March 03 / 17.15 Southwell

17.15

Good To Soft

Sky Sports Racing Virgin 535 Novices’ Limited Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £3247.81
  • 1m 7f 182y
  • Class 5
  • 10 runners
SKY
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Sky Sports Racing Virgin 535 Novices’ Limited Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 10 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

OUR TIP

7/1 (Won)

  • Win: £7.00
  • Place: £2.10

Form: 765

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Runner-up in Irish point and shaped with some promise in latest rules start (2m4f); gives the impression this drop in distance is worth exploring; open to progress on handicap debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

11th Mar 2026

Good

2m 3f 189y

Class 5

14:18 Huntingdon

Synchronist

11st 12lb

J: Jack Andrews

T: Sarah Humphrey

A dual 2m hurdles winner last season; nowhere near that form sent chasing this season, a remote fourth of six in 2m handicap here 48 days ago; others appeal more.

10/1

4th

3

22nd Jan 2026

Soft

2m 0f 104y

Class 4

12:28 Huntingdon

Synchronist

11st 10lb

J: Jack Andrews

T: Sarah Humphrey

Won two handicap hurdles (2m, good to soft/good) towards end of last season but has not really convinced on his three chasing starts this term, with best run coming in race in which half the fences were omitted; the forecast ground here might be slower than ideal; others preferred.

12/1

3

29th Sep 2025

Good

2m 0f 75y

Class 3

13:56 Newton Abbot

Synchronist

10st 6lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Sarah Humphrey

Displayed significant improvement when switched to handicap hurdles towards end of last season, winning at Southwell (2m, good to soft) and by 10l at Plumpton (2m, good); makes chasing debut after 161-day absence and takes on two in-form rivals but could still have more to offer.

4/1

12/1

  • Place: £8.00

Form: 276

Last run: 19 days

W: 10st 5lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
Holds weak claims on her form in juvenile hurdles but goes handicapping off a very workable mark judged on Flat ability; dual winner under that code; not dismissed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

20th May 2025

Good

1m 7f 171y

Class 5

18:10 Huntingdon

Remarkable Flight

10st 11lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Jennie Candlish

Low-grade mares' handicap winner at Fakenham in March (2m, good to soft) off 3lb lower but she hasn't kicked on from that in four runs since, although her latest fourth at Market Rasen (2m, good) 11 days ago was a step back in the right direction.

7/1

5th

6

20th May 2025

Good

1m 7f 171y

Class 5

18:10 Huntingdon

Remarkable Flight

10st 11lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Jennie Candlish

Low-grade mares' handicap winner at Fakenham in March (2m, good to soft) off 3lb lower but she hasn't kicked on from that in four runs since, although her latest fourth at Market Rasen (2m, good) 11 days ago was a step back in the right direction.

7/1

4th

3

9th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 125y

Class 5

14:10 Market Rasen

Remarkable Flight

11st 6lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Jennie Candlish

led, slowed dramatically then joined 4th, headed and outpaced before 2 out, not fluent last, no chance but rallied and kept on run-in

10/1

6/1

  • Place: £2.00

Form: 47-683

Last run: 40 days

W: 10st 5lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 73

Form & Verdict
Good third at Catterick (1m7f; second handicap attempt) last time, improving on previous rules form; has place possibilities on that effort and win possibilities if improving further.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

15

16th Sep 2025

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

17:10 Uttoxeter

Rhiannon Ring

10st 4lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Declan Carroll

0-7 over hurdles; placed twice off today's mark at start of this year (1m7f/2m, good to soft) but absent since a fall in March; tongue-tie fitted for first time here.

16/1

9

26th Mar 2025

Good

2m 4f 139y

Class 5

14:45 Market Rasen

Rhiannon Ring

10st 6lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Declan Carroll

Third on good to soft at Catterick (2m) and Southwell (2m1f) in the last two of her three handicaps; not so good over this sort of trip on previous two outings but worth a second look.

8/1

3rd

8

3rd Mar 2025

Good To Soft

1m 7f 182y

Class 5

17:15 Southwell

Rhiannon Ring

10st 5lb

J: Jamie Brace

T: Declan Carroll

Good third at Catterick (1m7f; second handicap attempt) last time, improving on previous rules form; has place possibilities on that effort and win possibilities if improving further.

6/1

Form: 4755

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 6lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Hinted at improvement in heavy-ground event at Lingfield (2m; handicap debut) last time, while leaving the impression this return to a forecast better surface will suit; possibilities.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

30th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 6f 125y

Class 5

15:47 Stratford

Roxhill

10st 12lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Seamus Mullins

0-6 over hurdles but signed off in March with a pretty good third at Wincanton (2m4f, good) and is open to improvement over fences this season.

10/1

10

30th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 6f 125y

Class 5

15:47 Stratford

Roxhill

10st 12lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Seamus Mullins

0-6 over hurdles but signed off in March with a pretty good third at Wincanton (2m4f, good) and is open to improvement over fences this season.

10/1

3rd

5

31st Mar 2025

Good

2m 3f 179y

Class 5

15:45 Wincanton

Roxhill

11st 5lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Seamus Mullins

in rear

5/1

Form: P475

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 11lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
Irish point winner, failed to improve for the drop to 2m on handicap debut most recently; chance partly depends on how well he responds to first-time headgear.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

26th Mar 2025

Good

2m 4f 139y

Class 5

14:45 Market Rasen

Je Viens Du Large

11st 9lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Stuart Edmunds

Irish point winner; dropped from about 2m4f to 2m for his two handicaps but was pretty disappointing, favourite when tried in cheekpieces last time; now has his tongue tied as well and moves back up in trip.

