good

2m 7f 16y

Class 4

19:30 Market Rasen

Locks Corner

11st 13lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Jonjo O’Neill

Won twice on slow ground over hurdles (2m3f/2m4f) towards the end of last year but he has a mixed record since; perked up with a fair third over C&D (good) in June but he failed to back that up at Worcester and others are preferred; cheekpieces reapplied.

12/1

6th

2

20th Jul 2023

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

18:10 Worcester

Locks Corner

12st 0lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Jonjo O’Neill

At least ran to his mark when 7l third at Market Rasen last time (3m, good), and the winner has completed a hat-trick since; cheekpieces deployed on all eight rules victories are still absent, however.

8/1

3rd

2

9th Jun 2023

Good

2m 7f 16y

Class 4

15:20 Market Rasen

Locks Corner

11st 11lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Jonjo O’Neill

Back in the groove with two wins at the end of last year but seems to have returned to the doldrums since; well handicapped now but something to prove and cheekpieces worn in all wins under rules are missing.

9/1

Non-runners

Casa Loupi, Lock's Corner

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £11.50
Straight Forecast £12.26
Trifecta £24.80

Selections

TOPSPEED:

Estacas

RP RATINGS:

Hunters Call

SPOTLIGHT:

Casa Loupi

LAMBOURN:

Hooper

WEST COUNTRY:

Vision Des Flos

Telegraph:

Estacas

The Star:

Estacas

Daily Record:

Estacas

The Times:

Casa Loupi

D Express:

Casa Loupi

POSTDATA:

Hunters Call

Daily Mirror:

Hunters Call

The Sun:

Hunters Call