December 21 / 14.13 Hereford

14.13

Good To Soft

DragonBet, Chicken-Bhuna, Lamb-Bhuna, Prawn-Bhuna Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £9677.58
  • 2m 3f 147y
  • Class 2
  • 4 runners
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DragonBet, Chicken-Bhuna, Lamb-Bhuna, Prawn-Bhuna Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

13/8 (Won)

  • Win: £2.38

Form: 2167-2 C

Last run: 14 days

W: 12st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 148

Form & Verdict
Classy 7yo who won the Grade 2 Kingwell at Wincanton (1m7f, heavy) in February and ran well in defeat on seasonal reappearance at Sandown (2m, heavy) a fortnight ago; today's trip-and-ground combination will also suit, and he ought to be a tough nut to crack.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

24th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 0f 179y

Class 1

15:00 Cheltenham

Nemean Lion

11st 10lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Kerry Lee

Seemed to run well in a dramatic Fighting Fifth but was only fourth of five, admittedly not entirely disgraced, last week when favourite for a Windsor contest he'd won 12 months earlier; triple Grade 2 scorer but faces a difficult task against two exciting types in this field.

33/1

4th

1

16th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

15:00 Windsor

Nemean Lion

11st 8lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Kerry Lee

Middle leg of a hat-trick when winning this last year (soft); finished close-up when last of the three finishers on reappearance in Grade 1 Fighting Fifth at Newcastle (2m1f, good to soft) in November, which was a positive performance; leading claims despite a 8lb penalty.

7/4

12

13th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 213y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Nemean Lion

11st 10lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Kerry Lee

Completed a hat-trick (2m3f/2m4f, good to soft/soft) when getting up close home in Grade 2 National Spirit at Fontwell last month; goes up in trip and back up in grade today, with something to find, but he stayed well on the Flat early in his career and has shaped this season as though today's extra distance could prompt further improvement; clearly thriving; interesting.

25/1

Form: 321-P4 D

Last run: 7 days

W: 10st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
French hurdle/chase winner; pulled up on last month's British debut but his fourth at Doncaster (2m, good to soft) a week ago was much more encouraging; needs to take another step forward to win this from 3lb out of the weights but the move back up in trip ought to suit.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

8

1st Mar 2025

Heavy

2m 4f 118y

Class 3

16:15 Newbury

Lemoncello

11st 5lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

led

9/1

Form: 212R-

Last run: 238 days

W: 10st 2lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Useful Flat racer who took pretty well to hurdling last season, winning a Catterick maiden (1m7f, soft) and twice finishing second over 2m here; blotted his copybook when refusing to race on handicap hurdle debut in the spring, though, and we haven't seen him since a disappointing Flat run in August; 5lb wrong; cheekpieces refitted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

(5)

29th May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 3f 198y

Class 5

15:20 Brighton

Maasai Mara

9st 8lb

J: William Carson

T: John O’Shea

Regressed over hurdles last year but there was some encouragement with a hood deployed when fourth of seven at Wolverhampton (1m4f, AW) on his Flat return last month; blinkers (retained) were back on when a pace bias and wide draw did for him at Chester three weeks ago; not entirely ruled out.

14/1

12th

7

(12)

8th May 2026

Good

1m 4f 63y

Class 4

17:20 Chester

Maasai Mara

9st 10lb

J: Alec Voikhansky

T: John O’Shea

Lost his way over hurdles last year and made only a mildly encouraging return to the Flat when keeping-on fourth of seven at Wolverhampton (1m4f, AW; first-time hood) last month; not the most obvious answer.

40/1

4th

4

(5)

4th Apr 2026

Standard

1m 4f 51y

Class 4

19:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Maasai Mara

9st 2lb

J: William Carson

T: John O’Shea

Lost his way over hurdles, running poorly in two runs back from a break last November; the usual cheekpieces are replaced by a first-time hood and it's hard to believe he's still up to this sort of mark on the Flat.

33/1

Form: 111-4 C BF

Last run: 27 days

W: 10st 3lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Won here (2m5f, good to soft) on hurdling debut in January and followed up at Uttoxeter (2m4f, heavy) in March; didn't find much in closing stages when odds-on for recent seasonal/handicap debut at Uttoxeter (2m7f, soft) but may benefit from this drop back in trip and remains of interest.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

9

15th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 50y

Class 2

15:15 Haydock

Below The Radar

10st 11lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Over two years since he won a race but latest third at Uttoxeter (2m4f) looks all the better now with the winner Wellington Arch going in again last week at Aintree; this 8yo might have a preference for slightly slower ground but he's respected.

13/2

3rd

8

14th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 3

13:50 Uttoxeter

Below The Radar

11st 5lb

J: Freddie Keighley

T: Paul Nicholls

Fourth in this race last year off 4lb lower, he has been placed on his last two starts and the drop back in trip and better ground should see him go close.

8/1

3rd

6

7th Feb 2026

Soft

3m 0f 57y

Class 3

13:35 Newbury

Below The Radar

11st 3lb

J: Freddie Keighley

T: Paul Nicholls

Stamina has not been proved after two attempts at 2m7f, albeit latterly when a mid-race faller on chase debut in December; good second of 17 back over hurdles at Haydock (2m5f, good to soft; acts on heavy) three weeks ago under Freddie Keighley and there is some stamina in the family.

4/1

Non-runners

Jilaijone, Stoners Choice

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £5.70
Straight Forecast £6.77
Trifecta £33.50

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Nemean Lion

The Times:

Below The Radar

Telegraph:

Below The Radar

The Guardian:

Below The Radar

RP RATINGS:

Nemean Lion

TOPSPEED:

Nemean Lion

POSTDATA:

Nemean Lion

Daily Mail:

Nemean Lion

D Express:

Nemean Lion

Daily Mirror:

Nemean Lion

The Sun:

Nemean Lion

The Star:

Nemean Lion

Daily Record:

Nemean Lion