January 16 / 13.50 Plumpton

13.50

Good To Soft

Strong Flavours Catering Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £5281
  • 3m 0f 217y
  • Class 4
  • 10 runners
SKY
View Course
Strong Flavours Catering Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 10 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

Form: P15304

Last run: 21 days

W: 12st 1lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Won twice at Stratford (2m6f and 3m2f) last summer; none too consistent and while he had plenty of excuses on penultimate start (soft ground, 150-1 from out of the handicap) he needs to improve upon his front-running fourth at Wincanton three weeks ago; still one to consider.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

9th Mar 2026

Good

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

16:10 Taunton

Hunting Percival

11st 9lb

J: Mr Harvey Barfoot-Saunt

T: Tracey Barfoot-Saunt

A fair 2m6f/3m2f hurdles scorer for Syd Hosie in 2023; off 22 months and offered little for his new yard when beating only one in 3m Chepstow handicap 24 days ago; others are much preferred.

100/1

9th

3

13th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 131y

Class 5

16:55 Chepstow

Hunting Percival

12st 0lb

J: Mr Harvey Barfoot-Saunt

T: Tracey Barfoot-Saunt

Four-time hurdle winner (2m-3m2f, good/good to soft) but not since 2023; absent since well-held sixth at Plumpton (3m1f, good) for Syd Hosie in April 2024 and can only be watched on this stable debut.

50/1

6th

10

14th Apr 2024

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 3

15:15 Plumpton

Hunting Percival

10st 12lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Syd Hosie

prominent

33/1

Form: 95-52P CD

Last run: 21 days

W: 12st 1lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
12yo who's been a prolific winner over hurdles, including three times over C&D; latest win was in November 2022; got back up for second at Stratford (2m6f) in October but that's easily the best of his last five starts; pulled up at Fontwell (7-1) three weeks ago.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

12th Feb 2024

Soft

3m 0f 217y

Class 4

14:15 Plumpton

Good News

12st 0lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Lydia Richards

led, headed 7th, lost position with one circuit to go, outpaced 10th, soon lost touch, left in remote third last, tailed off

6/1

4th

2

22nd Jan 2024

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 4

15:20 Plumpton

Good News

12st 1lb

J: Marc Goldstein

T: Lydia Richards

pressed leader

14/1

Form: 3-F322 BF

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Bumper winner who is 0-8 over hurdles; two good efforts in the autumn, latterly when close second at Plumpton (2m4f, good to soft) but he was beaten 23l when second of seven at Fakenham four weeks ago when stepped up to about 3m; stamina has not been proved.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

6

5th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 177y

Class 4

16:18 Ffos Las

Copshill Lad

11st 6lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Harry Derham

Made it 2-4 over fences when he pulled clear with the second at Southwell (3m2f, good); no reason why he shouldn't be very competitive off 4lb higher.

3/1

1st

3

24th Mar 2026

Good

3m 1f 185y

Class 4

14:00 Southwell

Copshill Lad

11st 11lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Harry Derham

Defied an even longer break at Hereford in November (3m1f, good) off only 1lb lower and his following run was just as good; could easily leave his latest below-par run behind.

3/1

Abandoned

Form: 313135 D

Last run: 32 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Won at Newton Abbot (3m2f, heavy) and Wincanton (3m, good) in the autumn; ran poorly on penultimate start and still below form on latest, so none too solid.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

18th Nov 2024

Good

2m 7f 25y

Class 4

14:00 Exeter

Ben Lilly

11st 4lb

J: Gearoid Harney

T: David Pipe

Should be well handicapped but he looks cold as ice at the minute and has the most to prove of these.

10/1

Form: 40334- D BF

Last run: 304 days

W: 11st 6lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Ex-Irish; minor honours over fences last January-March on all three runs for Mel Rowley; there's more for him to prove over hurdles judged on 2021 and 2022 when last seen in this sphere, but his current hurdles mark is 10lb lower than that over fences; with new yard (same owner) and has a big chance on that 2023 chase form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

18th Feb 2024

Soft

2m 4f 88y

Class 4

14:55 Southwell

Key Commander

11st 5lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Alastair Ralph

1-19 over hurdles and 1-14 as a chaser; returning from 310 days off when tailed off in a handicap hurdle at Warwick and not easy to side with on the back of that.

11/2

6th

8

22nd Jan 2024

Frozen

3m 1f 0y

Class 4

15:05 Warwick

Key Commander

10st 12lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Alastair Ralph

Ex-Irish 8yo with a strike-rate of 2-33; ran well in three chases for Mel Rowley last year but returns to hurdles following an absence and probably best watched.

