October 02 / 15.10 Nottingham

15.10

Soft

Grassroots Series Final Nursery Handicap

  • Prize money: £16200
  • 0m 6f 18y
  • Class 2
  • 6 runners
RTV
View Course
Grassroots Series Final Nursery Handicap

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

Abandoned

Form: 179027 D

Last run: 19 days

W: 9st 9lb

2 yo Colt

OR: 79

Form & Verdict
Made all when a 6f maiden winner (good) at Hamilton in June; faced a couple of tough tasks in nurseries before his best effort so far, when going close back at Hamilton (6f, heavy) last month; well below that level at Doncaster (6f, good) latest; can be involved if bringing his 'A' game.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

(8)

25th May 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 5

15:40 Leicester

Shazani

9st 9lb

J: George Wood

T: Roy Bowring

On a handy mark on his 1m/7f form last autumn but hasn't been shaping this spring as though he's about to return to winning ways.

11/1

7th

2

(3)

29th Apr 2026

Standard

0m 6f 16y

Class 5

18:15 Southwell (AW)

Shazani

9st 7lb

J: Alistair Rawlinson

T: Roy Bowring

Doubled his tally in Leger Legends race at Doncaster last September (comfortably made all at 40-1 despite going as far as 1m for the first/only time); just one run of note since but he did show more spark latest on his second run back from a break, in first-time blinkers (retained); not ruled out if taking to AW at the first attempt.

9/1

6th

4

(9)

13th Apr 2026

Good To Firm

0m 6f 0y

Class 5

15:52 Leicester

Shazani

9st 8lb

J: Alistair Rawlinson

T: Roy Bowring

Stable yet to get rolling for the year but started favourite on his Doncaster comeback recently; said to have stopped quickly there and goes in first-time headgear today; softer ground would have been ideal back to sprinting (last autumn's win came over 1m).

7/1

Form: 1337

Last run: 32 days

W: 9st 7lb

2 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
Won a Leicester maiden (5f, soft) on debut; bettered that in a Sandown novice event (6f, good to firm) but wasn't able to recapture that form in both a novice event and a nursery in August; more needed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

(5)

3rd Jul 2025

Standard To Slow

0m 6f 0y

Class 5

20:08 Kempton (AW)

Blewburton

9st 6lb

J: Robert Havlin

T: Marco Botti

Still to add to his debut win but he has finished second in handicaps the last twice, over C&D and then at Lingfield (6f, AW); shouldn't be far away off the same mark as last time.

5/1

3

(7)

5th Jun 2025

Standard

0m 6f 1y

Class 5

14:50 Lingfield (AW)

Blewburton

9st 8lb

J: Warren Fentiman

T: Marco Botti

Best effort for a while when chasing home Ballsgrove Boy at Kempton four weeks ago; slightly better off at the weights but looks more exposed than his old adversary.

8/1

3

(7)

5th Jun 2025

Standard

0m 6f 1y

Class 5

14:50 Lingfield (AW)

Blewburton

9st 8lb

J: Warren Fentiman

T: Marco Botti

Best effort for a while when chasing home Ballsgrove Boy at Kempton four weeks ago; slightly better off at the weights but looks more exposed than his old adversary.

8/1

Abandoned

Form: 244512

Last run: 12 days

W: 9st 4lb

2 yo Colt

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
Raced prominently when a soft-ground winner at Carlisle (6f; blinkered) last month; took a bit more persuasion when keeping on for second at Ayr (6f, good) latest, his best effort to date; up another 2lb; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

12

(2)

17th May 2026

Good

0m 6f 6y

Class 4

18:15 Hamilton

Stirrup Cup

8st 13lb

J: David Allan

T: Tim Easterby

Soft-ground C&D winner last autumn who's twice been unlucky in big-field Thirsk handicaps switched to cheekpieces this spring; better off with Juan Les Pins than on his comeback and enters calculations.

7/1

3rd

6

(8)

18th Apr 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 5

14:47 Thirsk

Stirrup Cup

9st 4lb

J: David Allan

T: Tim Easterby

Both his wins have come on soft ground but he ran a cracker on good ground over C&D last week (cheekpieces first time), keeping on well behind an in-form sprinter; 1lb higher today but still a strong contender, especially with some rain in the forecast.

