February 20 / 16.05 Lingfield

16.05

Soft

Sri Lanka Awaits You Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £3247.81
  • 2m 7f 0y
  • Class 5
  • 9 runners
SKY
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Sri Lanka Awaits You Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

20/1 (Won)

  • Win: £21.50
  • Place: £3.80

Form: 13-5PP D

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 13lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 98

Form & Verdict
Won off 1lb higher over fences at Newcastle (2m7f, heavy) last March but disappointing since and pulled up in last two starts; has plenty to prove now returned to hurdling and he needs a major revival; blinkers removed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

5

17th Feb 2026

2m 7f 16y

Class 4

15:37 Market Rasen

Has Troke

11st 6lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Alex Hales

Made successful return to hurdles at Lingfield (2m7f, soft) a year ago and finished third over the same C&D in December after ten months off; held at Wetherby (3m1f, good to soft) since, but that was in a better race; respected with conditions likely to be ideal.

20/1

5th

10

23rd Jan 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 5y

Class 4

14:37 Warwick

Has Troke

10st 11lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Alex Hales

After two pull-ups over fences he won back hurdling at Lingfield 11 months ago (2m7f, soft; 5lb lower); wasn't far away there last month when giving the impression that race would bring him on; considered.

10/1

OUR TIP

7/2

  • Place: £1.10

Form: 314-62

Last run: 71 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Dual hurdle winner who got back on track with a second at Hereford (3m2f, good to soft) in December and the first three pulled well clear in that race; looks interesting off unchanged mark and he's still unexposed as a stayer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

16th Oct 2025

Good

2m 7f 191y

Class 4

16:22 Ffos Las

Weavers Answer

11st 1lb

J: James Bowen

T: Tim Vaughan

Placed on final three outings last season, most recently when third of ten at Taunton (3m, good) in March; remains on career-high mark for this reappearance but won't be far away if fully tuned up.

5/1

3rd

1

10th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

16:10 Taunton

Weavers Answer

12st 0lb

J: Alan Johns

T: Tim Vaughan

Back on track with two good seconds this winter, the latter at Lingfield (2m7f, soft) last month, and ought to handle the faster ground here; can make his presence felt again.

4/1

2nd

3

20th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 7f 0y

Class 5

16:05 Lingfield

Weavers Answer

11st 10lb

J: Alan Johns

T: Tim Vaughan

Dual hurdle winner who got back on track with a second at Hereford (3m2f, good to soft) in December and the first three pulled well clear in that race; looks interesting off unchanged mark and he's still unexposed as a stayer.

7/2

9/1

  • Place: £1.30

Form: 0989F

Last run: 51 days

W: 10st 11lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Runner-up in a point but has form figures of 0989F over hurdles and those last two runs have been at big prices in handicaps (2m/2m3f); has stamina on his dam's side but he needs to show a lot more on this switch to a staying trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

10

31st Mar 2026

Good

3m 0f 30y

Class 5

16:20 Bangor-on-Dee

Three Zambezis

10st 4lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Christian Williams

Hardly brings compelling form claims and heavy ground wasn't an obvious excuse when a remote fourth at Hereford on chase debut (2m5f); essentially disappointing given the promise of his point runs.

5/1

4th

8

11th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 4f 194y

Class 5

16:00 Hereford

Three Zambezis

10st 9lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Christian Williams

Solid effort when runner-up in his second Irish point (3m, heavy) in 2024 but he couldn't land a gamble when beaten 40l in a Lingfield handicap hurdle (2m7f, soft) just under a year ago; two starts over hurdles this term have been poor but needs monitoring in the market on this chase debut under rules.

9/1

3rd

8

20th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 7f 0y

Class 5

16:05 Lingfield

Three Zambezis

10st 11lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Christian Williams

Runner-up in a point but has form figures of 0989F over hurdles and those last two runs have been at big prices in handicaps (2m/2m3f); has stamina on his dam's side but he needs to show a lot more on this switch to a staying trip.

9/1

Form: -68551 CD

Last run: 10 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 99

Form & Verdict
Turned things around when battling well to score under Freddie Gordon in a conditional jockeys' handicap at Plumpton (3m1f, soft) ten days ago; didn't have much in hand but he's 3lb well in off the same mark here and has won over C&D in the past; key player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

6th Apr 2025

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 4

15:52 Plumpton

San Pedro

10st 13lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Chris Gordon

prominent, not fluent 4 out, soon lost ground, struggling from 3 out

10/1

4th

5

6th Apr 2025

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 4

15:52 Plumpton

San Pedro

10st 13lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Chris Gordon

prominent, not fluent 4 out, soon lost ground

10/1

Form: /37-36

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Veteran who is 1-15 in points and made it 0-6 over hurdles when a remote sixth in Fontwell handicap (2m5f, soft) last month; may have needed that after an absence but he has a mixed record in this sphere and others are more convincing.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

