January 15 / 14.48 Hereford

14.48

Soft

Dragonbet The Independent Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £10406
  • 2m 3f 147y
  • Class 3
  • 5 runners
SKY
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Dragonbet The Independent Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

7/2 (Won)

  • Win: £2.50
  • Place: £1.30

Form: P3-U22 BF

Last run: 41 days

W: 10st 4lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Consistent hurdler who arrives here after finishing runner-up in handicaps at Sandown (2m, good to soft) and Wincanton (1m7f, soft), latterly behind one who was taking a big step forward after wind surgery; creeping up the weights but has scope to improve for this longer trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

3

15th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 203y

Class 1

14:40 Haydock

Jour DEvasion

11st 4lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Henry Daly

Completed this season's hat-trick over shorter trips, in lower grades and on softer surfaces; won over a similar trip to this over hurdles but on soft ground that seems to suit him ideally; a good-ground renewal of the Grand Annual proved far too tough last month.

10/1

16

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Jour DEvasion

10st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Henry Daly

3-4 over fences, the wins coming over 2m1f/2m on heavy/good to soft; clearly knows how to get the job done and he's on an upward curve, but he's 5lb higher than for a narrow win in a small field at Warwick last time and today is a much tougher test of his credentials.

16/1

1st

1

23rd Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 54y

Class 3

14:05 Warwick

Jour DEvasion

11st 12lb

J: David Bass

T: Henry Daly

Bang-in-form 7yo who ended 2025 with convincing wins at Bangor (2m1f, heavy) and Chepstow (2m, good to soft); shooting up the weights but won't mind what the weather does here and commands respect in current mood.

6/4

8/1

  • Place: £2.80

Form: 2101-5 D

Last run: 33 days

W: 11st 10lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 136

Form & Verdict
Regularly partnered by Ben Sutton; five handicap wins have come at a cost mark-wise but still ran an encouraging race at Doncaster (2m3f, good to soft) when possibly in need of the run; has no ground preferences.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

14th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 70y

Class 2

14:25 Uttoxeter

Santos Blue

11st 8lb

J: Ben Sutton

T: Olly Murphy

Did well for Dan Skelton and posted best effort for new stable when second behind easy winner at Sandown (2m7f, heavy) last time; however, likely needs a new level of form to go one better.

14/1

2nd

1

31st Jan 2026

Heavy

2m 7f 103y

Class 1

15:10 Sandown

Santos Blue

12st 0lb

J: Ben Sutton

T: Olly Murphy

Successful six times under regular rider Ben Sutton, including on heavy going at Uttoxeter in 2024 and over 3m at Newbury last February; the latter was his final start for Dan Skelton and he's been well beaten this term on both runs for new yard; needs a career best to win this.

11/1

1st

2

8th Feb 2025

Soft

3m 0f 52y

Class 3

13:50 Newbury

Santos Blue

12st 0lb

J: Mr Ben Sutton

T: Dan Skelton

towards rear

11/1

OUR TIP

Form: C21-33

Last run: 53 days

W: 10st 11lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Second in a Listed juvenile hurdle (heavy) before winning at Chepstow (good to soft); took a good hold and raced prominently when third next time, but more patient tactics were adopted when raised to this trip for handicap debut at Haydock (soft) and ran well to be third in a valuable race; raised 3lb but has more in the locker.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

2nd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 98y

Class 2

15:32 Chepstow

Knight Of Allen

10st 7lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Jane Williams

1-5 over fences; bumped into a handicap blot when 14l second at Newbury (extended 2m7f, heavy) and early mistakes/interference had him on the back foot when only 11-1 for the Ultima at Cheltenham (4lb out of the weights); with trip/ground fine, he can go well here.

100/30

20

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 0y

Class 1

15:20 Cheltenham

Knight Of Allen

10st 2lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Jane Williams

Kept on for creditable fourth of five in novice chase here (2m4f, good) in January when up against it at the weights and he may have bumped into a handicap blot when 14l second at Newbury (extended 2m7f, heavy) last month; this unexposed 6yo is not ruled out each-way, despite being 4lb wrong.

14/1

2nd

5

7th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 91y

Class 3

15:55 Newbury

Knight Of Allen

11st 0lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Jane Williams

This looks stronger than the 2m4f handicap chase he won here (good to soft; fine on soft) in December off 5lb lower but he ran well in the face of a stiff task at the weights at Cheltenham a month ago; each-way claims back up in trip.

4/1

Form: /19-P6 D

Last run: 67 days

W: 12st 1lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 141

Form & Verdict
Pulled-up over fences in October on reappearance and pretty much tailed off on a belated return to hurdles at Aintree the following month; both those were on good ground, whereas he's probably a better horse on soft; down the weights in first-time cheekpieces and he's interesting.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

1

4th May 2026

Good

3m 5f 24y

Class 3

16:38 Fakenham

Stolen Silver

12st 2lb

J: Miss Olive Nicholls

T: Georgina Nicholls

Well beaten all five starts last season, the last three times in valuable chases for new stable since February; plummeting down the weights and will appreciate this ease in grade but needs a revival.

33/1

10

18th Apr 2026

Soft

3m 7f 176y

Class 1

15:35 Ayr

Stolen Silver

11st 2lb

J: Miss Olive Nicholls

T: Georgina Nicholls

Seemingly nothing like the force of old; not proven beyond 3m either, with heavy defeats on his only two attempts at 3m1f or 3m2f; the former was on latest start when beaten 46l at 150-1 in the Ultima at Cheltenham and all this season's form suggests he will be a big outsider again.

100/1

Form: 21-P42 D

Last run: 25 days

W: 10st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
French hurdle/chase winner; still early days with this yard and kept boxing on to finish runner-up behind the smart Nemean Lion in a small field over C&D last month; outpaced at a key stage of the race and gives the impression he wants further.
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

Non-runners

Kamaxos, Zacony Rebel

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £15.00
Straight Forecast £14.19
Trifecta £24.50

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Knight Of Allen

RP RATINGS:

Jour d'Evasion

TOPSPEED:

Santos Blue

WEST COUNTRY:

Knight Of Allen

Telegraph:

Knight Of Allen

Daily Mail:

Knight Of Allen

D Express:

Knight Of Allen

Daily Mirror:

Knight Of Allen

The Star:

Knight Of Allen

Daily Record:

Knight Of Allen

The Times:

Jour d'Evasion

The Guardian:

Jour d'Evasion

The Sun:

Jour d'Evasion

POSTDATA:

Santos Blue