11/2

2nd

10

(3)

10th Apr 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 5

18:10 Thirsk

Stirrup Cup

9st 8lb

J: Tom Kiely-Marshall

T: Tim Easterby

Both wins have come over 6f on soft ground and remains 7lb higher than for the latest; opposable under the likely conditions and the run may be needed; cheekpieces replace blinkers.

16/1

Form: 643346

Last run: 19 days

W: 9st 4lb

2 yo Colt

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
0-7 but had been putting in some consistent efforts in defeat until racing freely in first-time blinkers at Doncaster (6f, good) latest; they've now been discarded and the next new challenge for him is soft ground; each-way player if he handles it.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

12

(9)

6th May 2026

Good To Soft

0m 7f 1y

Class 3

16:45 Chester

Rare Change

9st 3lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Richard Hughes

Showed a resurgence in his form at Lingfield (AW) seasonal debut; did well on turf (6f/7f, good/good to firm) last May/June, winning three times, and looks interesting off a workable mark returned to this sphere.

10/1

3rd

3

(4)

20th Apr 2026

Standard

0m 6f 1y

Class 4

14:51 Lingfield (AW)

Rare Change

9st 8lb

J: Finley Marsh

T: Richard Hughes

Ran well at Kempton in sole 6f AW run (as 2yo) but proved a far better 3yo, winning three of his first four turf starts, over 6f and 7f; his form deserted him later but he returns to action only just above his latest winning mark last June; interesting.

6/1

Form: 553524

Last run: 21 days

W: 8st 13lb

2 yo Filly

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Has been unable to make much improvement from her second start at Newbury (6f, good to soft) in July, though did go close in a Lingfield fillies' maiden (7f, AW) on her penultimate start; more needed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

(4)

25th Oct 2024

Standard

0m 7f 36y

Class 6

15:56 Wolverhampton (AW)

Lillys Bet

9st 9lb

J: Marco Ghiani

T: William Knight

prominent on inner, lost position over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong

8/1

14th

19

(12)

5th Oct 2024

Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 2

14:05 Newmarket

Lillys Bet

8st 2lb

J: Amie Waugh

T: William Knight

Has shown a consistent level of form in defeat over 6f/7f on turf/AW, but looks up against it in this company back on grass; hood removed.

66/1

Form: 7554

Last run: 56 days

W: 8st 6lb

2 yo Colt

OR: 62

Form & Verdict
Not devoid of ability in three maidens at double figure prices; 5-1 when racing prominently and just over 1l fourth on nursery debut at Kempton (6f, AW) in August; since gelded; drops 1lb; may yet look well treated.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

(3)

23rd Nov 2024

Standard

0m 5f 21y

Class 6

17:55 Wolverhampton (AW)

Eighteencaratgold

9st 9lb

J: Charles Bishop

T: Eve Johnson Houghton

in touch with leaders

9/2

3rd

2

(3)

23rd Nov 2024

Standard

0m 5f 21y

Class 6

17:55 Wolverhampton (AW)

Eighteencaratgold

9st 9lb

J: Charles Bishop

T: Eve Johnson Houghton

in touch with leaders

9/2

9th

6

(8)

9th Nov 2024

Standard

0m 6f 0y

Class 6

18:30 Chelmsford (AW)

Eighteencaratgold

9st 6lb

J: Charles Bishop

T: Eve Johnson Houghton

led

8/1

Verdict

An open contest in which Eve Johnson Houghton has two chances and the answer could be provided by one of them in EIGHTEENCARATGOLD. After a relatively quiet start, he showed more on his handicap debut and, having been gelded, may now be able to improve. Sturrup Cup could be a serious danger, while if Rare Change handles the ground, he should not be far away.[Jonathan Doidge]

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Blewburton

Telegraph:

Stirrup Cup

SPOTLIGHT:

Eighteencaratgold

TOPSPEED:

Shazani

The Sun:

Lilly's Bet

Daily Mail:

Eighteencaratgold

Daily Mirror:

Stirrup Cup

Daily Record:

Stirrup Cup

The Times:

Blewburton

The Guardian:

Blewburton

D Express:

Blewburton

The Star:

Blewburton

POSTDATA:

Shazani