August 30 / 17.35 Fontwell

17.35

Good

Rapunzel Me Lush And Long Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £4066.37
  • 2m 5f 164y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Rapunzel Me Lush And Long Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

5/2 (Won)

  • Win: £3.00
  • Place: £1.70

Form: 2-2114 C

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Progressive 6yo who has collected wins here (2m3f, good) and at Perth (2m4f, good) this season; creditable fourth of 15 off today's mark at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good) on latest outing five weeks ago and promising conditional Dylan Johnston claims a useful 5lb here; commands respect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

17th May 2025

Good

3m 0f 10y

Class 3

18:30 Uttoxeter

Earth Cry

11st 10lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

The winner of two bumpers and three hurdles; likes good ground; jumped well on recent chase debut at Ffos Las (3m, good to soft) and was beaten just over 3l; that was after 202 days away, so there is good reason to believe he can improve again.

7/2

6th

4

17th May 2025

Good

3m 0f 10y

Class 3

18:30 Uttoxeter

Earth Cry

11st 10lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

The winner of two bumpers and three hurdles; likes good ground; jumped well on recent chase debut at Ffos Las (3m, good to soft) and was beaten just over 3l; that was after 202 days away, so there is good reason to believe he can improve again.

7/2

3rd

2

17th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 177y

Class 4

17:12 Ffos Las

Earth Cry

12st 0lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

held up in rear, smooth headway after 14th, hit 4 out, went second after 3 out, kept on run-in

3/1

6/1

  • Place: £3.30

Form: P48-16 CD

Last run: 41 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Returned to form with career-best performance over C&D (good) in May, winning easily by 21l, but last month's run in a Cartmel novice was disappointing and she's evidently not one to rely upon heavily.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

27th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 122y

Class 4

16:56 Newton Abbot

Sams Amour

10st 8lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Keiran Burke

Triple hurdle winner (2m2f-2m5f) in 2024 but she's struggled in last six runs and was pulled up here (3m2f) three weeks ago; has plenty to prove and needs a big turnaround back in trip.

20/1

6

6th May 2026

Good To Soft

3m 2f 105y

Class 4

16:20 Newton Abbot

Sams Amour

11st 5lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Keiran Burke

Triple hurdle winner (2m2f-2m5f) in 2024 but she's struggled in last five starts, including over C&D last month on her penultimate run; has plenty to prove and needs a major revival.

16/1

6th

3

22nd Apr 2026

Good

2m 7f 198y

Class 4

19:00 Taunton

Sams Amour

11st 9lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Keiran Burke

Triple hurdle winner (2m2f-2m5f) in 2024 but she struggled in her final three runs last year (reportedly bled from the nose on chase debut final time) and did so again when returned to action 18 days ago; now 7lb below her peak mark.

33/1

Form: PP-942 C

Last run: 11 days

W: 11st 4lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Has emerged from a spell in the doldrums since fitted with cheekpieces for last two races, more recently when close second at Worcester (2m4f, good) 11 days ago; competes off same mark here and will be a tough nut to crack if in similar form again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

4th May 2026

Good

3m 5f 24y

Class 3

16:38 Fakenham

Stans The Man

11st 12lb

J: Ben Godfrey

T: Ella Pickard

Won this race in 2025 (good ground) and returned to form towards end of last season, latterly when second to recent big-race winner Havaila in Sussex National at Plumpton (3m4f, good); high on the list.

4/1

2nd

7

6th Apr 2026

Good

3m 4f 104y

Class 2

16:25 Plumpton

Stans The Man

11st 0lb

J: Ben Godfrey

T: Ella Pickard

Won two in a row last May (3m5f/3m3f, good) and returned to form to win at Wincanton (3m1f, good to soft) last month following a break; this 9yo has never defied a mark this high but it may be within range if he's once more at the top of his game.

10/1

1st

4

5th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 30y

Class 4

15:40 Wincanton

Stans The Man

12st 0lb

J: Ben Godfrey

T: Ella Pickard

Standard-bearer for his yard; mixed bag in class 3s since the autumn, but back down to his last winning mark of May 2025 and zero stamina concerns; ground coming right again (all wins on good or good to soft).

