November 25 / 14.05 Ascot

14.05

Good To Soft

Coral Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Ascot Hurdle) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £56950
  • 2m 3f 58y
  • Class 1
  • 5 runners
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Coral Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Ascot Hurdle) (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £5.00
  • Place: £2.10

Form: P912-1 C

Last run: 28 days

W: 10st 13lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 138

Form & Verdict
Bottom of the pack on ratings but he's an unexposed 4yo with plenty of upside; won a competitive juvenile handicap here (2m, good to soft) in the spring and ran a cracker when second in a strong all-aged event (2m, soft) at Aintree two weeks later; didn't have to be at his best to make a cosy winning reappearance at Cheltenham; up in grade but he retains a stack of untapped potential and should have no problem with the longer trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

14:20 Aintree

Blueking DOroux

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Useful 2m4f novice chaser but he won a substandard edition of the Rising Stars at Wincanton and his close second at Kempton (with cheekpieces fitted) last time was achieved in a handicap; faces a stiffer task at this level in the retained headgear.

25/1

2nd

2

14th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 110y

Class 2

15:18 Kempton

Blueking DOroux

11st 11lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Won two Grade 2 hurdles; still learning his trade over fences, safe enough apart from one blunder when winning at Wincanton (2m4f, good), albeit he made a meal of beating a lower-rated rival; out of depth in Grade 1 here since but he's 10lb lower than his hurdle mark now handicapping and still has potential; cheekpieces on; yard has won two of the last three runnings.

9/2

2nd

5

18th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 216y

Class 2

16:55 Newton Abbot

Blueking DOroux

10st 10lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Smart staying hurdling who looked as good as ever when ending last season with Grade 2 win from the front at Sandown (2m5f, good); will be very hard to beat on these terms if he jumps adequately on his chasing debut.

1/5

5/1

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 1192-0 BF

Last run: 41 days

W: 11st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 143

Form & Verdict
Progressive in his novice hurdle season, rounding off the campaign with a fine fast-finishing second in an Aintree Grade 1 (2m, good to soft), but he took a backward step on his reappearance when last of ten in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las (joint-favourite); needs to bounce back but he's still relatively low mileage and today's longer distance promises to suit.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 149y

Class 1

15:05 Aintree

Strong Leader

11st 10lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Tailed off at Cheltenham in January but that's not his track and he's had a wind op since; prior to that he ran well when runner-up to Impose Toi at Newbury and Ascot, and his Aintree form figures read 1212 with his last two visits being in this race (good to soft/good); there can be considerable optimism that he'll be a key player back here; tongue-tie added.

4/1

6th

3

24th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 7f 213y

Class 1

15:35 Cheltenham

Strong Leader

11st 8lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Runner-up to Impose Toi on last two starts (3m, soft/good to soft), latest when beaten just over 1l off level weights (same today) in the Grade 1 Long Walk at Ascot; his record at Cheltenham is patchy but he ran well when third in this in 2024; on form he's the stand-out danger to Impose Toi.

9/2

1st

1

1st Nov 2025

Good

3m 0f 26y

Class 1

14:22 Wetherby

Strong Leader

11st 8lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Reappeared with a win in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury (3m, soft) last November and finished second in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree (3m, good) in April, having won that same Grade 1 12 months earlier; leading claims despite conceding weight all round.

7/4

Form: U3163- D BF

Last run: 210 days

W: 10st 11lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 143

Form & Verdict
Likeable mare with a 50% strike-rate over hurdles; easily won Warwick Listed race (2m5f, good) in February and wasn't beaten far when third of five in a Grade 2 at Sandown in April; reappears with her stable in excellent form and looks sure to go well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

12th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

16:10 Cheltenham

Theatre Glory

11st 5lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

pressed leaders

100/1

5th

4

28th Jan 2024

Good

3m 0f 84y

Class 1

14:35 Doncaster

Theatre Glory

11st 6lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nicky Henderson

Useful at up to 2m5f and has Graded form; running respectably when final-flight faller in Cheltenham handicap most recently; some of her relatives have 3m form and she shapes accordingly; interesting upped in distance.

