October 18 / 16.40 Wetherby

16.40

Good

Visit racingtv.com Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £4224.8
  • 3m 0f 26y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
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Visit racingtv.com Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

Form: F171-3 D BF

Last run: 165 days

W: 11st 1lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Last seven runs over fences; comfortably conceded plenty of weight to a subsequent winner at Huntingdon (2m7f, good to soft) before running well back over 2m4f; on a good mark for this return to hurdling and stable is in form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

9

25th Oct 2025

Good

3m 2f 39y

Class 2

15:55 Kelso

Duke Of Deception

10st 6lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Absent since comfortable success in small field at Haydock (3m1f, good) six months ago; faces a stiffer task from 5lb out of weights in this better race and seems unlikely to follow up.

8/1

1st

1

19th Apr 2025

Good

3m 1f 125y

Class 4

15:50 Haydock

Duke Of Deception

12st 0lb

J: Henry Brooke

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Won smoothly on soft ground in this race last year (7lb higher today); handicapper has had the call since but seconds at Warwick (3m5f, good) and Haydock (3m4f, good) on last two outings showed that he should have a big say in this very small field.

13/8

1st

1

19th Apr 2025

Good

3m 1f 125y

Class 4

15:50 Haydock

Duke Of Deception

12st 0lb

J: Henry Brooke

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

pressed leader, led narrowly 4 out, went clear after 3 out, comfortably

13/8

Form: -513PP D

Last run: 43 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Won a handicap hurdle on heavy ground in July but his following third was remote and he's since pulled up over fences and hurdles; has become very difficult to predict.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

8

6th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

18:48 Worcester

Butlers Brief

11st 4lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Alastair Ralph

Successful in a division of this race in 2021 but that was the middle leg of a hat-trick; not in same form at present, having performed poorly in two runs since Bangor win in October.

20/1

7th

8

6th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

18:48 Worcester

Butlers Brief

11st 4lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Alastair Ralph

Successful in a division of this race in 2021 but that was the middle leg of a hat-trick; not in same form at present, having performed poorly in two runs since Bangor win in October.

20/1

Form: 1322-4

Last run: 51 days

W: 10st 12lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Has only won a Fontwell maiden for which she was odds-on favourite; 0-5 in handicaps and she wasn't that threatening when twice runner-up; may have needed latest run at Cartmel having been off for a year.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

2

2nd Nov 2025

Good

3m 1f 10y

Class 5

16:05 Huntingdon

Belles Benefit

12st 0lb

J: Mr Charlie Case

T: Ben Case

May not have achieved much when beating three rivals at Stratford (2m6f, good; first-time blinkers) in September and has been well held in both starts since; 3lb drop not enough to tempt.

14/1

8th

2

2nd Nov 2025

Good

3m 1f 10y

Class 5

16:05 Huntingdon

Belles Benefit

12st 0lb

J: Mr Charlie Case

T: Ben Case

May not have achieved much when beating three rivals at Stratford (2m6f, good; first-time blinkers) in September and has been well held in both starts since; 3lb drop not enough to tempt.

14/1

8th

2

2nd Nov 2025

Good

3m 1f 10y

Class 5

16:05 Huntingdon

Belles Benefit

12st 0lb

J: Mr Charlie Case

T: Ben Case

May not have achieved much when beating three rivals at Stratford (2m6f, good; first-time blinkers) in September and has been well held in both starts since; 3lb drop not enough to tempt.

14/1

Form: 61114- C

Last run: 174 days

W: 11st 10lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Fourth off this mark at Perth last time (3m2f, good to soft) having won her three previous races at up to 3m; perhaps high in the weights now but could feature.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

6

25th Nov 2023

Good To Soft

2m 7f 118y

Class 3

14:40 Ascot

Miss Milano

11st 3lb

J: Conor Rabbitt

T: Nicky Richards

held up in rear, pulled up before 7th

9/2

4th

4

18th Oct 2023

Good

3m 0f 26y

Class 4

16:40 Wetherby

Miss Milano

11st 10lb

J: Conor Rabbitt

T: Nicky Richards

Fourth off this mark at Perth last time (3m2f, good to soft) having won her three previous races at up to 3m; perhaps high in the weights now but could feature.

