December 23 / 14.05 Haydock

14.05

Soft

Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Qualifier)

  • Prize money: £13202.5
  • 1m 7f 144y
  • Class 3
  • 6 runners
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Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Qualifier)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

8/1 (Won)

  • Win: £10.70
  • Place: £3.90

Form: 275-72 D

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 4lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Tends to race too freely but, having bowled along in a clear lead for most of the race, rallied well once headed and went down fighting at Musselburgh (1m7f, soft) last month; only 1lb higher here; could be dangerous if allowed much rope.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

9th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 68y

Class 4

14:15 Musselburgh

The Churchill Lad

12st 0lb

J: Ross Chapman

T: Rebecca Menzies

sweating, took keen hold, led, headed but prominent before 5th, mistake and lost position 8th, rallying when mistake 4 out, weakened before 3 out

4/1

1

9th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 68y

Class 4

14:15 Musselburgh

The Churchill Lad

12st 0lb

J: Ross Chapman

T: Rebecca Menzies

Front-runner who won on chase debut at Hexham (1m7f, good) in October and has run well in second the next twice (2m/1m7f, good to soft/good); he's fine at this trip (and on a variety of ground) and was effective here over hurdles; can make another bold bid.

4/1

2nd

2

8th Nov 2024

Good

1m 7f 133y

Class 4

14:45 Hexham

The Churchill Lad

11st 13lb

J: Ross Chapman

T: Rebecca Menzies

Winning hurdler who has taken well to fences, beating Caithness by a head over C&D on debut last month before fair second off this 4lb higher mark at Carlisle (2m, good to soft); should go well again.

11/4

OUR TIP

7/1

  • Place: £2.20

Form: /0F35/ D BF

Last run: 652 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Triple hurdle winner (once over C&D) who is very versatile regarding ground; not seen in this sphere since March 2022 but looked as good as ever when returning from long layoff with Flat win in October and his current mark is workable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

(2)

28th Sep 2024

Soft

1m 6f 1y

Class 4

17:00 Haydock

Goobinator

10st 0lb

J: Paul Mulrennan

T: Donald McCain

Has mostly run well when at Haydock; as good as ever to win at Catterick (1m4f, heavy) last October on first start for 528 days; not disgraced in his next three starts (one over hurdles) but ran badly at Chester on latest; wore cheekpieces once (2022) and they now return in place of his usual hood.

14/1

11th

12

(12)

14th Sep 2024

Heavy

1m 7f 196y

Class 2

14:40 Chester

Goobinator

8st 2lb

J: Andrew Mullen

T: Donald McCain

As good as ever to win at Catterick (1m4f, heavy) last October on first start for 528 days and not disgraced in his only three starts since (one over hurdles); just 1lb higher than at Catterick and he stays well, with today's first run at this track looking quite interesting too.

12/1

5th

11

(4)

25th May 2024

Soft

2m 0f 46y

Class 2

15:30 Haydock

Goobinator

8st 12lb

J: Andrew Mullen

T: Donald McCain

C&D winner in 2021 and good fifth in this race in 2022; as good as ever to win last October (1m4f, heavy) on first start for 528 days and he wasn't disgraced at Pontefract (2m2f, heavy) early last month, but he may find that one or two others are better handicapped.

20/1

Form: 513-33 D

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Placed off 2lb higher in valuable series final over C&D (good to soft) in April and, after jumping poorly on seasonal/chase debut in October, he posted a good effort on last month's hurdling return at Huntingdon (2m, good); seems fine on soft ground and probably won't be far away.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

9th May 2026

Good

1m 7f 144y

Class 1

13:15 Haydock

Bubble Dubi

10st 12lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Stuart Edmunds

Has run just four times since 2023; returned from long absence to win at Aintree (2m1f, good to soft) last November but failed to repeat the form in prestigious handicaps at Newbury and Sandown; something to prove.

50/1

8

7th Mar 2026

Soft

1m 7f 216y

Class 2

14:27 Sandown

Bubble Dubi

11st 3lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Stuart Edmunds

Won at Chepstow (2m, heavy) in February 2024 and this 9yo was racing for the first time since when winning at Aintree (2m1f, good to soft) in November 2025; he's a lot better than he showed at Newbury latest (2m, heavy; again failed to settle) but is hard to fancy on the back of that heavy defeat.

