February 18 / 14.45 Musselburgh

14.45

Soft

Join tote.co.uk The Cream Of The Crop Handicap Hurdle (Go North Brindisi Breeze Series Qualifier)

  • Prize money: £5281
  • 2m 7f 180y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
RTV
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Join tote.co.uk The Cream Of The Crop Handicap Hurdle (Go North Brindisi Breeze Series Qualifier)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £7.50
  • Place: £1.70

Form: -22223

Last run: 17 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Returned in the autumn from a long absence; runner-up on first four runs back and a respectable third on latest outing; last four starts were 3m in the mud; has travelled a long way for this and trainer has a 4-8 strike-rate at Musselburgh but hasn't sent one here for a long time; shortlisted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

5th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 177y

Class 4

16:18 Ffos Las

Balkardy

10st 13lb

J: Miss Eleanor Williams

T: Mrs C Williams

Multiple winner but hasn't become easy to predict and followed two modest runs over hurdles with a pull-up on his return to fences at Ludlow; others safer.

20/1

3

16th Oct 2025

Good

2m 7f 191y

Class 4

16:22 Ffos Las

Balkardy

12st 0lb

J: Isabel Williams

T: Evan Williams

Found Class 2 race at Newton Abbot slightly too hot last time but is now only 2lb higher than when winning here (2m4f, good to soft) in June, and today's longer trip probably suits him better; one to consider.

11/2

9

30th Aug 2025

Good

2m 5f 122y

Class 2

16:30 Newton Abbot

Balkardy

10st 2lb

J: Isabel Williams

T: Evan Williams

Kept on well to assert at Ffos Las (2m4f, good to soft) when back over hurdles in June, his fourth hurdling success, and does not look harshly treated by a 3lb rise for that but moves up from 0-115 company today and others in this line-up look stronger.

12/1

7/1

  • Place: £1.90

Form: 6-3144

Last run: 65 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Two visits here last term did not work out; won at Kelso (3m2f, soft) in October on his second handicap start and ran in snatches when respectable fourth on both starts since, with cheekpieces enlisted for latest; now it's blinkers; each-way chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

10

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 2f 127y

Class 3

15:52 Perth

Jem In Em

10st 6lb

J: Conner McCann

T: Lucinda Russell

Bumper/hurdle winner who appreciated the return to this discipline when going down narrowly over nearly 3m at Hexham last month; this is a stronger race, however.

7/1

3rd

10

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 2f 127y

Class 3

15:52 Perth

Jem In Em

10st 6lb

J: Conner McCann

T: Lucinda Russell

prominent

7/1

2nd

1

13th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 63y

Class 5

17:00 Hexham

Jem In Em

12st 0lb

J: Conner McCann

T: Lucinda Russell

jumped right on occasions, midfield

8/1

25/1

  • Place: £5.40

Form: 6355P0

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Ex-Gordon Elliott; first two runs for new yard were his best form but he's not been near that level in his three starts since, back hurdling (first time since last March) here on latest; seen mostly over shorter.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

5

23rd May 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 34y

Class 5

17:05 Cartmel

Cardamon Hill

11st 4lb

J: Patrick Wadge

T: Miss A M Slack

Three listless performances since returning from 13 months out; 12lb below his last winning mark now, but no good thing to capitalise.

100/1

5

2nd May 2026

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 5

19:45 Hexham

Cardamon Hill

11st 9lb

J: William Maggs

T: Miss A M Slack

Won twice in November 2024 (2m7f/3m, good/good to soft) but mainly disappointing since including on both runs since a 404-day break; plenty to prove at present.

20/1

5th

3

10th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 28y

Class 4

13:57 Sedgefield

Cardamon Hill

11st 9lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Miss A M Slack

Stays 3m and acts on the forecast sound surface; 50-1, always behind and pulled up on his return from 13 months off the track at Wetherby on latest start; bit to prove.

9/1

OUR TIP

Form: 4421U2 CD

Last run: 48 days

W: 12st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Jinked and unseated rider two out at Aintree (3m, heavy) on penultimate outing; he was bang there at the time, though, and was first and second over this C&D on starts either side (on soft last time); up 3lb but a major player if keeping on the straight and narrow.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13

19th Apr 2024

Soft

3m 0f 70y

Class 3

14:20 Ayr

Call Me Harry

10st 12lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Iain Jardine

raced in last

16/1

13

19th Apr 2024

Soft

3m 0f 70y

Class 3

14:20 Ayr

Call Me Harry

10st 12lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Iain Jardine

raced in last

16/1

4

5th Apr 2024

Soft

2m 7f 180y

Class 2

18:10 Musselburgh

Call Me Harry

11st 0lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Iain Jardine

Runs this track well and when behind a couple of these here last time he was let down by his jumping; respected.

