August 24 / 18.50 Fontwell

18.50

Good

V2 Rodeo Juvenile Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £4356.8
  • 2m 1f 162y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
SKY
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V2 Rodeo Juvenile Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly sunny

11/2 (Won)

  • Win: £6.50
  • Place: £1.80

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Slightly classier ex-Charlie Johnston recruit than Grain Of Hope (RPR 76) and similarly effective at up to 1m6f; potentially fair hurdling recruit, though all best work to date has come around galloping tracks.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

31st Oct 2025

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

14:30 Uttoxeter

Book Of Tales

11st 6lb

J: Daire McConville

T: Charlie Longsdon

Largely consistent 5yo who bumped into a very well handicapped rival when clear second at Huntingdon (2m, good) in April; not quite in same form at Aintree the following month and not yet proven over this far but still considered.

12/1

9

31st Oct 2025

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

14:30 Uttoxeter

Book Of Tales

11st 6lb

J: Daire McConville

T: Charlie Longsdon

Largely consistent 5yo who bumped into a very well handicapped rival when clear second at Huntingdon (2m, good) in April; not quite in same form at Aintree the following month and not yet proven over this far but still considered.

12/1

9/1

  • Place: £2.60

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 9lb

3 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Signed off for Charlie Johnston with a short-head second at Thirsk (1m6f, good to firm; RPR 69); ought not fail for stamina here, and one 2m-3m hurdles winner (including two USA Grade 1s) among half-siblings.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

9th Sep 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 35y

Class 5

16:48 Perth

Grain Of Hope

11st 8lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Gordon Elliott

Bought out of the Emma Lavelle yard for 3,800gns in July after finishing tailed off on the Flat in first-time cheekpieces; won a maiden hurdle last October and could go well if Gordon Elliott can get her back to that level of form.

5/2

11th

8

(10)

19th Jun 2024

Soft

1m 6f 0y

Class 6

20:50 Nottingham

Grain Of Hope

9st 5lb

J: Edward Greatrex

T: Emma Lavelle

prominent

16/1

5

12th Jun 2024

Good

2m 3f 29y

Class 5

17:18 Fontwell

Grain Of Hope

11st 3lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Emma Lavelle

Flat maiden despite threatening a couple of times; never finished out of the first two in first four hurdle runs and she had a stiff task from out the weights at Cheltenham in April, before a disappointing run back at this level at Warwick last month when appearing not to stay the 2m5f; remains with potential in this sphere and is one to consider back in distance.

7/1

12/1

  • Place: £2.00

Form: 4

Last run: 25 days

W: 10st 9lb

3 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Short-head too good for Grain Of Hope at Thirsk last month (1m6f, good to firm); 2m looked inadequate switched to hurdling at Uttoxeter and tonight's longer trip rates a plus; does need to jump straighter.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

11

24th Mar 2026

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

15:15 Taunton

Dance Havana

10st 4lb

J: Conor Ring

T: Grace Harris

Flat wins in 2022 and 2023; has had only four races over hurdles but soundly beaten in two soft-ground handicaps when last seen early in 2024.

20/1

Form:

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Behind from halfway when nearly 40l behind City Of Ruins on his hurdling debut, and no renewed encouragement back on the Flat since.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

9

22nd Feb 2024

Standard

1m 2f 0y

Class 6

16:35 Chelmsford (AW)

Steven Seagull

8st 10lb

J: Kieran O’Neill

T: John Ryan

One win in 18 starts came in a four-runner hurdle in November and form of that race is decidedly shaky; poor under both codes since then including when well behind Reverberation over C&D in December.

20/1

8th

8

28th Jan 2024

Soft

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

13:45 Fontwell

Steven Seagull

10st 2lb

J: James Davies

T: John Ryan

Lowly rated maiden on the Flat; won what turned out to be a very uncompetitive juvenile hurdle here (2m1f, heavy) in November but was pulled up when back in a handicap hurdle at Southwell (2m4f, good to soft) recently.

12/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 9lb

3 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Best Flat RPR of 80 for Jim Bolger, though 0-7 in that sphere and stamina for 1m2f and beyond still perhaps open to question; all headgear dispensed with on this hurdling/British/stable debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

9

28th Jun 2026

Good

2m 6f 31y

Class 4

15:02 Cartmel

Feach Amach

11st 2lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Adam Nicol

Three wins last spring and a career best to score at Musselburgh (2m4f, good to soft) this March, albeit with half the hurdles omitted; ran creditably at Kelso (2m5f, good) 12 weeks ago but that fourth of six suggests that she needs to raise her game again.

