July 02 / 17.40 Stratford

17.40

Good To Firm

Farmers Arms Darts Team Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div II)

  • Prize money: £4356.8
  • 2m 0f 70y
  • Class 4
  • 10 runners
RTV
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Farmers Arms Darts Team Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div II)

Runners: 10 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

OUR TIP

13/8 (Won)

  • Win: £4.10
  • Place: £1.40

Form: 4

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Well beaten on Irish point debut in spring 2023 but made promising start to rules career when fourth here (2m2f, good) a fortnight ago, fading out of contention only on the run-in; that form already makes him a leading contender and he has very obvious scope for further progress.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

1st Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 137y

Class 5

14:10 Exeter

Paddys Island

11st 10lb

J: Charlie Price

T: Robbie Llewellyn

Won a fast-ground maiden at Stratford (2m) last summer and coped well soft ground when third on handicap debut there (extended 2m2f) in October; 1lb lower today and pedigree suggests this new trip will suit.

3/1

4

1st Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 137y

Class 5

14:10 Exeter

Paddys Island

11st 10lb

J: Charlie Price

T: Robbie Llewellyn

Won a fast-ground maiden at Stratford (2m) last summer and coped well soft ground when third on handicap debut there (extended 2m2f) in October; 1lb lower today and pedigree suggests this new trip will suit.

3/1

3rd

4

7th Oct 2024

Soft

2m 2f 148y

Class 4

16:27 Stratford

Paddys Island

11st 6lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: Robbie Llewellyn

Kept on well to win course maiden (2m, good to firm) in July, and his two runs here either side of that (2m2f/2m) were perfectly respectable; not obviously well treated for this handicap debut but open to improvement if suited by the forecast slower ground.

11/2

12/1

  • Place: £3.10

Form: 7B5

Last run: 17 days

W: 11st 0lb

4 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Fairly useful on the Flat for Andrew Balding last year (two 1m4f wins) but showed only minor promise over hurdles for new stable this spring and has a bit to find here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

3

28th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

16:30 Worcester

Scintillante

11st 13lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Alastair Ralph

Won twice here last summer and some sign of a return to form when fourth at Warwick last week; this mark isn't a gift but has each-way claims.

4/1

4th

8

20th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 3

17:00 Warwick

Scintillante

11st 5lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Alastair Ralph

Won twice at Worcester last summer but below his best on his last two starts and needs to come down a few pounds.

20/1

6th

6

15th Apr 2026

Good

1m 7f 144y

Class 3

17:35 Haydock

Scintillante

11st 7lb

J: Toby McCain-Mitchell

T: Alastair Ralph

5lb out of the weights and 50-1 when well beaten in the Welsh Champion Hurdle on final run in October; his earlier races were more realistic than that and he ran well; solid chance if fitness doesn't hold him back.

13/2

4/1

  • Place: £1.40

Form: 1263-4 D

Last run: 57 days

W: 10st 11lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 91

Form & Verdict
Bumper winner; well beaten at Warwick in May after a break but she was third over C&D (soft) in November and remains unexposed over hurdles; no surprise if she displays the necessary improvement here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

6th Dec 2024

Soft

2m 0f 178y

Class 5

14:20 Sedgefield

Hot Fizzy Lizzy

10st 11lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

raced in last, mistake 3 out

12/1

9

6th Dec 2024

Soft

2m 0f 178y

Class 5

14:20 Sedgefield

Hot Fizzy Lizzy

10st 11lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

raced in last, mistake 3 out

12/1

6

24th Sep 2024

Good

2m 3f 0y

Class 5

16:05 Warwick

Hot Fizzy Lizzy

11st 4lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Placed in slowly run Stratford novice (2m, good to firm) in July and reportedly lost her action when pulled up on handicap debut there later that month; not one of her stable's stars but remains unexposed.

8/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 0lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
£2,500 3yo; closely related to a point winner; unraced dam closely related to smart chaser winner Fix The Rib; got loose before the start and was withdrawn when 100-1 for last month's intended debut; now hooded.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

12

2nd Nov 2025

Good

2m 3f 137y

Class 5

15:30 Huntingdon

Ghost Pepper

10st 2lb

J: Jamie Brace

T: D J Jeffreys

Limited ability in six starts over hurdles and hard to think this will be his day from 3lb out of the weights; cheekpieces removed after one use.

50/1

6th

12

2nd Nov 2025

Good

2m 3f 137y

Class 5

15:30 Huntingdon

Ghost Pepper

10st 2lb

J: Jamie Brace

T: D J Jeffreys

Limited ability in six starts over hurdles and hard to think this will be his day from 3lb out of the weights; cheekpieces removed after one use.

50/1

Form: 308-PU

Last run: 14 days

W: 10st 7lb

4 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Placed in Newbury bumper for Nigel Twiston-Davies in December but left that stable after two disappointing bumper runs and failed to complete two novice hurdles for new yard last month.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12

20th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 137y

Class 5

16:45 Huntingdon

Habibi

10st 5lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

Third on bumper debut at Newbury in December 2023 but she's struggled since, including in six runs over hurdles for current yard; now returns to a handicap from a claimer and she's unraced over this far.

