February 17 / 14.05 Wincanton

14.05

Soft

Jennings Bet Kingwell Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £41608
  • 1m 7f 50y
  • Class 1
  • 5 runners
ITV
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Jennings Bet Kingwell Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

OUR TIP

15/8 (Won)

  • Win: £2.20
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 31-152 D

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 7lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 145

Form & Verdict
Grade 2-winning novice and placed in a Grade 1; has held his own in three strong handicaps this season, latterly going down narrowly under a big weight in the 2m5f Lanzarote at Kempton (good to soft; handled heavy during Flat career); might well have won that without late mistakes and he's got plenty of boot for 2m; major player on these terms.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

24th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 0f 179y

Class 1

15:00 Cheltenham

Nemean Lion

11st 10lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Kerry Lee

Seemed to run well in a dramatic Fighting Fifth but was only fourth of five, admittedly not entirely disgraced, last week when favourite for a Windsor contest he'd won 12 months earlier; triple Grade 2 scorer but faces a difficult task against two exciting types in this field.

33/1

4th

1

16th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

15:00 Windsor

Nemean Lion

11st 8lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Kerry Lee

Middle leg of a hat-trick when winning this last year (soft); finished close-up when last of the three finishers on reappearance in Grade 1 Fighting Fifth at Newcastle (2m1f, good to soft) in November, which was a positive performance; leading claims despite a 8lb penalty.

7/4

12

13th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 213y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Nemean Lion

11st 10lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Kerry Lee

Completed a hat-trick (2m3f/2m4f, good to soft/soft) when getting up close home in Grade 2 National Spirit at Fontwell last month; goes up in trip and back up in grade today, with something to find, but he stayed well on the Flat early in his career and has shaped this season as though today's extra distance could prompt further improvement; clearly thriving; interesting.

25/1

5/2

  • Place: £2.20

Form: 223-25

Last run: 78 days

W: 11st 4lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 146

Form & Verdict
Ran well behind Arkle contender Found A Fifty on reappearance (third chase start) but then finished tailed off in a Newbury Grade 2 and now reverts to hurdles over which he has some flashes of smart form, including a 3l second to Rubaud in last season's Scottish Champion Hurdle; has a significant pull in the weights with that rival, so has to be strongly considered on ground he handles.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13th

7

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 1

14:40 Cheltenham

Colonel Mustard

11st 7lb

J: John Shinnick

T: Mrs Lorna Fowler

Two races this autumn (one a 2m4f Grade 2 from The Yellow Clay) were his first wins for ages and he wasn't disgraced on latest outing; third in the 2022 County and fifth in this race last year in his only two handicaps at this meeting, but he's higher in the weights today and is now an 11yo, so can't be the percentage call.

33/1

4th

3

8th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 5f 180y

14:50 Navan

Colonel Mustard

11st 8lb

J: John Shinnick

T: Mrs Lorna Fowler

Win record has not reflected his ability for much of his career; only one success before this season's victories in a conditions race at Sligo and 2m4f Grade 2 at this venue; needs to bounce back now having been tailed off in the Long Walk at Ascot.

9/2

1st

1

24th Oct 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 1f 112y

14:35 Sligo

Colonel Mustard

11st 12lb

J: John Shinnick

T: Mrs Lorna Fowler

Just one win over hurdles but has been placed plenty of times including in graded races; was fifth in the Coral Cup before a fourth in a Fairyhouse Grade 2; was runner-up in this race last year after a similar absence so has to be respected as the top-rated in the field.

2/1

Form: 52-449 CD

Last run: 56 days

W: 11st 10lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 147

Form & Verdict
Going right-handed is the key to him and he's won this race twice before under positive tactics, latterly in 2022 when carrying the same penalty; his quirks have been well documented and this season isn't going well (2m-3m), but there's always a chance that first-time blinkers might trigger a revival; effective on heavy.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13th

12

26th Apr 2025

Good

3m 4f 146y

Class 1

16:10 Sandown

Goshen

10st 2lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Gary & Josh Moore

5lb out of the handicap; 9yo whose career has contained plenty of surprises and performing so manfully in 3m handicap chases on good ground at Ascot and this track on his last two starts is arguably one of them; that's nowhere near his old hurdles form but he's been sticking on as if his next reinvention could be as a stayer.

