February 06 / 13.45 Huntingdon

13.45

Good To Soft

Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle (Listed Race) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £22780
  • 2m 3f 137y
  • Class 1
  • 6 runners
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Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle (Listed Race) (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly sunny

13/8 (Won)

  • Win: £2.25
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 3-12

Last run: 68 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 131

Form & Verdict
Has made a very solid start to hurdles career, winning easily at Kempton (2m5f) then second at Newbury (2m4f) behind exciting The New Lion who impressively followed up in the Challow; major contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

2

17th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 2

15:30 Ayr

Califet En Vol

11st 7lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

Soundly beaten fourth at Kempton (2m4f, good) last month but mistakes didn't help; won there (2m4f, good to soft) two starts ago and he can be in the mix if cutting out the errors; probably okay on soft ground.

5/1

4th

3

14th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 110y

Class 2

15:18 Kempton

Califet En Vol

11st 11lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

Two hurdle wins, the latest in Listed company; has taken well to fences and he looked a good prospect when winning in pleasing style over C&D (good to soft; acts on most surfaces) last month; a 5lb higher mark should be within reach; solid claims.

9/4

9/1

  • Place: £3.80

Form: 16-131

Last run: 47 days

W: 11st 5lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Put a short-priced defeat behind him when scoring at Hereford (2m) last time, taking hurdles record to 2-3 and overall strike-rate to 4-6; represents last year's winning yard and may rate higher still.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 176y

Class 1

12:45 Aintree

No Questions Asked

11st 7lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Useful over hurdles and even better over fences; found a bit more improvement when coming from behind to beat Be Aware 1l in three-runner Grade 2 novice at Windsor (2m, soft; handles good) in January; well beaten next time in 2m4f handicap at the Cheltenham Festival, lack of stamina probably a factor; this drop back in trip looks a plus and he wears cheekpieces for the first time (has won when hooded); not ruled out.

12/1

17th

3

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 44y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

No Questions Asked

11st 9lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Three hurdle wins at up to 2m1f last season but he was the last to finish in the Martin Pipe here (about 2m4f) last March; has proved his worth in small-field chases since, winning two from four starts, over 2m3f (good) and 2m (soft); he can raise his game further but a strongly run race on a track with a steep uphill finish raises a question.

14/1

1st

4

16th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 0f 37y

Class 1

13:50 Windsor

No Questions Asked

11st 2lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Won a handicap at Ascot (2m3f, good) in November on chase debut and has continued in good form in Grade 2 chases on next two starts (2m4f/2m3f, good to soft/soft), shaping as though this drop back in trip is well worth a go; could have a big part to play.

11/4

OUR TIP

Form: 23-711 D

Last run: 19 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Bumper form included a second-place finish on this card last year; 2-2 since having wind surgery, making all in novice hurdles at Doncaster (2m3f) and Ascot (2m5f) by an aggregate of 27l; the pick on ratings.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

14:20 Aintree

Jax Junior

11st 7lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Lucy Wadham

Finished 18l behind Lulamba in the Arkle but may fare better in this rematch, with the return to further a likely plus; readily bagged Grade 2 honours at Kempton (2m4f, good to soft) the time before, enhancing his good strike-rate when racing beyond 2m.

9/1

4th

2

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

14:00 Cheltenham

Jax Junior

11st 7lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Lucy Wadham

Bled from nose when well held behind Steel Ally at Ascot just before Christmas but otherwise he's made a fine start to his chasing career, winning a handicap at Sandown (1m7f, soft) and Grade 2 novice at Kempton (2m4f, good to soft) on last two starts; needs a chunk of improvement to trouble the principals but he's straightforward, tactically versatile and a sound jumper.

20/1

1st

2

21st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 1

14:25 Kempton

Jax Junior

11st 2lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Lucy Wadham

Bled from the nose at Ascot just before Christmas but otherwise he's made a fine start to his chasing career, winning handicap at Sandown (1m7f, soft) three weeks ago in clearcut style; just as effective at 2m4f and sets the standard for the others to aim at.

