July 21 / 15.50 Haydock

15.50

Soft

Birchwood Handicap (Jockey Club Grassroots Stayers Series Qualifier)

  • Prize money: £6542.5
  • 1m 6f 0y
  • Class 4
  • 7 runners
RTV
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Birchwood Handicap (Jockey Club Grassroots Stayers Series Qualifier)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

8/1 (Won)

  • Win: £10.00
  • Place: £3.20

Form: 1-7

Last run: 30 days

W: 9st 6lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Failed to consolidate the form of November's Southwell debut win (1m4f) under the penalty at Newcastle latest; no chances taken with initial mark, but yard still in great form, and no shock if this nephew of King Edward VII Stakes scorer Boscobel appreciates the trip/ground combination.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

17th Mar 2025

Good

2m 0f 190y

13:52 Down Royal

Quantum Leap

11st 12lb

J: Paddy Hanlon

T: John Joseph Hanlon

Decent performer on the Flat, winning twice and rated 87 at his peak; hooded (retained) and tailed off on his Irish and hurdles debut on heavy at Punchestown last month; ground more suitable now but can only be watched after that last effort.

80/1

9th

3

24th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 0f 157y

13:30 Punchestown

Quantum Leap

11st 12lb

J: Paddy Hanlon

T: Miss Tara Lee Cogan

Useful form on the Flat for Ed Bethell including a 1m6f win off 82; hood goes on for his stable/hurdles debut; stays at least 2m on the level so this may not be a sufficient stamina test; probably best watched, especially on this ground.

8/1

13/8

  • Place: £1.80

Form: -24522

Last run: 11 days

W: 9st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 83

Form & Verdict
Twice within a neck of recording a first soft-ground score of late, this month's last-gasp Ayr 0-95 defeat (1m5f) rating a career-best form effort; 0-7 over 1m6f-plus, but 1lb well in and down in class.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

(1)

29th May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 3f 39y

Class 6

16:10 Carlisle

Ravenscraig Castle

9st 6lb

J: Andrew Mullen

T: Iain Jardine

Tailed off over hurdles last time but ran well in that code in March; he's on a handy mark on last year's best Flat form; not ruled out.

14/1

9th

12

17th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 3

13:45 Ayr

Ravenscraig Castle

11st 2lb

J: William Maggs

T: Iain Jardine

Sole success in 17 runs over hurdles came at Perth last summer (2m, good); he's consistent but not progressive and was a well-held fifth in this last year off the very same mark.

20/1

4th

9

20th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 1f 87y

Class 2

15:22 Musselburgh

Ravenscraig Castle

11st 1lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Iain Jardine

Sole win over hurdles, from 16 attempts, came at Perth (2m, good) last July; ran okay over C&D in January on his last two hurdle starts (good to soft) and is not ruled out each-way.

16/1

Form: 1425/

Last run: 783 days

W: 9st 6lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Productive last 12 months over hurdles, most recently scoring at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good to soft); 1m2f Fibresand winner in France in early 2021, though remains to be seen what he can still offer in this sphere.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

31st Mar 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 114y

Class 3

17:25 Plumpton

Mothill

11st 11lb

J: Joe Anderson

T: Neil Mulholland

Has won three of his last four hurdles, latterly edging home in the new cheekpieces at Ascot (2m3f, good to soft) after Joe Anderson had lost his whip (still a fine ride; always ideally positioned up with the pace); mark continues to rise (up another 5lb) but he's not easily knocked.

4/1

1st

13

17th Feb 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 58y

Class 2

14:25 Ascot

Mothill

10st 5lb

J: Joe Anderson

T: Neil Mulholland

Wins in 2023 came in Class 4 events at Uttoxeter and Sedgefield (both 2m4f, good to soft) and the rise in class seemed to find him out when he was only eighth in the Lanzarote at Kempton last time; needs first-time cheekpieces to spark a career-best effort.

16/1

8th

17

13th Jan 2024

Good To Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 2

14:42 Kempton

Mothill

10st 9lb

J: Joe Anderson

T: Neil Mulholland

Solid record in Class 4 this term, winning at Sedgefield (2m4f, good to soft) most recently; 5lb claimer Joe Anderson (won on him last June) returns, in bid to offset 5lb rise; 4-12 over hurdles; upped sharply in grade but arrives in top form; shortlisted.

