February 24 / 16.00 Ayr

16.00

Soft

Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £4356.8
  • 2m 0f 0y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
RTV
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Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

2/1 (Won)

  • Win: £4.50
  • Place: £1.50

Form: 51

Last run: 28 days

W: 12st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Quite a smart stayer on the Flat for Jim Bolger; pulled hard and was only fifth on his hurdles debut at Huntingdon (2m, good to soft); settled better when getting off the mark when beating a subsequent winner in a Plumpton maiden last time (2m4f, soft); back down in trip; a possible.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

5th Apr 2026

Good

1m 7f 195y

Class 2

16:05 Plumpton

Serious Challenge

12st 0lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Fergal O’Brien

Has improved for patient tactics, winning at Haydock (1m7f, good) before going close in the always-strong Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso (good to soft); raised 3lb for that but this former smart Flat performer should be seen to good effect around here.

6/1

2nd

5

28th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 51y

Class 2

14:55 Kelso

Serious Challenge

11st 9lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Fergal O’Brien

Made it four wins from his eight starts over hurdles (various ground) when returning to form to score at Haydock (1m7f, good) two months ago, when ridden more patiently; 5lb higher in a better race today and needs a career-best but he's unexposed under hold-up tactics and is not written off.

10/1

4th

2

26th Oct 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

15:30 Aintree

Serious Challenge

11st 3lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Fergal O’Brien

Talented Flat performer (stayed 1m6f) who won three novice hurdles this year (2m4f/2m, various ground) before finishing fourth of 14 in novice handicap final at Sandown (2m, good) in April; could have more to offer now back up in trip and trainer has won the last three runnings.

5/2

1/2

  • Place: £1.10

Form: 7331 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 12st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Irish raider; three sound runs over hurdles, getting off the mark in good style in a Limerick maiden last time (2m, heavy); should go well with his penalty.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

5

6th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 3f 180y

15:50 Fairyhouse

Bowensonfire

11st 3lb

J: Jordan Gainford

T: Gordon Elliott

Admirably consistent handicapper who didn't run too badly when midfield in the County Hurdle last month; however, this is a step up the ladder for him and regular rider Jack Kennedy evidently prefers the chances of The Yellow Clay.

10/1

13th

3

13th Mar 2026

Good

2m 0f 179y

Class 1

14:00 Cheltenham

Bowensonfire

11st 11lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Big improver in recent months, winning strong 2m Leopardstown handicaps at the Christmas meeting (yielding) and at the Dublin Racing Festival (heavy); will need to improve again to complete a hat-trick of big-field successes but that can't be ruled out in his current mood.

14/1

1st

2

1st Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 0f 0y

15:52 Leopardstown

Bowensonfire

11st 4lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Steady improver put up his best effort when winning over C&D last time; is 8lb higher in a tougher race so will have to progress again, but is possible he could do so.

7/1

Form: 66

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 7lb

7 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Modest efforts in a point and in two maiden hurdles at Down Royal; others have stronger claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

22nd Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

15:40 Kelso

Instinct dAinay

11st 10lb

J: Ben Bromley

T: S R B Crawford

Showed nothing more than minor promise when beaten 30l+ in three maiden/novice hurdles (2m-2m4f) during the winter and seems rather harshly treated for this handicap debut but, nevetheless, he's open to significant improvement if he takes well to fences.

9/2

Form:

Last run: 93 days

W: 11st 0lb

5 yo Filly

OR:

Form & Verdict
Mare by Order Of St George from a good jumping family; ex-Irish; well beaten 12th of 14 in a Punchestown maiden hurdle on debut (had blood in one nostril); hood tried on stable debut; should do better.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

8

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 47y

Class 4

13:32 Perth

Charlies Girl

10st 7lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Daragh Bourke

midfield

100/1

3rd

8

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 47y

Class 4

13:32 Perth

Charlies Girl

10st 7lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Daragh Bourke

midfield

100/1

4th

5

24th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

16:00 Ayr

Charlies Girl

11st 0lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Daragh Bourke

always behind, left in remote fourth 2 out

50/1

Form: 054

Last run: 53 days

W: 11st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Improved on bumper form when just over 5l fourth of ten behind a 1-4 shot on hurdles debut over C&D last month (soft; 100-1, second has won since); this looks harder but has a place chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

1st Nov 2025

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

12:48 Ayr

Glenville

11st 0lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Ewan Whillans

Very respectable fourth over C&D (soft) on hurdle debut in January and looked set to finish third here (heavy) before penultimate-flight fall in February; each-way claims if tuned up after 250-day absence.

14/1

5th

4

1st Nov 2025

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

12:48 Ayr

Glenville

11st 0lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Ewan Whillans

Very respectable fourth over C&D (soft) on hurdle debut in January and looked set to finish third here (heavy) before penultimate-flight fall in February; each-way claims if tuned up after 250-day absence.

14/1

3

24th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

16:00 Ayr

Glenville

11st 7lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Ewan Whillans

raced in third and in touch with leaders, outpaced after 4 out, 11 lengths down when fell 2 out

14/1

Form:

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 0lb

5 yo Mare

OR:

Form & Verdict
£40,000 3yo; second foal of a sister to Grand National winner Pineau de Re; tailed off in a C&D bumper on debut (soft); looks a long-term prospect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

11th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 3

14:05 Ayr

Kanitamay

11st 4lb

J: Patrick Wadge

T: Lucinda Russell

Posted her first piece of worthwhile form when 100-1 second of six behind easy winner at Carlisle (2m1f, good) last month; that was a weak race and further improvement is needed today, but she's in good hands to progress.

11/1

5th

3

11th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 3

14:05 Ayr

Kanitamay

11st 4lb

J: Patrick Wadge

T: Lucinda Russell

Posted her first piece of worthwhile form when 100-1 second of six behind easy winner at Carlisle (2m1f, good) last month; that was a weak race and further improvement is needed today, but she's in good hands to progress.

11/1

2nd

7

23rd Mar 2025

Good

2m 1f 0y

Class 4

14:10 Carlisle

Kanitamay

10st 12lb

J: Jack Power

T: Lucinda Russell

towards rear on outer, steady headway from 5th, went second last, no match for winner

50/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £7.40
Straight Forecast £5.31
Trifecta £11.00

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Bowensonfire

The Star:

Serious Challenge

RP RATINGS:

Bowensonfire

POSTDATA:

Bowensonfire

The Times:

Bowensonfire

Telegraph:

Bowensonfire

The Guardian:

Bowensonfire

Daily Mail:

Bowensonfire

D Express:

Bowensonfire

Daily Mirror:

Bowensonfire

The Sun:

Bowensonfire

Daily Record:

Bowensonfire