January 02 / 13.00 Fakenham

13.00

Soft

Book Your Skip Online @fakenhamskips.co.uk Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £4356.8
  • 2m 0f 3y
  • Class 4
  • 7 runners
RTV
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Book Your Skip Online @fakenhamskips.co.uk Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

Abandoned

Form: 78-

Last run: 306 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Well beaten in two bumpers in early part of last year; sports first-time cheekpieces for today's hurdling debut; could be considered only if lively in the betting.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

28th May 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 46y

Class 5

18:10 Cartmel

Cocardier

11st 7lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Alan Jones

Safely held when 25-1 for handicap debut at Ffos Las (2m, good to soft) just over a year ago and not seen again since but remains very unexposed and is well worth keeping an eye on in the betting; tongue-tie added.

14/1

7

28th May 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 46y

Class 5

18:10 Cartmel

Cocardier

11st 7lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Alan Jones

Safely held when 25-1 for handicap debut at Ffos Las (2m, good to soft) just over a year ago and not seen again since but remains very unexposed and is well worth keeping an eye on in the betting; tongue-tie added.

14/1

OUR TIP

Abandoned

Form: 88

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Fair on the Flat at up to 1m4f (three wins) but struggled to get competitive when a big-priced outsider for first two hurdling starts; cheekpieces refitted today; probably needs better ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

1

(2)

8th May 2025

Good To Firm

1m 3f 198y

Class 6

16:00 Brighton

Eloso

9st 9lb

J: Callum Hutchinson

T: Jim & Suzi Best

Course winner over 1m2f in 2022 (stays 1m4f); mostly struggled for this yard and failed to beat a rival home at Lingfield over a mile 15 days ago following a 302-day absence; back up in trip.

12/1

7th

1

(2)

8th May 2025

Good To Firm

1m 3f 198y

Class 6

16:00 Brighton

Eloso

9st 9lb

J: Callum Hutchinson

T: Jim & Suzi Best

Course winner over 1m2f in 2022 (stays 1m4f); mostly struggled for this yard and failed to beat a rival home at Lingfield over a mile 15 days ago following a 302-day absence; back up in trip.

12/1

9th

7

(8)

23rd Apr 2025

Standard

1m 0f 1y

Class 6

19:20 Lingfield (AW)

Eloso

9st 3lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Jim & Suzi Best

in rear

16/1

Form: -06265

Last run: 16 days

W: 11st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Signed off in Ireland with pretty good second at Tramore (2m, heavy) in October; weakened out of contention very tamely on first two British outings but faced tough assignment on first occasion and may not have stayed 2m4f last time; makes more appeal than some of these.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

8

29th Aug 2025

Good

2m 3f 29y

Class 5

17:48 Fontwell

Grasshopper Time

11st 4lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Alex Hales

0-13 over hurdles but went down fighting when close second at Southwell (2m4f, good) in May and again ran well at Stratford (2m6f, good to firm) last month; well suited by ground slower than good; high on the list.

7/2

3

13th Jul 2025

Good To Firm

2m 6f 7y

Class 5

17:35 Stratford

Grasshopper Time

11st 4lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Alex Hales

Three runs since wind surgery and the blip came over fences; clear second at Southwell last time (2m4f, good) and might well have won had he not fluffed the last flight; should run well off just 3lb higher.

100/30

4

20th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 5

16:50 Southwell

Grasshopper Time

11st 7lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Alex Hales

Pulled up after sketchy round of jumping on chasing debut in February and now reverts to hurdling; given a chance by the handicapper in this sphere but his record is not compelling and he has raced mainly on ground slower than good.

7/1

Form: 066

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Made fairly encouraging hurdle debut at Wincanton (1m7f, soft) last month, keeping on steadily for sixth of 18; that form isn't anything to get too excited about but he's open to improvement and has each-way claims here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

5

1st Mar 2026

Heavy

2m 3f 83y

Class 5

15:30 Ffos Las

Hawk Stone

11st 0lb

J: Miss Megan Bevan

T: Harriet Dickin

Rebounded from poor chasing debut when second to progressive rival here (2m, heavy; first-time visor) in January; could plausibly have untapped potential over this longer trip but was back in the doldrums on his latest outing and has become very hard to predict.

