January 11 / 14.55 Fontwell

14.55

Soft

RJS Waste Management Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £4006.31
  • 2m 3f 49y
  • Class 4
  • 5 runners
SKY
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RJS Waste Management Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

Form: -52434 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 11st 10lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

22nd Dec 2023

Good To Soft

2m 5f 141y

Class 3

12:45 Ascot

Fifty Ball

11st 6lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Gary Moore

2-5 at Ascot; mostly disappointing in his nine runs this year, including twice at this track, and his best run in that period came when runner-up over 3m2f in May; wore cheekpieces on last four starts; 12lb higher this time last year but a revival is needed.

8/1

Form: 24593

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 7lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

20th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 185y

Class 4

14:50 Southwell

Just Three

11st 3lb

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

Irish raider; 0-10 over fences and has same strike-rate over hurdles; not favoured by the weights when well-beaten last of three in recent Killarney beginners' chase and has better chance in this handicap but his record over the last year or so is not compelling.

7/1

3

20th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 185y

Class 4

14:50 Southwell

Just Three

11st 3lb

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

Irish raider; 0-10 over fences and has same strike-rate over hurdles; not favoured by the weights when well-beaten last of three in recent Killarney beginners' chase and has better chance in this handicap but his record over the last year or so is not compelling.

7/1

2

11th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

15:40 Killarney

Just Three

11st 4lb

J: Jack G Gilligan

T: Paul John Gilligan

Vastly inferior hurdler to his two rivals and he's now 0-9 over fences; should be outclassed.

33/1

Form: 31133- D

Last run: 334 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

12th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 1y

Class 3

14:40 Taunton

Ilanz

11st 9lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Olly Murphy

Placed in two of his three starts for new stable; remains on career-high mark but Lewis Stones takes off a useful 3lb and record of 1-1 at Taunton bodes well; in the mix.

8/1

4th

3

12th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 1y

Class 3

14:40 Taunton

Ilanz

11st 9lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Olly Murphy

held up in rear, raced wide home turn, good headway before 2 out, soon pressed leaders, kept on run-in

8/1

3rd

2

20th Jul 2024

Good

2m 4f 139y

Class 3

14:05 Market Rasen

Ilanz

11st 11lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

3-10 over hurdles; arguably posted career-best form when second on stable debut at Plumpton (2m4f, good) in May but ran no race when dropped back to 2m at Stratford last month; needs to put that performance behind him.

14/1

Form: 23-323 BF

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 3lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

6th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 48y

Class 5

14:10 Exeter

Bertie Wooster

11st 8lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Only 1-24, the win coming over this far as a hurdler nearly two years ago; however, twice runner-up over fences this season (2m7f) and capable of going well.

13/2

3rd

1

20th Oct 2025

Good

2m 3f 166y

Class 5

14:40 Plumpton

Bertie Wooster

12st 0lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

0-6 and generally disappointing during first season over fences, signing off with a poor performance in April; returns from six-month break on a good mark, though, and last month's wind op could quite plausibly aid a return to form; cheekpieces (worn for last three runs) discarded.

5/2

Form: 94-711 C

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

18th Apr 2026

Soft

3m 7f 176y

Class 1

15:35 Ayr

Herakles Westwood

11st 5lb

J: James Bowen

T: Warren Greatrex

Second-season chaser who took his form to new levels over about 3m1f-3m2f at Cheltenham initially this season but, after wind surgery, faded badly from three out when 10-1 for the Kim Muir there last month; needs to bounce back with another career best and he has more to prove on this third attempt at a marathon trip.

20/1

13th

8

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 2f 70y

Class 2

17:20 Cheltenham

Herakles Westwood

11st 6lb

J: Mr Finian Maguire

T: Warren Greatrex

Second-season chaser who has run well here on his last three starts, finishing second of 16 under Finian Maguire (3m1f, heavy) then fourth over this C&D (good to soft; lost a shoe) before winning here (3m1f, good) on New Year's Day; has had wind surgery since and he's a solid contender.

9/1

5th

13

3rd May 2025

Yielding

3m 7f 68y

15:05 Punchestown

Herakles Westwood

10st 8lb

J: James Bowen

T: Warren Greatrex

in touch with leaders, dropped to midfield 9th

16/1

Verdict

There are clear positives about the whole field but Irish challenger JUST THREE, who is relatively unexposed on his handicap debut, may be the best way to go following stiff tasks on his last two outings. Herakles Westwood, on a hat-trick, is second on the list but there’s a niggling doubt over his step back down in trip. Bertie Wooster might be ideally suited by this sort of trip.[Richard Austen]