June 15 / 17.07 Uttoxeter

17.07

Good

Cannock Chemicals Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div I)

  • Prize money: £4193.42
  • 1m 7f 168y
  • Class 4
  • 9 runners
SKY
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Cannock Chemicals Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div I)

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £6.20
  • Place: £1.60

Form: 205-U

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 3lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Well beaten on hurdling debut in December but was in touch and travelling okay before penultimate-flight fall at Stratford (2m2f, good) at fortnight ago; we can only guess where he might have finished that day but, nevertheless, he makes a lot more appeal than some of these.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

4th Nov 2025

Good

2m 5f 5y

Class 4

16:02 Warwick

Baskerville

11st 11lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

Won on chasing debut in the spring but has not built on that performance in the meantime and was pulled up when upped to 3m here six weeks ago; reverts to hurdling with a point to prove.

14/1

2

4th Nov 2025

Good

2m 5f 5y

Class 4

16:02 Warwick

Baskerville

11st 11lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

Won on chasing debut in the spring but has not built on that performance in the meantime and was pulled up when upped to 3m here six weeks ago; reverts to hurdling with a point to prove.

14/1

2

4th Nov 2025

Good

2m 5f 5y

Class 4

16:02 Warwick

Baskerville

11st 11lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

Won on chasing debut in the spring but has not built on that performance in the meantime and was pulled up when upped to 3m here six weeks ago; reverts to hurdling with a point to prove.

14/1

12/1

  • Place: £1.30

Form: 406-6

Last run: 22 days

W: 10st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Not disgraced in any of his three bumpers and caught the eye making steady headway from the rear to finish sixth on recent hurdling debut at Hereford (2m, good); probably has more to offer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

7

18th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 119y

Class 4

14:30 Hereford

Don Rafael

11st 2lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Samuel Drinkwater

Fortunate to register a second 2m3f win here in November but has held his form since and he clearly likes it here; the concern is this trip as he's unraced beyond an extended 2m5f.

4/1

3rd

8

11th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 3f 147y

Class 4

16:33 Hereford

Don Rafael

10st 13lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Samuel Drinkwater

Won over C&D (good to soft) in late 2024 but was lucky to score when repeating that feat on stable debut (good) in November; respectable third at Southwell (about 2m4f, good to soft) in December on his only subsequent start; unproven on heavy but can't be dismissed.

12/1

40/1

  • Place: £1.50

Form: PP-

Last run: 224 days

W: 10st 10lb

8 yo Mare

OR:

Form & Verdict
Easily won an Irish point in April 2022 but, following a long absence, was pulled up at triple-digit odds in two novice hurdles for Alexandra Dunn in the autumn (2m3f/1m7f); now with another new stable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

5

2nd Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 145y

Class 5

15:10 Huntingdon

Near Dark

11st 12lb

J: Mr Joshua Parker

T: Michael Wigham

Irish maiden point winner; placed at Uttoxeter (2m novice, good) in June and Leicester (2m4f handicap, heavy) in December in her last two races over hurdles, which offers some hope even though improvement is needed.

12/1

6th

5

2nd Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 145y

Class 5

15:10 Huntingdon

Near Dark

11st 12lb

J: Mr Joshua Parker

T: Michael Wigham

Irish maiden point winner; placed at Uttoxeter (2m novice, good) in June and Leicester (2m4f handicap, heavy) in December in her last two races over hurdles, which offers some hope even though improvement is needed.

12/1

2nd

1

1st Dec 2024

Heavy

2m 4f 110y

Class 5

15:20 Leicester

Near Dark

12st 0lb

J: Mr Joshua Parker

T: Michael Wigham

raced in second, led after 7th, went clear after 3 out, headed approaching last, soon no extra

5/2

Form: 91-2 D

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 3lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Clearcut winner of Warwick bumper in April and lost out only narrowly under penalty at Market Rasen (also good) last month; not sure to be suited by the forecast rain here but still a major player on this hurdling debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

2nd Jun 2026

Good

3m 0f 60y

Class 5

16:30 Southwell

Jafimgoso

12st 0lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Bumper winner who had disappointed over hurdles until a step back up in trip brought about the necessary improvement to get off the mark in this sphere at Ludlow (2m5f, good) last month; should be suited by this further step up to 3m and is a leading player.

Evs

1st

3

10th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 55y

Class 5

17:10 Ludlow

Jafimgoso

11st 7lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Good-ground bumper winner; disappointing over hurdles, though his handicaps have been at 2m and when he tried this trip once before he was 66-1 in a maiden; could easily be a factor.

7/2

7th

5

11th Mar 2026

Good

1m 7f 171y

Class 5

15:38 Huntingdon

Jafimgoso

11st 10lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: Dan Skelton

Good-ground bumper winner two years ago who's generally struggled over hurdles and has been off for a little over a year since an underwhelming handicap debut; dropped 7lb in the interim but would want to see some market interest.

12/1

Form: 9-76

Last run: 13 days

W: 10st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Not beaten far when sixth of 12 in tactical Fakenham maiden (2m, good) on hurdling debut at fortnight ago but the value of that form is open to question and others have more pressing claims here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

1st Jun 2025

Good

2m 4f 1y

Class 5

17:05 Fakenham

Runaway Train

11st 12lb

J: Lilly Pinchin

T: James Owen

Ten-race maiden whose best form has been at 2m and he was tailed off when raised to 2m4f at Southwell (good) only recently; now goes in cheekpieces.

