December 28 / 15.43 Leicester

15.43

Heavy

Leicestershire Bronze Fox Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £6337.2
  • 1m 7f 113y
  • Class 3
  • 4 runners
RTV
View Course
Leicestershire Bronze Fox Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

OUR TIP

Form: 3326-1 D

Last run: 39 days

W: 12st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Won what was effectively a match on last month's seasonal debut at Fontwell (2m1f, heavy); nudged up only 1lb for that and is evidently back in good heart.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

1

18th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 3f 49y

Class 4

15:48 Fontwell

Word Has It

12st 0lb

J: Peter Kavanagh

T: Donald McCain

raced lazily at times, in touch with leaders, mistake and jockey unbalanced 2nd, not fluent 5th, outpaced and lost position before 4 out, soon no impression, tailed off

6/1

6th

1

15th Feb 2024

Soft

1m 7f 216y

Class 4

13:20 Sandown

Word Has It

12st 0lb

J: Peter Kavanagh

T: Donald McCain

3-13 over hurdles and largely reliable, with no ground worries; won what was effectively a match on reappearance at Fontwell (2m1f, heavy) in November and ran creditably at Warwick on sole start since; relatively exposed but firmly in calculations.

4/1

Form: 6P4-1P D

Last run: 44 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Stopped quickly and pulled up at Huntingdon last month; 9lb higher than for previous win at Wincanton (1m7f, good) but that was easy and he won on heavy in France.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

17th Jun 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 3

13:35 Worcester

Inca De Lafayette

11st 2lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Paul Nicholls

Delivered on earlier chasing promise when winning four-runner Plumpton contest (2m4f, good) by 22l in April; no match for progressive rival when second of four at Newton Abbot (2m5f, good) last month but was badly hampered by a mid-race faller there and might be allowed an uncontested lead here.

7/2

2nd

1

13th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 216y

Class 4

18:30 Newton Abbot

Inca De Lafayette

11st 8lb

J: Freddie Keighley

T: Paul Nicholls

Only his third run over fences when strolling home in a small field at Plumpton (2m4f, good); hit with a 7lb rise but his last win over hurdles was off only 3lb lower; good chance.

11/8

1st

1

5th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 166y

Class 4

16:40 Plumpton

Inca De Lafayette

11st 10lb

J: Jay Tidball

T: Paul Nicholls

Fine on all ground; well handicapped on his peak form over hurdles and has only raced twice as a chaser; no match for the winner at Exeter last time (2m1f) but that horse was favourite and unexposed; respected.

9/4

Abandoned

Form: 214-01 CD

Last run: 11 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Won a heavy-ground novice hurdle here last Christmas when with Alex Hales; left that yard after a quiet run but, still in the same ownership, he romped home in a small-field handicap chase on his debut for Olly Murphy at Southwell recently (2m, good to soft); that form looks a big dodgy but he returns to hurdling off the same mark (due a 5lb rise in this discipline).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

28th Jun 2026

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

17:20 Uttoxeter

Gardener

11st 9lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Mike Sowersby

10yo who had two wins at Hexham (soft/good) this spring before a backward step when bidding to complete his hat-trick over that 2m4f; ridden by Charlie Maggs on last four starts; each-way candidate.

6/1

5th

11

9th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 28y

Class 3

17:42 Hexham

Gardener

10st 6lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Mike Sowersby

Bidding for a C&D hat-trick having won here on last two starts (soft/good); has gone up 9lb but has run well off much higher marks in the past; could go well.

6/1

1st

3

13th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 28y

Class 5

16:30 Hexham

Gardener

11st 12lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Mike Sowersby

Five races for his new trainer and back on track, following three third places with a tenacious C&D win (soft) under Charlie Maggs in 14-runner race 19 days ago; back up 4lb but one to consider seriously.

100/30

Form: 7421-5

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Flat winner who got off the mark over hurdles in a heavy-ground maiden at Sedgefield back in the spring; conditions won't faze him but his handicap debut at Bangor this month (soft) was fairly forgettable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

7th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 4

14:50 Kempton

Thunderclap

12st 2lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Hughie Morrison

Only 4lb higher than when a convincing winner of this race last year (on soft) and ran as though his run 15 days ago would bring him on; couldn't discount.

8/1

5th

1

7th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 4

14:50 Kempton

Thunderclap

12st 2lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Hughie Morrison

Only 4lb higher than when a convincing winner of this race last year (on soft) and ran as though his run 15 days ago would bring him on; couldn't discount.

8/1

6th

3

23rd Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 145y

Class 4

13:55 Huntingdon

Thunderclap

11st 9lb

J: David Bass

T: Hughie Morrison

towards rear

10/1

Verdict

Gardener returns to hurdling off the same mark as for his recent chase win and he’s officially well-in to the tune of 5lb. However, that latest piece of form looks a bit dodgy so preference is for INCA DE LAFAYETTE, who won well at Wincanton before running too bad to be true in mid November.[Alistair Jones]