December 12 / 15.40 Fontwell

15.40

Heavy

John And Maryanne Birch Memorial Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £3406.24
  • 2m 1f 162y
  • Class 5
  • 6 runners
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John And Maryanne Birch Memorial Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

9/2 (Won)

  • Win: £4.50
  • Place: £1.90

Form: 212644

Last run: 19 days

W: 12st 0lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Respectable bumper form on good ground; hasn't hit the same heights over hurdles (good to soft or soft) and conditions are a concern.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

25th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 166y

Class 5

15:33 Fontwell

Thirtyfour Thirty

11st 12lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Joe Tickle

Kept on for respectable third at Worcester (2m7f, good; no threat to easy winner) 12 days ago and will be suited by today's longer trip but often looks unenthusiastic, and it's hard to predict the extent to which he'll warm to the task today; cheekpieces refitted.

6/1

2

25th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 166y

Class 5

15:33 Fontwell

Thirtyfour Thirty

11st 12lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Joe Tickle

Kept on for respectable third at Worcester (2m7f, good; no threat to easy winner) 12 days ago and will be suited by today's longer trip but often looks unenthusiastic, and it's hard to predict the extent to which he'll warm to the task today; cheekpieces refitted.

6/1

3rd

8

13th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

16:30 Worcester

Thirtyfour Thirty

11st 2lb

J: Taylor Fisher

T: Joe Tickle

This time last year he posted back-to-back seconds over 3m2f on good ground at Fontwell and Warwick; well handicapped on that form but he hasn't been running well of late.

12/1

8/1

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 5956-P

Last run: 40 days

W: 10st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 81

Form & Verdict
Beaten 16l in a Wincanton maiden (1m7f, good to soft) in April so has some ability but he pulled up on his handicap debut at Stratford last month when an 11-1 chance; risky on the back of that.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

16th Mar 2025

Good

2m 1f 43y

Class 5

14:52 Market Rasen

Smart Casual

10st 12lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Anthony Honeyball

Not the best of jumpers and yet to win in four attempts over fences; spoilt chance with a bad error three out when second at Leicester last week (2m, good to soft; 6-5 favourite; cheekpieces tried); obvious contender.

6/4

Form: 86-490

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 10lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 98

Form & Verdict
Ex-Irish maiden who has finished tailed off in three 2m4f handicaps for his current yard; mark is dropping but difficult to enthuse over.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

16th Apr 2024

Heavy

2m 3f 83y

Class 5

15:05 Ffos Las

Highlander Casseul

11st 3lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Richard J Bandey

Tailed off when trying fences once in Ireland; mostly disappointing for this yard but was third in a 2m1f heavy-ground handicap hurdle at Fontwell in December so the ability is there; hard to trust nonetheless.

20/1

5

16th Apr 2024

Heavy

2m 3f 83y

Class 5

15:05 Ffos Las

Highlander Casseul

11st 3lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Richard J Bandey

Tailed off when trying fences once in Ireland; mostly disappointing for this yard but was third in a 2m1f heavy-ground handicap hurdle at Fontwell in December so the ability is there; hard to trust nonetheless.

20/1

9th

7

11th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 3f 1y

Class 5

17:10 Taunton

Highlander Casseul

11st 7lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Richard J Bandey

Took big step back in right direction when third of six at Fontwell (2m1f, heavy) in December but was quickly back in the doldrums on next outing; needs last month's wind op to have made a big difference.

25/1

Form: 1P50-1 C

Last run: 21 days

W: 10st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Overcame some interference to win going away at Lingfield (2m, good to soft) three weeks ago and a 4lb rise isn't the end of the world; whether he will handle this softer ground is another matter, but fair shout if he can.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

25th May 2025

Good

2m 1f 162y

Class 5

16:08 Fontwell

Whats My Line

10st 2lb

J: Marc Goldstein

T: Michael Madgwick

Soundly beaten here on both outings during very light campaign last season and competes from 3lb out of the weights on this first start since October.

16/1

7

25th May 2025

Good

2m 1f 162y

Class 5

16:08 Fontwell

Whats My Line

10st 2lb

J: Marc Goldstein

T: Michael Madgwick

Soundly beaten here on both outings during very light campaign last season and competes from 3lb out of the weights on this first start since October.

16/1

10

23rd Oct 2024

Soft

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

14:30 Fontwell

Whats My Line

10st 8lb

J: Harry Kimber

T: Michael Madgwick

Tailed off here (2m3f) on recent seasonal debut but some positives can be taken from that performance; now back on same mark as when scoring at Lingfield (2m, good to soft) last autumn, and it's worth remembering that his other hurdle win was in this race in 2022.

12/1

OUR TIP

Form: 7812-5

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 13lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Won at Taunton (2m3f, good to soft) in March on handicap debut and then second of nine at Hereford (2m, good to soft); struggled on reappearance but that was in a higher grade at Sedgefield; possibilities off a fair mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

4

28th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 5

18:30 Market Rasen

Play By The Rules

10st 6lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Adam Nicol

Returned from long absence with a promising stable debut at Newcastle (2m4f, good to soft) in March, when he travelled strongly for a long way, and he was unlucky to be brought down fairly early on at Hexham this month; remains well handicapped on old form; might be the answer.

11/4

12

2nd May 2026

Good

2m 4f 15y

Class 5

19:15 Hexham

Play By The Rules

10st 3lb

J: Joshua Thompson

T: Adam Nicol

Ex-Nigel Hawke; fair fifth after a long break on stable debut at Newcastle last time (2m4f, good to soft; 3-1); should come on for that; one with a chance.

5/1

Form: 935-09

Last run: 12 days

W: 10st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 86

Form & Verdict
His sole placing in Ireland came on heavy ground in a 2m4f handicap at Cork in March (blinkered); that run offers hope, but he was tailed off when 100-1 on stable debut and now tries new headgear after flirting with cheekpieces.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

10

8th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 5

16:33 Uttoxeter

Leading The Way

10st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Georgie Howell

Has offered little over hurdles or fences since arriving from Ireland and he's out of the weights on this return from a break.

100/1

5th

10

8th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 5

16:33 Uttoxeter

Leading The Way

10st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Georgie Howell

Has offered little over hurdles or fences since arriving from Ireland and he's out of the weights on this return from a break.

100/1

Non-runners

He's A Latchico, Ray's The One

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £11.20
Straight Forecast £11.20
Tricast £38.12
Trifecta £46.70

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

He's A Latchico

Telegraph:

What's My Line

D Express:

Thirtyfour Thirty

WEST COUNTRY:

Smart Casual

Daily Mail:

What's My Line

Daily Mirror:

What's My Line

The Star:

What's My Line

RP RATINGS:

He's A Latchico

POSTDATA:

He's A Latchico

The Times:

He's A Latchico

The Guardian:

He's A Latchico

The Sun:

He's A Latchico

Daily Record:

He's A Latchico