October 02 / 16.55 Nottingham

16.55

Soft

Grassroots Series Middle Distance Final Handicap

  • Prize money: £15462
  • 1m 2f 50y
  • Class 2
  • 8 runners
RTV
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Grassroots Series Middle Distance Final Handicap

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

Abandoned

Form: -55116 CD BF

Last run: 27 days

W: 9st 12lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 81

Form & Verdict
1m2f, good-ground winner here and at Salisbury in first two starts hooded; the headgear was left off for a lesser show at Haydock (good to soft; unraced on worse) on latest outing but its return today gives encouragement.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

5

(6)

18th Jan 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 2f 0y

Class 2

13:25 Lingfield (AW)

Elladonna

9st 1lb

J: Callum Shepherd

T: James Fanshawe

towards rear, headway but raced wide over 2f out, pressed winner towards finish, just held

11/2

2nd

5

(6)

18th Jan 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 2f 0y

Class 2

13:25 Lingfield (AW)

Elladonna

9st 1lb

J: Callum Shepherd

T: James Fanshawe

towards rear, headway but raced wide over 2f out, pressed winner towards finish, just held

11/2

2nd

5

(8)

4th Dec 2024

Standard

1m 2f 0y

Class 2

13:20 Lingfield (AW)

Elladonna

9st 6lb

J: Joe Leavy

T: James Fanshawe

took keen hold, in touch with leaders, led on outer and going easily 2f out, soon pestered, headed but went clear with winner final 110yds, no extra towards finish

9/2

Abandoned

Form: 715311 D

Last run: 43 days

W: 9st 10lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 83

Form & Verdict
Won at Yarmouth in April and has continued in good form, reaching new heights on last two outings with wins from off the pace at Doncaster (again 1m2f on good to firm) and Kempton (1m3f, AW); beaten a neck on good to soft on second 2yo start but unraced on soft or heavy, which poses a big question.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

(8)

16th May 2025

Good

1m 2f 0y

Class 3

14:25 Newbury

Prometeo

9st 7lb

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Marco Botti

Ended his 2024 campaign with a hat-trick, scoring narrowly at Southwell (1m2f, AW) the final time and taking overall record to 4-11; this progressive sort is effective on turf and one to consider.

10/1

Form: 212105 D

Last run: 37 days

W: 9st 9lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Three 1m2f wins (the first on soft) this May-July before last of 11 at Windsor and below-form fifth at Epsom, so his turn may have passed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

1

(10)

3rd May 2026

Good

1m 2f 158y

16:32 Sligo

Giselles Defence

10st 2lb

J: Jimmy Dalton

T: Sean Davis

Won four times for Ian Williams on a variety of ground, all at 1m2f; nothing for this yard at big odds until mildly encouraging run at Bellewstown last time; drops in class now and has his ground, worth a market check.

9/1

5th

9

(13)

11th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

0m 7f 205y

17:23 Bellewstown

Giselles Defence

9st 6lb

J: Paddy Harnett

T: Sean Davis

Won four times for Ian Williams on a variety of ground, all at 1m2f; well treated on that form but he's failed to beat a rival home in four runs for this stable; hard to fancy.

50/1

23th

9

(13)

28th Mar 2026

Soft To Heavy

0m 7f 0y

17:25 Curragh

Giselles Defence

9st 8lb

J: Shane B Kelly

T: Sean Davis

Won four on turf for Ian Williams at 1m2f on varying ground; has failed to beat a single rival in three Dundalk starts for this stable.

50/1

Form: 425722 C

Last run: 33 days

W: 9st 3lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Usually held up; in good form in the main this year, winning at Nottingham (1m, soft; unraced on heavy) in April and runner-up in four of her nine starts since, including on last two; has to be prominent in calculations even though she has a bit more to prove going this far.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

(12)

17th Oct 2024

Soft

0m 7f 216y

Class 5

15:15 Brighton

Ardbraccan

10st 0lb

J: Frederick Larson

T: Michael Appleby

in rear

11/2

4th

8

(2)

9th Oct 2024

Soft

1m 0f 75y

Class 4

16:17 Nottingham

Ardbraccan

9st 6lb

J: Frederick Larson

T: Michael Appleby

Has a modest strike-rate but won over C&D (soft) in April; largely consistent since, solid second off this mark at Sandown (1m, good; behind a subsequent winner) most recently; one for the shortlist.

8/1

Abandoned

Form: 525264 D

Last run: 47 days

W: 9st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Two AW wins early this year; second twice this summer, once on good to firm; however, below form both runs on soft (2023) and unraced on heavy.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

(1)

30th Mar 2026

Standard

1m 1f 104y

Class 4

18:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Tribal Wisdom

9st 8lb

J: David Probert

T: Ian Williams

4-8 at Wolverhampton and never ideally positioned in a slowly run race here 17 days ago; never ruled out around here.

12/1

5th

4

(5)

13th Mar 2026

Standard

1m 0f 142y

Class 4

18:10 Wolverhampton (AW)

Tribal Wisdom

9st 4lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: Ian Williams

Wouldn't judge him too harshly on latest Newcastle run and he had bumped into a progressive one at Southwell beforehand; this C&D winner has the assistance of Billy Loughnane in the saddle today; contender.