7/1

Form: 32

Last run: 62 days

W: 11st 5lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Second in an Irish point last spring and placed on both hurdling starts, more recently when second in Musselburgh maiden (2m4f, good to soft) in December; handles soft ground (unraced on heavy); upped in trip but should be capable of improvement in handicaps.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

13th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 0f 75y

Class 5

16:00 Newcastle

Valleyview Tommy

11st 3lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Sandy Thomson

Showed some promise in two Irish points in 2023; rather disappointing over hurdles and fences, including with cheekpieces and last time with a visor; cheekpieces back on; others stronger.

14/1

6th

4

1st Jan 2025

Good

2m 4f 68y

Class 5

13:10 Musselburgh

Valleyview Tommy

11st 2lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Sandy Thomson

towards rear, brief headway before 4 out, weakened before 3 out

6/1

6th

4

1st Jan 2025

Good

2m 4f 68y

Class 5

13:10 Musselburgh

Valleyview Tommy

11st 2lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Sandy Thomson

towards rear, brief headway before 4 out, weakened before 3 out

6/1

Form: 4UP-P3

Last run: 52 days

W: 11st 10lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Hasn't taken to chasing but his third of four at Catterick when back over hurdles on latest outing was something of a revival; 12lb below his opening handicap mark (five starts back) and it's possible to argue that this first run beyond 2m4f under rules will help him.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

6

6th Jun 2024

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

15:43 Uttoxeter

Masked Crusader

11st 12lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

Winning Irish pointer; successful in two novice hurdles in 2022 (2m1f/2m2f, good to soft); had wind surgery after that and rather patchy form over fences and hurdles since, best recent run when second in handicap hurdle at Carlisle in March (2m3f, soft).

12/1

7th

2

30th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 3f 61y

Class 4

17:25 Carlisle

Masked Crusader

12st 0lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

Form figures of 212 here, latterly only narrowly failing to make all over C&D (soft); 3lb higher and without the claim of Charlie Maggs, but still a strong contender.

5/1

2nd

2

7th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 3f 61y

Class 4

14:05 Carlisle

Masked Crusader

11st 11lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Donald McCain

led narrowly

8/1

Form: 1F-645 BF

Last run: 51 days

W: 11st 1lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 99

Form & Verdict
Won at Ayr (2m4f, heavy) last January on handicap debut and creditable fourth of ten when favourite at Newcastle (soft) in November suggested he stays this trip; favourite but raced freely when heavily beaten latest; each-way option if bouncing back from that and he has tongue tied first time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

8

25th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 28y

Class 5

16:11 Hexham

So Many Roads

11st 7lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald Whillans

Resumed winning ways at Ayr (2m4f) in January but failed to back it up when a well-held fifth in another 2m4f handicap at that track 43 days ago; others appeal more.

11/1

5th

2

10th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 100y

Class 5

13:35 Ayr

So Many Roads

11st 13lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Donald Whillans

Both wins have been here, latest when beating Velvet Vulcan by a head in a 19-runner handicap over this trip last month (soft; went clear but only just held on); should go well off this 3lb higher mark.

100/30

Form: 092525

Last run: 130 days

W: 11st 6lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
0-13, ten of those runs for Margaret Mullins in Ireland; back to his best on last two outings (on good at 2m5f/2m4f) for new yard but, as latest shows, he does not look on a great mark; tailed off on sole attempt over this sort of trip and plenty to prove on soft or heavy.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

5

25th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 34y

Class 3

17:11 Cartmel

Sean Og

10st 2lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Dianne Sayer

Dual C&D winner who returned from break with two low-key runs in February/March; usually knocks about in lower-grade races than this but returns to this track on a workable mark (even from 3lb out of the weights) and is versatile regarding ground.

6/1

4th

9

22nd Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 210y

Class 2

16:27 Carlisle

Sean Og

10st 9lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Dianne Sayer

Has done all of his winning at Cartmel and Catterick; made the frame in this race 12 months ago but was beaten long way over C&D on return from layoff last time.

25/1

7th

3

16th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 210y

Class 4

16:10 Carlisle

Sean Og

11st 13lb

J: Peter Kavanagh

T: Dianne Sayer

Won at Cartmel (2m5f, soft) last June and runner-up at Perth (3m, good) in September; below par at Hexham in October when last seen but a break may have helped and he can go well fresh; could be a contender on his return.

13/2

Non-runners

Headscarf Lil

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £36.60
Straight Forecast £47.08
Tricast £1284.94
Trifecta £567.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Call Me Harry

D Express:

Valleyview Tommy

The Star:

Jem In Em

TOPSPEED:

So Many Roads

RP RATINGS:

Balkardy

POSTDATA:

Headscarf Lil

The Sun:

Valleyview Tommy

Daily Record:

Valleyview Tommy

The Times:

Call Me Harry

Telegraph:

Call Me Harry

Daily Mirror:

Call Me Harry