11/2

0

1

16th Dec 2023

Soft

2m 4f 56y

Class 2

15:35 Cheltenham

Theatre Glory

12st 0lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

Won here in April 2022 and creditable sixth of nine when 50-1 in the Grade 1 Mares' Hurdle here (2m4f, soft) this March; not disgraced on Ascot reappearance, despite being only third of five as favourite, but might not be well enough handicapped to win this.

5/1

Form: 12352- CD

Last run: 210 days

W: 11st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 154

Form & Verdict
Mercurial dual-purpose campaigner, last seen finishing in rear in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket (8-1) six weeks ago; hard to predict over jumps down the years but he's high-class at his best and was on a going day when winning this race on good ground 12 months ago; big chance if repeating that form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13th

12

26th Apr 2025

Good

3m 4f 146y

Class 1

16:10 Sandown

Goshen

10st 2lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Gary & Josh Moore

5lb out of the handicap; 9yo whose career has contained plenty of surprises and performing so manfully in 3m handicap chases on good ground at Ascot and this track on his last two starts is arguably one of them; that's nowhere near his old hurdles form but he's been sticking on as if his next reinvention could be as a stayer.

40/1

13th

12

26th Apr 2025

Good

3m 4f 146y

Class 1

16:10 Sandown

Goshen

10st 2lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Gary & Josh Moore

5lb out of the handicap; 9yo whose career has contained plenty of surprises and performing so manfully in 3m handicap chases on good ground at Ascot and this track on his last two starts is arguably one of them; that's nowhere near his old hurdles form but he's been sticking on as if his next reinvention could be as a stayer.

40/1

3rd

1

8th Mar 2025

Good

3m 0f 37y

Class 3

15:35 Sandown

Goshen

11st 12lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Gary & Josh Moore

9yo who is somewhat mercurial but he's run pretty well in defeat the last twice here (2m7f, heavy; hurdles) and Ascot (3m, good; fences); goes well at Sandown and drops back down in grade today; could be involved.

5/1

OUR TIP

Form: 4326-4

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 4lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 150

Form & Verdict
Has been an excellent servant to connections for many years, but age finally seems to be catching up with him and he was only fourth of five on his reappearance at Kempton five weeks ago, in a race he'd won the previous two seasons; probably vulnerable to younger legs.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

26th Dec 2023

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 1

13:55 Kempton

Sceau Royal

11st 10lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

Multiple winner down the years; turns 12 imminently and his two results this season, including behind Rubaud when bidding for a third success in Kempton Listed event in October, suggest he's perhaps finally on the wane; well held in this contest in 2022.

100/1

5th

2

25th Nov 2023

Good To Soft

2m 3f 58y

Class 1

14:05 Ascot

Sceau Royal

11st 4lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

prominent, disputing third before 2 out, weakened approaching last

11/2

4th

3

22nd Oct 2023

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 1

16:05 Kempton

Sceau Royal

11st 6lb

J: Daryl Jacob

T: Alan King

High-class hurdler/chaser who has been an excellent servant to connections over the years and is bidding to win this race for the third season running; seemed to race too freely in first-time cheekpieces (now removed) in Aintree Hurdle in April but faced a tough assignment there anyway and ought to be very hard to beat here.

10/11

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £15.00
Straight Forecast £13.74
Trifecta £31.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Blueking D'Oroux

POSTDATA:

Theatre Glory

RP RATINGS:

Goshen

TOPSPEED:

Strong Leader

D Express:

Strong Leader

WEST COUNTRY:

Blueking D'Oroux

Daily Mail:

Blueking D'Oroux

The Star:

Blueking D'Oroux

Daily Record:

Blueking D'Oroux

LAMBOURN:

Theatre Glory

The Guardian:

Theatre Glory

The Sun:

Theatre Glory

The Times:

Goshen

Telegraph:

Goshen

Daily Mirror:

Goshen