10/1

OUR TIP

Form: 604-70 C

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 8lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Multiple Flat/hurdle who runs this track well and is suited by good or faster ground; not firing on all cylinders under either code this year but has become too well handicapped to rule out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

(6)

17th Apr 2026

Good To Firm

2m 1f 24y

Class 5

16:15 Bath

Bashful Boy

9st 2lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: David Pipe

Veteran who hasn't won since 2023 but he's been in fair form on AW this spring including when fourth on Polytrack (2m) in his last two starts; should be in the mix again but he needs to find more to make a big impact; cheekpieces are removed and blinkers return.

9/2

4th

4

(1)

6th Apr 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 7f 218y

Class 5

17:50 Kempton (AW)

Bashful Boy

9st 12lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: David Pipe

Veteran who hasn't won since 2023; expensive to follow in recent times but he arrives in form and this is a touch easier again off a career-low mark; can't be left out of calculations.

4/1

4th

4

(4)

20th Mar 2026

Standard

1m 7f 169y

Class 5

14:12 Lingfield (AW)

Bashful Boy

9st 7lb

J: Jack Dace

T: David Pipe

Losing run dates back to July 2023; conditions are no problem for this veteran and he has been running respectably of late; others appeal more all the same.

8/1

Form: 506-15 BF

Last run: 54 days

W: 11st 3lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Won readily by 6l at Market Rasen (2m, good) on stable debut in June; only fifth when odds-on to follow up over same C&D last month but was beaten under 2l in a tactical race that wasn't really run to suit; tries a new trip here and could still have a lot more to offer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

20th Mar 2025

Good

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

15:55 Ludlow

River Robe

10st 2lb

J: Conor Ring

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Respectable third at Market Rasen last time but is far from guaranteed to go two places better, being the least productive contender in this field; overall strike-rate is just 1-25 and chase record is 0-6.

8/1

3rd

7

4th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 89y

Class 4

15:35 Market Rasen

River Robe

10st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

With Dan Skelton when gaining her only success and she's again out of the weights here; opposable.

25/1

8

19th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 3

15:05 Ludlow

River Robe

10st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

With Dan Skelton when gaining her only success and hard to envisage her doubling that tally here from well out of the weights.

66/1

Form: 733/4-

Last run: 475 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Made the frame off higher marks than today's in both handicaps for Alan King in spring 2023 (2m3f/3m1f) and won a restricted point for his current connections in April; no surprise if he features on this rules return.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

13th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 41y

Class 5

17:00 Hexham

Lunar Contact

11st 12lb

J: Miss Rebekah Duffy

T: Susan Corbett

Two-time chase winner who was a 9l second in this race 12 months ago (good); gets a pull in the weights with the winner Brandy McQueen from their clash at Catterick (3m1f, good) last month but he was soundly beaten in second and has work to do today.

10/1

2nd

5

4th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 54y

Class 5

16:10 Catterick

Lunar Contact

12st 2lb

J: Miss Rebekah Duffy

T: Susan Corbett

Won over hurdles and twice over fences for Tom Ellis in 2024 (3m, good/good to soft); won a four-runner point for this yard in January but well beaten last time; has no easy task

16/1

2nd

2

14th Apr 2025

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 5

16:48 Hexham

Lunar Contact

12st 2lb

J: Miss Rebekah Duffy

T: Susan Corbett

Twice a 3m chase winner at Fakenham before bagging the hat-trick in 3m Southwell handicap hurdle in November; pulled up on final two handicap chase runs for Tom Ellis but still considered for in-form new yard here.

3/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £20.60
Straight Forecast £17.34
Trifecta £56.20

Selections

TOPSPEED:

River Robe

SPOTLIGHT:

Earth Cry

RP RATINGS:

Stans The Man

POSTDATA:

River Robe

The Times:

River Robe

Telegraph:

River Robe

The Guardian:

River Robe

Daily Mirror:

River Robe

The Star:

River Robe

Daily Mail:

Earth Cry

D Express:

Earth Cry

The Sun:

Earth Cry

Daily Record:

Earth Cry