6/1

1

16th Jun 2023

Good

3m 0f 149y

Class 4

20:45 Aintree

Miss Milano

12st 0lb

J: Conor Rabbitt

T: Nicky Richards

Fourth off this mark at Perth last time (3m2f, good to soft) having won her three previous races at up to 3m; not out of it.

Form: 1-9U00 D

Last run: 7 days

W: 10st 7lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 97

Form & Verdict
Flat winner who stays well, with one of his three hurdle victories coming over 3m3f; however, a disappointing year got no better when well held at Sedgefield last week.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

(4)

14th Apr 2025

Good

2m 5f 139y

Class 6

16:35 Pontefract

Balkotic

8st 13lb

J: Aiden Brookes

T: Micky Hammond

Thorough stayer but he's been well held over hurdles (3m-3m3f) in his three starts this year and his last Flat run was in June 2022; others preferred.

25/1

5th

6

(4)

14th Apr 2025

Good

2m 5f 139y

Class 6

16:35 Pontefract

Balkotic

8st 13lb

J: Aiden Brookes

T: Micky Hammond

raced in second behind clear leader, dropped to last halfway, no chance over 4f out, tailed off

25/1

3rd

4

3rd Apr 2025

Good

3m 3f 9y

Class 5

16:27 Sedgefield

Balkotic

10st 8lb

J: Emma Smith-Chaston

T: Micky Hammond

prominent, lost ground before 4th, dropped to last after 3 out, soon weakened

10/1

Form: -46211 D

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 13lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Record of 3-8 over hurdles and has won his last two, over 2m4f at Worcester (good to soft) and 3m1f at Warwick (good); had a nice bit in hand last time and yet has only been raised 4lb; much respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

27th May 2026

Good

2m 6f 31y

Class 4

19:08 Cartmel

Sea The Clouds

12st 0lb

J: Leah Noreci

T: James Moffatt

Has plenty of form around here over hurdles and fences, and very nearly won this race 12 months ago off 1lb higher (under Charlotte Jones); ran surprisingly well when 125-1 for a Class 2 at Haydock last time; in the mix.

10/1

10th

12

9th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 58y

Class 2

12:45 Haydock

Sea The Clouds

10st 4lb

J: Leah Noreci

T: James Moffatt

Hurdles form (handicap winner over 2m4f-3m1f) does not look quite good enough in this higher grade and the form of his winning chase debut at Cartmel last July has been followed by heavy defeats in both starts since (ridden by this 10lb claimer on latest); others preferred.

33/1

4

25th Aug 2025

Good

3m 1f 107y

Class 3

16:05 Cartmel

Sea The Clouds

11st 7lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: James Moffatt

For one who stays 3m2f he did well to make a winning chase debut over 2m1f here (soft; effective on soft) a month ago; Brian Hughes rides again off a 6lb higher mark and should go well if his jumping holds up.

5/2

Non-runners

Feivel, Firth Of Forth, Rowdy Rustler

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Straight Forecast £54.63
Tricast £369.45

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Sea The Clouds

TOPSPEED:

Miss Milano

The Times:

Duke Of Deception

RP RATINGS:

Sea The Clouds

POSTDATA:

Sea The Clouds

LAMBOURN:

Sea The Clouds

Telegraph:

Sea The Clouds

Daily Mail:

Sea The Clouds

D Express:

Sea The Clouds

Daily Mirror:

Sea The Clouds

The Sun:

Sea The Clouds

Daily Record:

Sea The Clouds

The Star:

Miss Milano

The Guardian:

Duke Of Deception