16/1

4th

6

2nd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 189y

Class 4

16:15 Kelso

Feach Amach

11st 1lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Adam Nicol

Won three times last spring (2m4f/2m5f, good/good to soft; including C&D) and followed a break by returning to winning ways with a career best at Musselburgh (2m4f, good to soft) a fortnight ago, albeit with half the hurdles omitted; could still have more to offer and she's respected up 4lb.

7/2

1st

2

20th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 171y

Class 4

17:00 Musselburgh

Feach Amach

10st 11lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Adam Nicol

Won three times last spring (2m4f/2m5f, good/good to soft); ran okay when fourth of seven over C&D (good to soft) in November when last seen (lost a shoe); each-way claims if fully tuned up after a break.

5/1

OUR TIP

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 2lb

3 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Half-brother to one hurdles winner (around here), albeit as an older horse; has looked a weakish finisher in Flat handicaps of late, even when placing at 1m2f (good to firm), and may appreciate more time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

9

(6)

5th Apr 2025

Standard

1m 5f 219y

Class 6

20:15 Wolverhampton (AW)

Ocean Ridge

9st 0lb

J: William Cox

T: Thomas Faulkner

towards rear

20/1

5th

9

(6)

5th Apr 2025

Standard

1m 5f 219y

Class 6

20:15 Wolverhampton (AW)

Ocean Ridge

9st 0lb

J: William Cox

T: Thomas Faulkner

towards rear

20/1

8th

8

(7)

21st Mar 2025

Standard

2m 0f 102y

Class 6

20:00 Southwell (AW)

Ocean Ridge

9st 1lb

J: Robert Havlin

T: Thomas Faulkner

Recorded sole win in a 1m4f classified on Wolverhampton Tapeta last March (unraced beyond that on Flat); third in a handicap hurdle in June but this winter's AW efforts are unconvincing.

16/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
The lower rated of the two ex-Jim Bolger Flat recruits (RPR 74), if however also the lighter raced; Flat-bred but half-sibling to two jumps winners, and has joined some smart connections; has been gelded; one for the shortlist.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

(2)

27th Jun 2025

Good To Firm

1m 2f 23y

Class 6

15:33 Yarmouth

Unification

9st 9lb

J: Grace McEntee

T: Phil McEntee

Ex-Irish maiden who's never been involved in a finish and has done most racing over further; poor effort when well behind Mond last week and is hard to recommend.

25/1

6

(4)

18th Jun 2025

Good To Firm

1m 2f 0y

Class 6

20:45 Lingfield

Unification

9st 9lb

J: Marco Ghiani

T: Phil McEntee

Out of the frame in all 14 starts and was beaten 12l in a small-field handicap at Chelmsford (1m6f) last month; has lots to prove back in trip and this looks tough at the weights; change of headgear.

10/1

5th

4

(6)

1st May 2025

Standard

1m 6f 0y

Class 6

18:45 Chelmsford (AW)

Unification

9st 0lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Phil McEntee

Out of the frame in all 13 starts under rules despite a sliding mark; cheekpieces worn once before return but hard to recommend.

25/1

Form: 32

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 2lb

3 yo Gelding

OR: 98

Form & Verdict
Near-5l second at Stratford this month (2m1f, good to soft) didn't represent a huge step up on his debut third, and his jumping could have been better; that still sets a realistic form standard here, however.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

2nd Jul 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:50 Worcester

City Of Ruins

11st 12lb

J: Mr Huw Edwards

T: Simon Edwards

Has made the frame three times but remains a maiden; pulled up when last seen at Bangor last September; others preferred.

25/1

4

6th Sep 2024

Good

2m 3f 123y

Class 5

14:45 Bangor-on-Dee

City Of Ruins

11st 4lb

J: Mr Huw Edwards

T: Simon Edwards

Made the frame in two juvenile hurdles for Donald McCain in early part of last season and, following a layoff, belied 33-1 odds when placed on stable/hurdle debut at Southwell (2m, good) in June; struggled on soft ground in July but is back on a quicker surface here and could have untapped potential over the new trip.

10/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £47.50
Straight Forecast £58.97
Trifecta £347.90

Selections

RP RATINGS:

City Of Ruins

SPOTLIGHT:

Unification

The Times:

Feach Amach

POSTDATA:

City Of Ruins

Telegraph:

City Of Ruins

The Guardian:

City Of Ruins

Daily Mail:

City Of Ruins

Daily Mirror:

City Of Ruins

The Sun:

City Of Ruins

The Star:

City Of Ruins

D Express:

Unification

Daily Record:

Unification