25/1

Abandoned

Form: 64-153 D BF

Last run: 57 days

W: 11st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 96

Form & Verdict
Often front-runner; finally off the mark over hurdles last February (2m7f) and also scored in May (3m2f) for Paul Henderson; two starts for new yard, failing on both occasions to live up to favouritism but making a step back in the right direction last time; considered.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

6th Apr 2025

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 4

15:52 Plumpton

San Pedro

10st 13lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Chris Gordon

prominent, not fluent 4 out, soon lost ground, struggling from 3 out

10/1

4th

5

6th Apr 2025

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 4

15:52 Plumpton

San Pedro

10st 13lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Chris Gordon

prominent, not fluent 4 out, soon lost ground

10/1

Form: P4P0-P C

Last run: 33 days

W: 10st 9lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 91

Form & Verdict
Ended last season with two disappointing runs and pulled up (made a respiratory noise) when 33-1 for last month's reappearance; won his maiden here (2019) and well treated judged on the two occasions he stayed on the premises last term; mixed messages.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

7

14th Apr 2024

Good

2m 4f 114y

Class 5

16:25 Plumpton

Oscarsman

11st 1lb

J: Elizabeth Gale

T: Suzy Smith

prominent, led narrowly from 1st, headed after 4 out

12/1

9th

7

14th Apr 2024

Good

2m 4f 114y

Class 5

16:25 Plumpton

Oscarsman

11st 1lb

J: Elizabeth Gale

T: Suzy Smith

prominent, led narrowly from 1st, headed after 4 out

12/1

0

11

22nd Jan 2024

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 4

15:20 Plumpton

Oscarsman

10st 9lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Suzy Smith

always behind, pulled up before 8th

33/1

Form: 58225-

Last run: 268 days

W: 10st 7lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
0-7 over hurdles but twice went close over 3m1f on soft ground here last spring; respected for that and a player if he's straight enough on this first run since April.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

3rd Oct 2025

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 5

16:48 Fontwell

Flemens Tipple

10st 3lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Andy Irvine

Overall strike-rate of 1-28 and the win came over fences; 0-18 over hurdles and has to bounce back from some shoddy efforts; in cheekpieces and a visor for the last two and now goes in blinkers.

25/1

6

21st Sep 2025

Good To Firm

3m 0f 217y

Class 5

14:20 Plumpton

Flemens Tipple

10st 8lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Andy Irvine

Has questions to answer after two disappointing runs in July but is very well suited by this C&D and competes off new career-low mark today; swaps cheekpieces for first-time visor; dangerous to ignore.

12/1

5

20th Jul 2025

Good

3m 2f 83y

Class 5

17:33 Stratford

Flemens Tipple

11st 7lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Andy Irvine

Only win was a 2m7f handicap chase at Huntingdon in May 2024; mixed efforts over hurdles and fences since but well beaten last of six at Bangor on latest start.

10/1

Form: 933P23

Last run: 21 days

W: 10st 2lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 76

Form & Verdict
Her Fontwell third on Boxing Day was 2m3f but she stayed on well for third of 11 over 3m2f when 40-1 at Hereford yesterday; bottom line, though, appears to be that she is 0-27 and 8lb out of the handicap.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

4th Nov 2024

Good

2m 3f 147y

Class 5

13:38 Hereford

Joyful Kit

10st 2lb

J: Chad Bament

T: Harriet Brown

Runs well now and again but she's a 35-race maiden and again out of the weights.

25/1

8

4th Nov 2024

Good

2m 3f 147y

Class 5

13:38 Hereford

Joyful Kit

10st 2lb

J: Chad Bament

T: Harriet Brown

Runs well now and again but she's a 35-race maiden and again out of the weights.

25/1

5th

11

17th Oct 2024

Good

3m 0f 150y

Class 5

14:18 Wincanton

Joyful Kit

10st 2lb

J: Ben Godfrey

T: Harriet Brown

held up in rear, outpaced after 3 out, stayed on from 2 out, never near to challenge

33/1

Form: PP7PPP

Last run: 35 days

W: 10st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
Has accomplished very little under rules, going handicapping on last two outings; 10lb out of the handicap; wore cheekpieces/blinkers last four outings, now also has tongue tied first time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

15th Oct 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

16:58 Worcester

Crookbarrow

10st 2lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Made low-key stable debut over hurdles last month and was unable to justify good market support when well beaten on subsequent chasing debut; 2lb wrong for this quick return to hurdling but it won't be a surprise if he gets his act together for his respected new training partnership soon; refitted blinkers replace cheekpieces

14/1

9

27th Sep 2025

Good

2m 7f 191y

Class 5

16:05 Market Rasen

Crookbarrow

10st 2lb

J: Henry Brooke

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Made a low-key stable debut over hurdles three weeks ago and is now 0-12 in that sphere but it won't be a surprise if he comes good for his respected new training partnership soon; swaps cheekpieces for refitted blinkers on this chasing debut; 2lb wrong; watch the betting.

7/1

12

5th Sep 2025

Good

2m 3f 123y

Class 5

14:30 Bangor-on-Dee

Crookbarrow

10st 2lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Recorded only success in point in April when the sole finisher; sold for £8,500 since last run; poor claims on rules form; market may offer further guidance on stable debut.

10/1

Verdict

There are ifs and buts about all of them. Key Commander (second choice) and Flemen’s Tipple would be players if their fitness could be assured on their first run since the spring. They need a close look in the betting but preference is for SAN PEDRO who ran twice in the autumn and could be on his way back to form.[Richard Austen]

Selections

Telegraph:

Copshill Lad

RP RATINGS:

Hunting Percival

SPOTLIGHT:

San Pedro

TOPSPEED:

Oscarsman

The Guardian:

Copshill Lad

Daily Mail:

Copshill Lad

The Sun:

Copshill Lad

Daily Record:

Copshill Lad

WEST COUNTRY:

Hunting Percival

The Times:

Hunting Percival

Daily Mirror:

Hunting Percival

The Star:

Hunting Percival

POSTDATA:

San Pedro

D Express:

San Pedro