50/1

8th

9

7th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 0f 69y

Class 1

15:20 Newbury

Bubble Dubi

11st 5lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Stuart Edmunds

Missed last term but showed further progress to score readily at Aintree (2m1f, good to soft) in sole outing this season, albeit the form may not be reliable as several hurdles were omitted; on a stiffer mark and goes up sharply in class.

20/1

Form: 9437-2 D

Last run: 46 days

W: 11st 1lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Yet to add to maiden hurdle win over two years ago but pulled well clear of the others with winner when second of 17 on seasonal debut at Warwick (2m, soft) last month and remains well handicapped after 3lb rise.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

24th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 123y

Class 5

19:40 Bangor-on-Dee

Risk DArgent

12st 0lb

J: Mr Frederick Philipson-Stow

T: Alastair Ralph

prominent, lost ground after 2nd, towards rear when fell 7th

25/1

1

24th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 123y

Class 5

19:40 Bangor-on-Dee

Risk DArgent

12st 0lb

J: Mr Frederick Philipson-Stow

T: Alastair Ralph

prominent, lost ground after 2nd, towards rear when fell 7th

25/1

11

29th Mar 2025

Good

2m 7f 70y

Class 4

17:05 Uttoxeter

Risk DArgent

10st 11lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Alastair Ralph

mistake 8th

16/1

Form: 2-2

Last run: 55 days

W: 11st 9lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Runner-up on first two hurdling starts, more recently when losing out by only a head on British debut at Aintree (2m4f, good to soft) in October; could easily have improvement to come in handicaps and needs to be taken very seriously.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

22

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Jagwar

10st 10lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Improved his rating in every one of his eight chases, winning four and that includes the 2m4f Plate at last year's Cheltenham Festival; first venture much beyond 2m5f had to wait until his return to Cheltenham last month, in which he came from out the back to get within half a length of the winner Johnnywho; that showed he stays 3m1f and suggested he's still capable of better, but his jumping contained unnerving moments; wears cheekpieces first time and a half-brother probably stays 4m.

10/1

2nd

4

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 0y

Class 1

15:20 Cheltenham

Jagwar

11st 9lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Highly progressive switched to fences last season, a campaign that culminated in a convincing win in the Plate here (2m4f, good to soft) in March; he's kept on well over 2m4f here (good to soft/soft) on both runs this season, beaten just a head last time when 10l clear of the third; today's first crack at a staying trip could prompt further improvement; lots to like.

7/2

2nd

2

24th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

13:15 Cheltenham

Jagwar

11st 11lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Highly progressive 7yo; won at this meeting on soft ground 12 months ago and followed up in the Plate at the Festival; extended his run of excellent C&D efforts with an unlucky third six weeks ago, finishing well after making the odd mistake and being short of room; leading contender again off just 1lb higher.

7/4

Form: 113-13 D

Last run: 56 days

W: 11st 11lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
Low-mileage 4yo who scored on seasonal/handicap debut at Kelso in October and was not discredited when third against own age group at Cheltenham (also 2m, good to soft) three weeks later (form has worked out well); should be fine on today's slower ground and remains very much of interest.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

23rd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 35y

Class 4

14:10 Perth

Bois Guillbert

11st 9lb

J: Patrick Wadge

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Three-time hurdle winner who has dropped to a mark 5lb lower than when winning on his chase debut last February; he may stage a revival at some stage but has struggled over fences/hurdles on his three runs this season.

50/1

10th

5

1st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 171y

Class 4

14:30 Musselburgh

Bois Guillbert

11st 12lb

J: Stephen Mulqueen

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Returns to hurdles off a workable mark but, judged on his chase efforts this term, has a doubt over current form.

25/1

3

23rd Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 20y

Class 3

14:18 Perth

Bois Guillbert

11st 2lb

J: Patrick Wadge

T: Lucinda Russell

Jumped okay when winning at Newcastle (chase debut) but lacked fluency when disappointing at Wetherby since; not sure what to expect.

10/1

Non-runners

Bingoo, Word Has It

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £59.60
Straight Forecast £48.19
Tricast £206.91
Trifecta £224.00

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Goobinator

SPOTLIGHT:

Bois Guillbert

TOPSPEED:

The Churchill Lad

POSTDATA:

Word Has It

D Express:

Jagwar

The Star:

Bingoo

The Guardian:

Bois Guillbert

The Sun:

Bois Guillbert

Daily Mirror:

The Churchill Lad

The Times:

Goobinator

Telegraph:

Goobinator

Daily Mail:

Goobinator

Daily Record:

Word Has It