7/1

7th

3

12th Feb 2026

Heavy

1m 7f 201y

Class 5

15:15 Leicester

Hawk Stone

11st 8lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: Harriet Dickin

Record of 1-11 over hurdles and his win was in April 2024; pulled up on chase debut at Market Rasen last month but he bounced back with a good second at Ffos Las (2m, heavy; first-time visor) 13 days ago; on same mark here and has claims if he can build on that.

4/1

2nd

5

30th Jan 2026

Heavy

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:35 Ffos Las

Hawk Stone

11st 6lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: Harriet Dickin

Blinkered this season, running respectably in hurdles event then poorly on chase debut; bit to prove but is on a workable mark provided the switch to a visor has positive effect.

14/1

Form: 3F6456

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Showed some fair form in Ireland last summer, most notably when placed in Cork maiden (2m1f, yielding), but beaten 50l+ on all three starts for James Owen, most recently in C&D (soft) handicap a fortnight ago (first-time visor); today's race is easier but he still needs to up his game.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

1

29th Jan 2024

Soft

1m 7f 195y

Class 5

16:20 Plumpton

Jimmy Boy

12st 0lb

J: Lilly Pinchin

T: James Owen

midfield

12/1

Form: 5-3S

Last run: 62 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Point winner who shaped with significant promise before weakening into third on hurdle debut at Bangor (2m, soft) in October and was very much in contention before slipping up (albeit a fair way from home) over C&D two months ago; had wind surgery in the meantime; likely contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

28th Oct 2025

Soft

1m 7f 182y

Class 5

14:28 Ffos Las

Wise Guy

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Stuart Edmunds

Generally disappointing last season but showed the benefit of a wind op when making the frame on final two appearances (2m/2m4f); begins new campaign on a workable mark and will be suited by the ground; a possible.

6/1

1

28th Oct 2025

Soft

1m 7f 182y

Class 5

14:28 Ffos Las

Wise Guy

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Stuart Edmunds

Generally disappointing last season but showed the benefit of a wind op when making the frame on final two appearances (2m/2m4f); begins new campaign on a workable mark and will be suited by the ground; a possible.

6/1

3rd

7

17th Mar 2025

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 4

16:40 Southwell

Wise Guy

11st 2lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Stuart Edmunds

in touch with leaders

13/2

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 9lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Well down the field in all four Flat races, most recently in low-grade AW handicap six weeks ago; can't be recommended on today's hurdling debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

25th Apr 2024

Good

2m 3f 137y

Class 5

18:15 Huntingdon

Sir Cilia

10st 5lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Matt Crawley

Moderate form in all starts under both codes; can only watch.

33/1

10

25th Apr 2024

Good

2m 3f 137y

Class 5

18:15 Huntingdon

Sir Cilia

10st 5lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Matt Crawley

Moderate form in all starts under both codes; can only watch.

33/1

6th

5

1st Apr 2024

Good

2m 0f 3y

Class 4

13:27 Fakenham

Sir Cilia

11st 2lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Matt Crawley

Flat form doesn't amount to much; modest fifth in both attempts over hurdles, latest over C&D; needs improvement.

16/1

Non-runners

Just Gino, Most Agreeable

Verdict

Irish point winner JUST GINO weakened into fifth when favourite for last month’s hurdling debut but not before shaping with significant promise. He needs to learn to settle better but ought to build on that recent performance and is the most appealing option in this modest maiden. Wise Guy also made an encouraging hurdle debut at Bangor and is feared most, while Grasshopper Time and Jimmy Boy have possibilities if judged on their Irish form.[Chris Wilson]

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Just Gino

The Sun:

Wise Guy

WEST COUNTRY:

Hawk Stone

RP RATINGS:

Just Gino

POSTDATA:

Just Gino

The Times:

Just Gino

Telegraph:

Just Gino

The Guardian:

Just Gino

Daily Mail:

Just Gino

D Express:

Just Gino

Daily Mirror:

Just Gino

The Star:

Just Gino

Daily Record:

Wise Guy