40/1

13th

12

26th Apr 2025

Good

3m 4f 146y

Class 1

16:10 Sandown

Goshen

10st 2lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Gary & Josh Moore

5lb out of the handicap; 9yo whose career has contained plenty of surprises and performing so manfully in 3m handicap chases on good ground at Ascot and this track on his last two starts is arguably one of them; that's nowhere near his old hurdles form but he's been sticking on as if his next reinvention could be as a stayer.

40/1

3rd

1

8th Mar 2025

Good

3m 0f 37y

Class 3

15:35 Sandown

Goshen

11st 12lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Gary & Josh Moore

9yo who is somewhat mercurial but he's run pretty well in defeat the last twice here (2m7f, heavy; hurdles) and Ascot (3m, good; fences); goes well at Sandown and drops back down in grade today; could be involved.

5/1

Form: 323U/5 D

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Entitled to have needed the run when always last in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham three weeks ago (just behind an eased Rubaud); won that race in 2021 and there were other runs that season on a par with that performance, but current wellbeing is a grey area; has won on heavy.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

4th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 2

15:20 Haydock

Guard Your Dreams

11st 12lb

J: Toby McCain-Mitchell

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Brought down at the first fence in the Plate at Cheltenham last month; made most of the running when winning easily at Warwick (2m4f, heavy) in February and, although now 8lb higher, he was rated higher over hurdles earlier in his career; versatile ground-wise; one to note.

15/2

8

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 44y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Guard Your Dreams

11st 1lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Fell in the Ultima last March but he has often run creditably over fences here and handles most surfaces; however, he's on his highest-ever chase mark following a Warwick win (about 2m4f, heavy) last month and now looks up against it.

25/1

1st

5

7th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

14:25 Warwick

Guard Your Dreams

11st 2lb

J: Toby McCain-Mitchell

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Absent since clear second of 14 at Uttoxeter (3m, good) last May but it's worth remembering his narrow C&D (good) win in October 2024 came after a layoff; versatile regarding ground and current mark is workable; a possible.

11/2

Form: 1-1124 CD

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 10lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 149

Form & Verdict
Up against it conceding weight all round in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham three weeks ago won by Lossiemouth; flatter, right-handed tracks play to his strengths and he impressed in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle here in November before chasing home Constitution Hill at Kempton; conditions are the glaring concern as good or good to soft is ideal.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

25th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 110y

Class 1

16:02 Sandown

Rubaud

11st 10lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Form dipped in Cheltenham Festival handicap returned to fences last time; multiple Grade 2 winner but has raced mostly at about 2m and isn't crying out for this step back up in trip; first go beyond a sharp 2m4f.

14/1

3

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Rubaud

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Listed/Grade 2 wins over hurdles this term; goes back over fences for the first time since last May and he's 1-5 in this sphere, the win coming in a Grade 2 novice last February; sixth of 15 off this mark in the Scottish Champion Hurdle in April 2024 when he last tackled a handicap; may be vulnerable.

16/1

2nd

1

14th Feb 2026

Heavy

1m 7f 50y

Class 1

13:35 Wincanton

Rubaud

11st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Paul Nicholls

Front-runner who is 2-3 since returned to hurdles from fences, winning races at Kempton (Listed) and Wincanton (Elite Hurdle) that he also took in 2023 and 2024; held in a 9l third at Kempton on Boxing Day but that was behind Sir Gino in a Grade 1 and he's strongly respected on this drop back in class; most of his wins have been on good ground but he's effective on soft.

7/4

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £6.70
Straight Forecast £7.20
Trifecta £23.20

Selections

WEST COUNTRY:

Rubaud

SPOTLIGHT:

Nemean Lion

RP RATINGS:

Goshen

The Guardian:

Colonel Mustard

The Star:

Guard Your Dreams

The Times:

Rubaud

Daily Mail:

Rubaud

Daily Record:

Rubaud

The Sun:

Colonel Mustard

TOPSPEED:

Nemean Lion

POSTDATA:

Nemean Lion

D Express:

Nemean Lion

Telegraph:

Goshen

Daily Mirror:

Goshen