16/1

Form: -40227

Last run: 44 days

W: 8st 10lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Hasn't hit the line too strongly in some of his starts at 2m, so the drop back to the 1m6f of April's Chelmsford second makes sense; 0-13, however, and mixed results on soft ground this year.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

27th Mar 2025

Good

3m 2f 0y

Class 5

14:57 Warwick

De Vegas Warrior

10st 12lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Henrietta C Knight

Longstanding maiden under both codes but he was running well when crashing out two from home at Taunton 17 days ago (3m, good); enters the reckoning.

7/1

9

10th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

16:10 Taunton

De Vegas Warrior

10st 11lb

J: Philip Armson

T: Henrietta C Knight

Didn't fire on latest outing but began handicap hurdle career with encouraging thirds at Southwell (2m4f, good to soft) and Fakenham (2m7f, good); 4lb lower now and Philip Armson claims 3lb today; could have a say.

12/1

6th

8

3rd Feb 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 60y

Class 5

16:20 Southwell

De Vegas Warrior

11st 2lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Henrietta C Knight

Fair stayer on the Flat (albeit a maiden); third in both handicap hurdles, more recently when upped to 2m7f at Fakenham (good) a fortnight ago, but needs to find something extra here; cheekpieces refitted.

8/1

OUR TIP

Form: 531471

Last run: 10 days

W: 9st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 71

Form & Verdict
Took Pontefract record to 5-7 (4-6 over 1m4f) ten days ago, as with the other wins gained on quicker ground than awaits here; penalty which obliges him to race off his highest ever mark is more of a concern.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

(4)

9th Aug 2023

Good To Soft

2m 1f 27y

Class 4

15:50 Pontefract

Carrigillihy

10st 1lb

J: David Allan

T: Tim Easterby

Comes alive at Pontefract and was gaining his fifth course win from seven goes when gamely scoring over 1m4f in June; not disgraced at Haydock last time; stays 2m and will probably see out this slightly longer distance; seems equally effective on good to firm and good to soft; solid contender.

100/30

5th

6

(7)

21st Jul 2023

Soft

1m 6f 0y

Class 4

15:50 Haydock

Carrigillihy

9st 0lb

J: Phil Dennis

T: Tim Easterby

Took Pontefract record to 5-7 (4-6 over 1m4f) ten days ago, as with the other wins gained on quicker ground than awaits here; penalty which obliges him to race off his highest ever mark is more of a concern.

6/1

Form: -50138

Last run: 7 days

W: 9st 1lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
More prolific on synthetics, but can run to the same level on turf when on song; Southwell 1m4f scorer in June, but frequent refusal to settle has been evident again in three defeats either side of that.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

26th Nov 2024

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 4

13:40 Southwell

Natchez Trace

10st 13lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Declan Carroll

Four Flat wins but he hasn't achieved much at big prices in two handicap hurdles, at 2m1f and 2m7f; no great appeal this time, either.

40/1

8

26th Nov 2024

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 4

13:40 Southwell

Natchez Trace

10st 13lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Declan Carroll

Four Flat wins but he hasn't achieved much at big prices in two handicap hurdles, at 2m1f and 2m7f; no great appeal this time, either.

40/1

6th

1

14th Nov 2024

Good

2m 7f 16y

Class 5

15:15 Market Rasen

Natchez Trace

12st 0lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Declan Carroll

in rear

16/1

4/1

Form: 9/9-44 CD

Last run: 63 days

W: 9st 9lb

6 yo

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
Outran his mark when fourth at Newmarket latest, yet still dropped another 2lb; 1m6f on soft turf is just the ticket, and he gets that combination for the first time since a Glorious Goodwood win two years ago; 3-3 in class 4 or lower handicaps, and won over C&D on his sole previous visit.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £29.40
Straight Forecast £27.68
Trifecta £161.80

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Ravenscraig Castle

SPOTLIGHT:

Prince Alex

The Times:

Carrigillihy

Daily Mail:

Mothill

The Guardian:

Carrigillihy

TOPSPEED:

Ravenscraig Castle

POSTDATA:

Ravenscraig Castle

Telegraph:

Ravenscraig Castle

D Express:

Ravenscraig Castle

Daily Record:

Ravenscraig Castle

LAMBOURN:

Prince Alex

Daily Mirror:

Prince Alex

The Star:

Prince Alex