11th May 2025

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 5

14:25 Plumpton

Westtara

11st 5lb

J: Marc Goldstein

T: Diana Grissell

prominent, pulled up quickly after 6th

4/1

5

11th May 2025

Good

3m 0f 217y

Class 5

14:25 Plumpton

Westtara

11st 5lb

J: Marc Goldstein

T: Diana Grissell

prominent, pulled up quickly after 6th

4/1

5

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 1f 166y

Class 5

18:47 Fontwell

Westtara

11st 6lb

J: Marc Goldstein

T: Diana Grissell

prominent, pulled up before 6th, race voided

4/1

Form: -04436

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
Eight-race maiden who made a low-key start for his new yard at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good to soft) last month but that was after a break; should benefit from that run and he ran some promising races in Ireland last summer, including when third at Wexford (3m, good); not ruled out back up in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

3

13th Apr 2026

Good

2m 7f 95y

Class 4

14:40 Fakenham

Tropical Speed

11st 12lb

J: Chad Bament

T: Andy Irvine

Consistent and progressive 7yo who made all to score by 6l at Lingfield (2m7f, good to soft) on latest outing; has fitness to prove after 137-day break but could plausibly be seen to even better effect on the forecast faster ground here.

7/2

Form: /67-0P

Last run: 33 days

W: 10st 11lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Lightly raced 6yo who has struggled at massive prices in his three hurdle runs (2m/2m3f) but this is much more realistic and he has plenty of stamina in pedigree; possible improver upped in trip on handicap debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

20th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 100y

Class 5

15:00 Warwick

Grand Sabre

11st 1lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Nick Gifford

His sole success came here (3m, good) last May off this mark but he's been disappointing since; first-time cheekpieces are applied on his first run for five months and they need to spark him back to form.

8/1

5

23rd Oct 2025

Good To Soft

3m 1f 210y

Class 5

16:15 Fontwell

Grand Sabre

10st 10lb

J: James Davies

T: Nick Gifford

Low-mileage 6yo who left some very poor performances behind when staying on dourly to cause 22-1 surprise at Warwick (3m, good) in May; quickly back in the doldrums on next outing, though, and returns from 141-day break with it all to prove again.

20/1

4th

3

4th Jun 2025

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

14:35 Newton Abbot

Grand Sabre

11st 5lb

J: James Davies

T: Nick Gifford

Nothing to show for seven previous runs but he popped up in a small field when staying on strongly at Warwick (3m, good; 22-1) last time, with Moonlight Artist well adrift; that was just his second run over fences and his jumping was noticeably better; probably has more to offer, particularly over this sort of trip.

5/1

Form: 0-7708

Last run: 31 days

W: 10st 6lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
From a smart family but he's struggled in his four hurdle runs, including a Warwick handicap (2m3f, good to soft) last month; still early days for this 5yo but he needs plenty of progress on this step up to 2m7f.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

20th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 7f 0y

Class 5

16:05 Lingfield

Falstaff

10st 6lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Henrietta C Knight

From a smart family but he's struggled in his four hurdle runs, including a Warwick handicap (2m3f, good to soft) last month; still early days for this 5yo but he needs plenty of progress on this step up to 2m7f.

14/1

8th

16

20th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 0y

Class 5

14:40 Warwick

Falstaff

10st 13lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Henrietta C Knight

Poor claims on form but he's from a smart family and may improve off an opening mark of just 79; check the betting for further guidance.

16/1

8th

16

20th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 0y

Class 5

14:40 Warwick

Falstaff

10st 13lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Henrietta C Knight

Poor claims on form but he's from a smart family and may improve off an opening mark of just 79; check the betting for further guidance.

16/1

Form: 8863-5

Last run: 84 days

W: 10st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Ran respectably to finish third in a C&D handicap (soft) last February but he didn't fire on his seasonal return here in November; that took his record to 0-11 and he has a bit to prove after another break.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

8th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

16:47 Fontwell

Engaging Sam

10st 2lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Paddy Butler

Well beaten in all three hurdle races this season and now 0-12 in that sphere; swaps usual cheekpieces for first-time visor on this chasing debut; 4lb out of the weights; difficult to enthuse over.

25/1

7th

8

23rd Feb 2026

Soft

3m 0f 217y

Class 5

15:45 Plumpton

Engaging Sam

10st 5lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Paddy Butler

Suffered two heavy defeats since returning from a break late last year and hopes pinned on this longer trip bringing about some marked improvement.

50/1

Non-runners

Scorsese

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £91.00
Straight Forecast £81.53
Tricast £142.76
Trifecta £397.40

Selections

The Times:

Weaver's Answer

SPOTLIGHT:

San Pedro

The Star:

Tropical Speed

Telegraph:

Weaver's Answer

The Guardian:

Weaver's Answer

Daily Mail:

Weaver's Answer

D Express:

Weaver's Answer

Daily Record:

Weaver's Answer

RP RATINGS:

San Pedro

POSTDATA:

San Pedro

Daily Mirror:

San Pedro

The Sun:

San Pedro