66/1

Form: 4-4

Last run: 19 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Smart on the Flat in 2022; well beaten on both starts in that sphere last year, though, and was safely held when fourth on his first two hurdling attempts (both 2m, good); needs to up his game.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

3

16th Jul 2025

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 4

16:08 Uttoxeter

Reach For The Moon

11st 10lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Won two novice hurdles last year (2m/2m1f) but has finished last in his two handicaps; now fitted with a tongue-tie; wouldn't want rain.

14/1

4th

3

13th Jun 2025

Good

2m 0f 125y

Class 4

19:35 Market Rasen

Reach For The Moon

11st 3lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Worcester maiden and Fontwell novice winner last summer/autumn; unseen since a 19l ninth of nine on October's Wincanton handicap debut, but retains vast handicapping scope judged on his smart Flat form; can go well fresh though doesn't always.

100/30

Form: 52

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 0lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Has a basement mark on the Flat but took pretty well to hurdling this spring; lost out by only a nose in run-of-the-mill Fakenham maiden (2m, good) one month ago and has a fighting chance here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

16th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 88y

Class 5

14:52 Southwell

A Day To Dream

11st 8lb

J: Aaron Anderson

T: Mike Sowersby

Tailed off at Hexham (2m, good) last month on final run for Ollie Pears and sold for 2,600gns since; however, he was a fair third of six at Sedgefield (2m1f, good to soft) in October; each-way shout if back on song.

14/1

4

16th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 88y

Class 5

14:52 Southwell

A Day To Dream

11st 8lb

J: Aaron Anderson

T: Mike Sowersby

Tailed off at Hexham (2m, good) last month on final run for Ollie Pears and sold for 2,600gns since; however, he was a fair third of six at Sedgefield (2m1f, good to soft) in October; each-way shout if back on song.

14/1

5th

1

8th Nov 2024

Good

2m 0f 48y

Class 5

15:20 Hexham

A Day To Dream

12st 0lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Ollie Pears

in touch with leaders, prominent before 2 out, weakened after 2 out

7/1

Form: 95

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 0lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Has some fair Flat form but failed to win in that sphere and was soundly beaten on his first two hurdling starts (2m/2m5f).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

26th May 2025

Good

1m 7f 171y

Class 5

15:46 Huntingdon

Dartman

10st 8lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Well beaten when 50-1 for Ludlow handicap a fortnight ago and now 0-8 over hurdles; fitted with first-time tongue-tie here; difficult to enthuse over.

25/1

4

26th May 2025

Good

1m 7f 171y

Class 5

15:46 Huntingdon

Dartman

10st 8lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Well beaten when 50-1 for Ludlow handicap a fortnight ago and now 0-8 over hurdles; fitted with first-time tongue-tie here; difficult to enthuse over.

25/1

7th

7

11th May 2025

Good

1m 7f 169y

Class 4

15:50 Ludlow

Dartman

10st 10lb

J: Miss Jess Stewart

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Fair third in novice hurdle at Uttoxeter last July and he's dropping down the weights; however, he's struggled since that Uttoxeter run and was fading when falling three out at Chepstow last time; now 0-16 across both codes.

33/1

Form: 9-765

Last run: 17 days

W: 11st 0lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
About only 10l behind A Day To Dream when sixth on last month's hurdling debut at Fakenham (2m, good) but took a backward step when tailed off at Uttoxeter a fortnight later.
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

Form: 08-P

Last run: 18 days

W: 10st 7lb

4 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Well down the field in both bumpers and was a 250-1 outsider when pulled up in early stages of recent hurdling debut (rider lost irons after awkward jump at first flight).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

2nd Jul 2024

Good To Firm

2m 0f 70y

Class 4

17:40 Stratford

Brief Encounter

10st 7lb

J: Lorcan Murtagh

T: Nigel Hawke

Well down the field in both bumpers and was a 250-1 outsider when pulled up in early stages of recent hurdling debut (rider lost irons after awkward jump at first flight).

100/1

11

14th Jun 2024

Good

2m 0f 167y

Class 4

17:35 Newton Abbot

Brief Encounter

10st 9lb

J: Lorcan Murtagh

T: Nigel Hawke

Big prices and well beaten in bumpers at Ludlow (good to soft) and Exeter (heavy); watching brief advised on hurdles debut.

50/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £54.60
Straight Forecast £47.22
Trifecta £202.20

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Paddys Island

POSTDATA:

A Day To Dream

Telegraph:

Reach For The Moon

The Star:

Hot Fizzy Lizzy

WEST COUNTRY:

Dartman

RP RATINGS:

Paddys Island

The Times:

Paddys Island

The Guardian:

Paddys Island

The Sun:

Paddys Island

Daily Mail:

A Day To Dream

Daily Record:

A Day To Dream

D Express:

Reach For The Moon

Daily Mirror:

Reach For The Moon