October 14 / 13.55 Chepstow

13.55

Good To Soft

Champion Hats Juvenile Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £4901.4
  • 2m 0f 11y
  • Class 4
  • 7 runners
SKY
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Champion Hats Juvenile Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly sunny

11/8 (Won)

  • Win: £1.91
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 32

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 0lb

3 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Fair Flat-racer (albeit a maiden) who bettered his underwhelming hurdle debut when creditable second in Class 2 event at Market Rasen (2m, good) a fortnight ago; will be a tough nut to crack if able to match that form on the forecast slower ground here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

19th May 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 28y

Class 4

20:20 Hexham

Balboa

11st 13lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Seamus Mullins

Made the most of a reduced mark when justifying support and gaining a first win since 2023 when scoring at Ayr (2m4f, soft) last month; remains well treated on past form back up 6lb and likely to be in the mix again.

11/2

1st

8

17th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 100y

Class 4

17:15 Ayr

Balboa

11st 0lb

J: Mr Jack Stenhouse

T: Seamus Mullins

Without a win since 2023 but he has dropped to a dangerous mark and ran surprisingly well over 3m last time at Wincanton when all his form is over shorter; goes on soft.

12/1

3rd

9

23rd Mar 2026

Good

3m 0f 150y

Class 4

14:45 Wincanton

Balboa

11st 9lb

J: Mr Paddy Barlow

T: Seamus Mullins

Remote when third at Newbury (2m4f, soft) last month and remains winless since 2023; however, the form of his keeping-on fourth at Taunton (2m3f, good) two starts ago has worked out well and he's too well handicapped to be ruled out on this first attempt at a staying trip.

12/1

OUR TIP

12/1

  • Place: £1.40

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 0lb

3 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
11,000euros 2yo; second foal; half-brother to a French 2m1f chase winner; dam unplaced Flat/hurdles in France, half-sister to French Listed-placed jumper Bal Celtique; stable won this race with a debutant in 2018.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

18th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 147y

Class 4

16:30 Hereford

Castelfort

11st 10lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Jane Williams

Triple hurdle winner at 2m on testing ground but effective over this far; didn't take to chasing in the autumn (two attempts) but he's shown promise since returned to hurdling, including when third at Chepstow (2m, soft) last month; continues to edge down the weights and has possibilities back up in trip and down in grade.

11/4

3rd

6

21st Feb 2026

Soft

2m 0f 16y

Class 3

16:13 Chepstow

Castelfort

11st 1lb

J: Isabelle Ryder

T: Jane Williams

Dual C&D winner in 2024 (soft/heavy); didn't take to chasing in the autumn (two attempts) and his two subsequent hurdle runs (2m4f/2m3f) were no better than respectable; back in trip today; needs to raise his game.

8/1

4th

6

27th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 3f 100y

Class 3

14:02 Chepstow

Castelfort

11st 11lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Jane Williams

Didn't really take to chasing on first two starts this season but kept on for respectable fifth when back over hurdles at Newbury (2m4f, good) last month, and this dual course winner ought to be better suited by today's slower ground.

10/1

33/1

Form: P

Last run: 109 days

W: 11st 0lb

3 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Yet to show anything more than minor promise on the Flat (four runs), and was pulled up when 100-1 for hurdling debut in the summer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

19th Feb 2026

2m 3f 189y

Class 5

13:41 Huntingdon

Ceejaybe

10st 13lb

J: James Davies

T: Jo Davis

Close third over fences at Fontwell last April but such high points have been scarce in his winless, 17-race rules career; well-beaten fifth in points on his last two starts; reverts to rules with something to prove.

14/1

8

15th May 2025

Good

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

18:40 Fontwell

Ceejaybe

10st 5lb

J: James Davies

T: Jo Davis

A maiden who can pick up a race sometime soon after his rallying third over C&D 20 days ago, finishing right up behind Fortunate Fella.

4/1

8

15th May 2025

Good

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

18:40 Fontwell

Ceejaybe

10st 5lb

J: James Davies

T: Jo Davis

A maiden who can pick up a race sometime soon after his rallying third over C&D 20 days ago, finishing right up behind Fortunate Fella.

4/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 7lb

3 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Safely held on all four Flat starts for Jim Bolger in Ireland this year (1m-1m3f), albeit not without displaying some ability; not the most obvious answer on today's stable/hurdle debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

5

28th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 139y

Class 5

19:00 Market Rasen

Parish Star

10st 11lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Adam Nicol

2-5 for new stable this year; gained the wins on heavy and good to soft ground but coped perfectly well with good ground when close third at Kelso (2m5f; first-time tongue-tie) last month; hood (worn for three of her last four races) is discarded; likely contender again.