12/1

5th

2

3rd Mar 2025

Good To Soft

1m 7f 182y

Class 5

17:15 Southwell

Je Viens Du Large

11st 11lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Stuart Edmunds

Irish point winner, failed to improve for the drop to 2m on handicap debut most recently; chance partly depends on how well he responds to first-time headgear.

8/1

5th

4

4th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 125y

Class 5

14:40 Market Rasen

Je Viens Du Large

11st 10lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Stuart Edmunds

midfield

13/2

Form: 32P431 C

Last run: 5 days

W: 10st 5lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 71

Form & Verdict
Successful in similar event here (2m4f) early in season and gamely doubled his rules tally in novice handicap chase at Bangor (2m1f) last Wednesday; good chance returned to hurdles off same mark as last time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

13th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 28y

Class 5

16:30 Hexham

Eric Carmen

10st 13lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Gary Hanmer

In cracking form this season, with three wins and a second, until however he went down by 25l at Bangor (good) on latest start; maybe the ground that day was not soft enough; major player if bouncing straight back.

13/2

6th

10

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 123y

Class 5

16:30 Bangor-on-Dee

Eric Carmen

10st 12lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Gary Hanmer

A lot more exposed than many in here but he's been in cracking form since returning from an absence and his defeat at Leicester was no backward step (2m4f, good to soft); firmly in the mix.

3/1

2nd

3

6th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 4f 25y

Class 5

15:00 Leicester

Eric Carmen

11st 9lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Gary Hanmer

Has thrived since returning from a break in December, winning two of his three runs over hurdles before adding a third win of the season reverting to fences at Market Rasen (2m3f, soft) last month, each time under Benjamin Macey; he's up 4lb for last time but is very much a leading contender in current form.

5/4

Form: 0P2/77

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 7lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 90

Form & Verdict
Maiden who missed last season and needs to improve plenty on her two efforts this term; best watched unless the market speaks positively.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

24th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 47y

Class 5

17:36 Perth

Monteplex

11st 0lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Brian Ellison

midfield on inner, mistake 3rd, soon hung right and reminder

40/1

11

24th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 47y

Class 5

17:36 Perth

Monteplex

11st 0lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Brian Ellison

midfield on inner, mistake 3rd, soon hung right and reminder

40/1

Form: P35-37

Last run: 35 days

W: 10st 5lb

7 yo Filly

OR: 73

Form & Verdict
Maiden whose sole attempt in a hood resulted in her best handicap effort, namely third at Plumpton (stable/seasonal debut) in December; enters calculations with the headgear reapplied.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

16th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 189y

Class 5

17:20 Uttoxeter

Sawpit Samantha

10st 2lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Jo Davis

0-17 and she beat only one in 2m4f Warwick handicap chase in March; a change of headgear is adopted now.

50/1

8th

9

26th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

15:28 Warwick

Sawpit Samantha

10st 2lb

J: Jack Hogan

T: Jo Davis

0-14 over hurdles and soundly beaten last of three on last month's chase debut at Leicester; others are preferred.

33/1

Form: 0-5609

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 6lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
2m4f point winner; shaped better than bare result, while looking a non-stayer, over 3m here (handicap debut) in latest rules attempt; interesting back down in trip, with improvement possible.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

24

2nd Feb 2026

Heavy

3m 0f 19y

14:25 Leopardstown

Small Town Hero

10st 0lb

J: Conor Stone-Walsh

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Won first four races for this stable at around this trip and ran well again here at Christmas when third to Duke Silver, having made most; blinkers now replace cheekpieces but has it to do from 5lb out of handicap, and ideally may want better ground.

20/1

Form: 5567-7 D

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 7lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 90

Form & Verdict
Two bumper wins for previous yard; has failed to show that form over hurdles but seemed to need her stable/seasonal debut run here (2m4f) most recently; may take a step forward.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

23rd Apr 2025

Good

2m 5f 55y

Class 5

16:10 Ludlow

Ici La Reine

10st 9lb

J: Shane Quinlan

T: Mel Rowley

Two bumper wins early in 2023 kicked off her career but she's struggled over hurdles and pulled up on recent chase debut; fourth run for this yard and they now turn to headgear.

20/1

9

23rd Apr 2025

Good

2m 5f 55y

Class 5

16:10 Ludlow

Ici La Reine

10st 9lb

J: Shane Quinlan

T: Mel Rowley

Two bumper wins early in 2023 kicked off her career but she's struggled over hurdles and pulled up on recent chase debut; fourth run for this yard and they now turn to headgear.

20/1

3

2nd Apr 2025

Good

2m 3f 48y

Class 5

14:55 Exeter

Ici La Reine

11st 6lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Mel Rowley

Two bumper wins for previous yard but she's generally struggled in six hurdle runs and was last of ten in a Southwell handicap (2m, good to soft) last month; dropped another 5lb but has plenty to prove back up in trip on chase debut.

6/1

Non-runners

Tigers Moon

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £168.10
Straight Forecast £199.91
Tricast £1493.32
Trifecta £1415.20

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Tigers Moon

RP RATINGS:

Eric Carmen

D Express:

Synchronist

The Times:

Tigers Moon

Telegraph:

Tigers Moon

The Guardian:

Tigers Moon

Daily Mirror:

Tigers Moon

The Sun:

Tigers Moon

POSTDATA:

Eric Carmen

Daily Mail:

Eric Carmen

The Star:

Eric Carmen

Daily Record:

Eric Carmen