2/1

3

1st Jun 2025

Good

2m 4f 1y

Class 5

17:05 Fakenham

Runaway Train

11st 12lb

J: Lilly Pinchin

T: James Owen

Ten-race maiden whose best form has been at 2m and he was tailed off when raised to 2m4f at Southwell (good) only recently; now goes in cheekpieces.

2/1

1

20th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 5

16:50 Southwell

Runaway Train

11st 12lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: James Owen

0-7 over hurdles and absent since a poor performance in January but his second of 13 here (2m, good) in November was a good effort and he could plausibly have untapped potential over this longer trip.

11/2

100/1

Form: 9

Last run: 16 days

W: 11st 3lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Did not achieve much when making the frame in two maiden points in spring 2023 and was a well-beaten outsider on recent hurdle debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12

6th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 83y

Class 5

17:15 Ffos Las

Shadows

10st 2lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Tim Vaughan

Well beaten at triple-digit odds in three 2m maiden/novice hurdles last spring/summer and is 5lb wrong for this chase/handicap debut; remains very unexposed but stable has much more obvious chance with Bumpy Evans.

25/1

12

6th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 83y

Class 5

17:15 Ffos Las

Shadows

10st 2lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Tim Vaughan

Well beaten at triple-digit odds in three 2m maiden/novice hurdles last spring/summer and is 5lb wrong for this chase/handicap debut; remains very unexposed but stable has much more obvious chance with Bumpy Evans.

25/1

10th

7

9th Jul 2024

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 4

17:05 Uttoxeter

Shadows

11st 0lb

J: David Noonan

T: Tim Vaughan

Did not achieve much when making the frame in two maiden points in spring 2023 and was a well-beaten outsider on both recent hurdling starts.

100/1

Form: P

Last run: 14 days

W: 10st 5lb

4 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Always behind when 150-1 for recent stable/hurdle debut at Stratford (2m2f); hood refitted here; makes no appeal.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

25th Jun 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:33 Worcester

Charlotte Square

10st 5lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Ryan Potter

11-race maiden (Flat/hurdles) and she's struggled at massive prices in her six hurdle races; long way out of the weights again and can only be watched back in trip.

66/1

8

12th Jun 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

20:10 Worcester

Charlotte Square

10st 2lb

J: Ben Poste

T: Ryan Potter

Not yet shown much over hurdles, including in two handicaps; best watched from 12lb out of the weights.

50/1

9th

9

11th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 0f 53y

Class 5

15:07 Hereford

Charlotte Square

10st 2lb

J: Conor Ring

T: Ryan Potter

Minor form so far, most recently on the AW and a 2m3f handicap here (pulled up) in October; needs lots more from 7lb wrong.

33/1

Form: 70-6

Last run: 11 days

W: 11st 3lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Maiden pointer; put in fairly good front-running shift before fading into sixth on recent hurdling debut at Southwell (2m4f, good to soft); drops back in trip with cheekpieces added here; will presumably be ridden very positively again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

2

15th Jun 2024

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 4

17:07 Uttoxeter

Fiftyfifty

11st 3lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Laura Horsfall

Maiden pointer; put in fairly good front-running shift before fading into sixth on recent hurdling debut at Southwell (2m4f, good to soft); drops back in trip with cheekpieces added here; will presumably be ridden very positively again.

20/1

6th

2

4th Jun 2024

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 4

16:20 Southwell

Fiftyfifty

11st 4lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Laura Horsfall

Well beaten in two bumpers before running to a modest level in four points.

100/1

10th

2

28th Jan 2024

Soft

2m 1f 162y

Class 5

16:30 Fontwell

Fiftyfifty

11st 4lb

J: Alex Edwards

T: Laura Horsfall

took keen hold, midfield, headway 7f out, weakened from 3f out

33/1

Form: 67P-

Last run: 192 days

W: 10st 10lb

5 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Had excuse when pulled up in claiming hurdle in December (saddle slipped) but is yet to show any significant promise.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

2nd Jul 2024

Good To Firm

2m 0f 70y

Class 4

17:05 Stratford

Tara Vango

10st 11lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

held up in rear, mistake 3rd, pulled up after 5th

200/1

10

15th Jun 2024

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 4

17:07 Uttoxeter

Tara Vango

10st 10lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

Had excuse when pulled up in claiming hurdle in December (saddle slipped) but is yet to show any significant promise.

100/1

Non-runners

Hard As Nails, Reach For The Moon

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £23.30
Straight Forecast £22.03
Trifecta £122.80

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Hard As Nails

SPOTLIGHT:

Jafimgoso

POSTDATA:

Baskerville

The Times:

Jafimgoso

Daily Mail:

Jafimgoso

The Star:

Jafimgoso

Daily Record:

Jafimgoso

WEST COUNTRY:

Hard As Nails

Telegraph:

Hard As Nails

The Guardian:

Hard As Nails

D Express:

Hard As Nails

Daily Mirror:

Hard As Nails

The Sun:

Hard As Nails