9/4

3rd

8

2nd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 189y

Class 5

15:10 Kelso

Parish Star

10st 12lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Adam Nicol

Won when the hood went back on at Newcastle (2m4f, heavy) in January and followed up at Southwell (2m4f, good to soft); disappointing at Carlisle (2m3f, soft) last time but she was missing the hood, which returns today along with a first-time tongue-tie; could have a part to play.

9/2

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 0lb

3 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
0-10 on the Flat but has some fair form, including a heavy-ground third for this stable at Sandown (1m; RPR 69) in August; should be okay stamina-wise over hurdles; each-way claims if he jumps well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

(5)

9th Apr 2026

Standard

0m 6f 20y

Class 4

19:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

City Cyclone

9st 3lb

J: William Carson

T: Tony Carroll

Won here over 7f in February either side of wins over this trip at Kempton; encountered a wide trip when down the field in a higher grade than this last time and he may well be able to bounce back.

8/1

8th

11

(8)

28th Mar 2026

Standard To Slow

0m 6f 0y

Class 3

17:03 Kempton (AW)

City Cyclone

8st 7lb

J: J F Egan

T: Tony Carroll

Arrives seeking a four-timer, two of the wins over C&D, and he hasn't been treated punitively by the assessor having gone up just 6lb; this is a much stiffer test of his credentials but there are no doubts surrounding his wellbeing.

12/1

1st

6

(8)

4th Mar 2026

Standard To Slow

0m 6f 0y

Class 4

19:00 Kempton (AW)

City Cyclone

9st 0lb

J: William Carson

T: Tony Carroll

Has started 2026 with wins over C&D and in a small field at Wolverhampton (7f); only 1lb higher on the hat-trick bid but this is more competitive and he's drawn widest.

5/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 7lb

3 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Struggled in basement-grade Flat race on stable debut in June; can't be recommended on this hurdling debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

31st May 2025

Good

2m 0f 70y

Class 5

18:30 Stratford

What An Icon

10st 5lb

J: James Davies

T: Chris Down

Unseated rider at first flight on recent reappearance outing and has now been unplaced all nine hurdling starts; 1lb wrong here; sports refitted hood; not the most obvious answer.

33/1

10

31st May 2025

Good

2m 0f 70y

Class 5

18:30 Stratford

What An Icon

10st 5lb

J: James Davies

T: Chris Down

Unseated rider at first flight on recent reappearance outing and has now been unplaced all nine hurdling starts; 1lb wrong here; sports refitted hood; not the most obvious answer.

33/1

8

21st May 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

15:10 Warwick

What An Icon

10st 5lb

J: James Davies

T: Chris Down

No improvement for the return to assertive tactics on her final two outings last summer, beaten 25l in each; 5lb out of the weights on this return to action and not easily recommended.

50/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 0lb

3 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
2-7 on the Flat in France, the wins both gained in May (1m, soft/1m1f, good); his form is below the level achieved by Liari in that sphere but, nevertheless, he's an interesting recruit to the British hurdling scene; tongue-tie fitted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

5

14th Nov 2024

Good To Firm

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

13:05 Taunton

Stray Bullet

11st 0lb

J: Elizabeth Gale

T: David Pipe

disputed lead early, soon in touch with leaders

25/1

8th

5

14th Nov 2024

Good To Firm

2m 0f 104y

Class 5

13:05 Taunton

Stray Bullet

11st 0lb

J: Elizabeth Gale

T: David Pipe

disputed lead early, soon in touch with leaders

25/1

8

10th Oct 2024

Good

2m 0f 161y

Class 5

16:08 Exeter

Stray Bullet

10st 11lb

J: Gearoid Harney

T: David Pipe

Won twice on the Flat in France in May 2023 but struggled in three juvenile hurdles for David Pipe last season and we haven't seen him since a heavy defeat on the Flat in February; swaps blinkers for cheekpieces.

25/1

Non-runners

Liari, Whispering Royal

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £3.00
Straight Forecast £3.03
Trifecta £10.40

Selections

POSTDATA:

Liari

SPOTLIGHT:

Balboa

The Times:

Whispering Royal

WEST COUNTRY:

Liari

Telegraph:

Liari

Daily Mail:

Liari

The Sun:

Liari

Daily Record:

Liari

RP RATINGS:

Balboa

TOPSPEED:

Balboa

The Guardian:

Balboa

Daily Mirror:

Balboa

D Express:

Whispering Royal

The Star:

Whispering Royal