4/6

Form: 22-11P

Last run: 42 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 131

Form & Verdict
Failed to cut the mustard in Aintree Grade 1 on Boxing Day; had wind surgery since; progressive and solid record otherwise includes two ready wins (2m/2m1f) in the autumn; could go well, back down in class.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

28th Mar 2026

Good

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

14:15 Stratford

Junker DAllier

11st 10lb

J: Tom Hutsby

T: Olly Murphy

A three-time hurdles winner (around 2m) last season; failed to go on in three starts over fences this term and he was pulled up back in this sphere at Warwick (2m5f) last month; player in this grade if first-time cheekpieces spark a revival.

5/2

5

7th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 5f 5y

Class 3

16:10 Warwick

Junker DAllier

11st 2lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Olly Murphy

Won three novice hurdles last season and was highly tried in his defeats; it's been a mixed start over fences (after wind surgery), let down by his jumping on handicap debut latest; probably worthy of this mark and he's back over hurdles.

13/2

Form: 2-7113 D

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 5lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Ran creditably, despite doing plenty up front, in 2m4f handicap at Fakenham on New Year's Day when bidding for a hat-trick; now goes in tongue-tie and faces a stiffer assignment upped in class.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

6th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 219y

Class 2

14:35 Plumpton

Secret Des Dieux

11st 1lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: James Owen

Capitalised on the drop back in trip to win at Huntingdon (2m, heavy) in February and followed up at Kempton (2m2f, good); he's 7lb higher than last time and in a hotter race, but did it very nicely and this 6yo novice is now 3-6 over fences; could still have more to offer and he's respected.

2/1

1st

1

14th Mar 2026

Good

2m 2f 0y

Class 3

14:08 Kempton

Secret Des Dieux

11st 10lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: James Owen

Won on chase debut at Fakenham (2m, good to soft) in October; creditable efforts in defeats in strong novice handicaps on next three starts before resuming winning ways in a small field at Huntingdon (2m, heavy) last month; 7lb higher in a more competitive race now but further progress can't be ruled out with this yard.

3/1

1st

1

19th Feb 2026

2m 0f 104y

Class 4

15:26 Huntingdon

Secret Des Dieux

11st 11lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: James Owen

Won on chase debut at Fakenham (2m, good to soft) in October and has run well in defeat on his three starts since, most recently at Cheltenham when not seeing out the stiff, extended 2m4f on soft ground; solid claims now back down in trip.

5/6

Form: 124

Last run: 48 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Good form (won then Listed runner-up) in Cheltenham bumpers; backward step, having lacked fluency, at Ascot (2m5f) switched to hurdles; chance of improvement depends on whether he jumps better.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

16th Apr 2026

Good

3m 1f 119y

Class 4

18:30 Hereford

Block Rockin Beats

11st 8lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Oliver Signy

1-8 over hurdles, up in trip when winning at Lingfield (2m7f, soft) in December; with two major backward steps since, a lot seemingly depends on his subsequent wind surgery and today's first tongue-tie.

6/1

8th

9

26th Feb 2026

Soft

3m 0f 26y

Class 3

16:10 Wetherby

Block Rockin Beats

11st 5lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Oliver Signy

Listed bumper runner-up who was suited by the step up in trip when winning at Lingfield (2m7f, soft) in December on his third handicap start; merely mid-division at Newbury (3m, good to soft) since but not written off in view of the promise shown on his penultimate start.

8/1

9th

8

14th Jan 2026

Good

3m 0f 57y

Class 4

14:40 Newbury

Block Rockin Beats

11st 9lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Oliver Signy

Opened his hurdles account in similar event at Lingfield (2m7f, soft) last time; remains unexposed at this sort of distance and bumper form suggests he has the potential to do better still; shortlisted.

7/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £12.80
Straight Forecast £14.61
Trifecta £26.30

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Jax Junior

LAMBOURN:

Califet En Vol

RP RATINGS:

Jax Junior

TOPSPEED:

Jax Junior

POSTDATA:

Jax Junior

NEWMARKET:

Jax Junior

The Guardian:

Jax Junior

Daily Mail:

Jax Junior

Daily Mirror:

Jax Junior

The Star:

Jax Junior

The Times:

Califet En Vol

Telegraph:

Califet En Vol

D Express:

Califet En Vol

The Sun:

Califet En Vol

Daily Record:

Califet En Vol