7/2

6th

6

(8)

6th Mar 2026

Standard

1m 0f 5y

Class 4

17:30 Newcastle (AW)

Tribal Wisdom

9st 3lb

J: Cieren Fallon

T: Ian Williams

Had a good spell in late 2025, winning three Tapeta handicaps at around this trip; good second to a well-handicapped opponent at Southwell last week; one to take seriously.

9/2

Abandoned

Form: 103767 D

Last run: 16 days

W: 9st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Four-time AW winner but 0-11 in turf and unraced on worse than good to soft; has not made a significant impact since his win in April.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

(5)

18th Sep 2025

Standard

1m 5f 66y

Class 5

19:30 Chelmsford (AW)

Obsidian Knight

10st 0lb

J: Grace McEntee

T: T J Kent

7-25 on the AW, with one of the wins coming on his only Chelmsford start; creditable third of ten at Lingfield (1m4f, AW) 19 days ago and the second from that race has won since; stamina not assured over the longest he's tackled but can be very competitive from his mark.

11/2

3rd

2

(5)

30th Aug 2025

Standard

1m 4f 0y

Class 5

19:25 Lingfield (AW)

Obsidian Knight

10st 0lb

J: Grace McEntee

T: T J Kent

7-24 on the AW with six of those wins coming at Lingfield (1m2f/1m4f); no joy in three turf runs in May/June but he didn't get much luck back on AW at Wolverhampton last month; now only 1lb higher than for his C&D win in April and he's in the mix back at this track.

15/2

11

(1)

31st Jul 2025

Standard

1m 1f 104y

Class 3

20:45 Wolverhampton (AW)

Obsidian Knight

8st 10lb

J: Jack Nicholls

T: T J Kent

7-23 on the AW with all wins coming over 1m2f/1m4f on Polytrack, six of them at Lingfield; 0-7 on Tapeta, but runner-up on four occasions so he isn't easy to dismiss.

16/1

Abandoned

Form: 252242

Last run: 19 days

W: 8st 13lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Front-running win at Haydock (1m, soft) in April and some good placings over 1m2f since, making most and keeping on well when close second at Sandown (soft; unraced on heavy) on latest outing; should have a big shout.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

(4)

15th May 2026

Good

1m 4f 0y

Class 5

18:10 Newbury

Amancio

9st 9lb

J: Donagh Murphy

T: Faye Bramley

Won this off 4lb lower last year (good) not long after a success over hurdles; lightly raced since, with a novice hurdle win in November before well beaten on handicap hurdle debut in December; major player if he's in the same form as 12 months ago and he has run well after a similar break before.

7/1

2nd

1

23rd Oct 2025

Good To Firm

1m 7f 169y

Class 4

13:37 Ludlow

Amancio

11st 8lb

J: James Bowen

T: Faye Bramley

Needn't make all to win but did for April's Chepstow maiden hurdle success (2m, good); refused to settle there and same trait ruined his finishing effort when last seen back on the Flat in June; likely needs to get all the basics right conceding weight all round this time.

7/2

Form: 155675 D

Last run: 18 days

W: 8st 9lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 64

Form & Verdict
Well beaten in his Irish days when he encountered heavy going; won over 1m2f on good to soft and soft for new yard this May but the mostly lesser displays since are a concern, particularly his remote fifth when back on soft at Chester on latest outing.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

14th Nov 2024

Good

2m 0f 125y

Class 4

12:20 Market Rasen

Chilled Out

11st 4lb

J: Aaron Anderson

T: Michael Wigham

prominent, weakened quickly from 4 out, pulled up after 3 out

50/1

3

14th Nov 2024

Good

2m 0f 125y

Class 4

12:20 Market Rasen

Chilled Out

11st 4lb

J: Aaron Anderson

T: Michael Wigham

prominent, weakened quickly from 4 out, pulled up after 3 out

50/1

13th

3

(3)

17th Oct 2024

Standard

1m 2f 0y

Class 6

17:10 Chelmsford (AW)

Chilled Out

9st 13lb

J: Darragh Keenan

T: Michael Wigham

midfield, no impression from 2f out

14/1

Verdict

Only two of them have raced on heavy ground and some have not proved themselves on soft even. Prometeo is in the latter camp but otherwise a strong contender in his hat-trick bid. It may prove a more solid option, however, to concentrate on Ardbraccan and AMANCIO who have clocked up lots of creditable efforts this season, but with Amancio’s latest start making him the more convincing prospect at this trip.[Richard Austen]

Selections

The Times:

Elladonna

TOPSPEED:

Ardbraccan

SPOTLIGHT:

Amancio

D Express:

Giselles Defence

Daily Mail:

Elladonna

Daily Mirror:

Elladonna

The Sun:

Elladonna

The Star:

Elladonna

RP RATINGS:

Amancio

Telegraph:

Amancio

POSTDATA:

Ardbraccan

The Guardian:

Ardbraccan

Daily Record:

Ardbraccan