14.55
Good To SoftTrustATrader Top Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)
- Prize money: £56270
- 2m 0f 103y
- Class 1
- 9 runners
Runners: 9 runners
Type: Hurdle Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Mostly sunny
3/1 (Won)
- Win: £4.50
- Place: £1.40
Form: /6-115 D
Last run: 24 days
W: 11st 7lb
5 yo Gelding
OR: 142
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 5 |
30th Apr 2026 Yielding 2m 0f 75y |
11st 12lb |
Won a Grade 2 novice hurdle at this track last season before adding a Grade 1 at Aintree; easily got off the mark over fences at Thurles on third start but was a beaten favourite in an Aintree Grade 1 last time when raced keenly; has a bit to find with stablemate Kopek Des Bordes but is capable of a big run. |
8/1 |
|
2nd 7 |
11th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 1m 7f 176y Class 1 |
11st 7lb |
Enjoyed his finest hour over hurdles when winning the Grade 1 Top Novices on this course (2m, good) 12 months ago; beaten at 1-7 on chasing debut in November and again underwhelmed at Leopardstown over Christmas, but a bloodless win at Thurles (2m2f, soft) in February was much more like it; open to further improvement over fences, comes here fresh after missing Cheltenham and has strong claims. |
4/5 |
5/4
- Place: £1.20
Form: -51213 D
Last run: 24 days
W: 11st 7lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 150
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10 |
11th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 3m 1f 0y Class 1 |
11st 7lb |
Champion Bumper second and Supreme third at last two Cheltenham Festivals; 4-4 over fences, winning three Grade 1s, but raced lazily in Irish Arkle (2m1f, soft) last time which has brought about this hike in trip; possibly the most talented horse in the race, but the trip is a real unknown and the fitting of a hood suggests even his connections have their doubts. |
9/4 |
|
1st 2 |
2nd Feb 2026 Soft To Heavy 2m 1f 0y |
11st 12lb |
Course Grade 1 novice hurdle winner last season and better in defeat when placed at Cheltenham and Aintree; bright start over fences at Down Royal and beat three-time chase winner Gold Dancer in the 2m4f Drinmore at Fairyhouse; backed that up with a game C&D display win at Christmas; ideally needs further but also capable of high-class form at this trip; looks the part despite slight doubt about how he will handle very testing ground. |
8/15 |
33/1
- Place: £5.90
Form: 2-1410 D
Last run: 24 days
W: 11st 7lb
5 yo Gelding
OR: 140
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
13th 1 |
28th Apr 2026 Yielding 2m 0f 132y |
11st 12lb |
Arguably a shade unlucky when a beaten favourite in the County Hurdle but rider reported that he stopped quickly when soundly beaten at Fairyhouse last time; Townend jumps ship; needs to rediscover best. |
12/1 |
|
12th 1 |
4th Apr 2026 Yielding To Soft 2m 0f 0y |
11st 12lb |
Smart novice hurdler last season (placed in Grade 1s) and, although defeated at short odds, produced a career-best RPR when second in 2m Naas Grade 3 (heavy) on return from nine months off; beaten favourite in County Hurdle latest but steady pace and not clear run didn't suit so sixth of 23 was a solid run in the circumstances; Townend's pick. |
13/2 |
|
6th 4 |
13th Mar 2026 Good 2m 0f 179y Class 1 |
11st 8lb |
Smart novice hurdler last season (placed in Grade 1s) and, although defeated at short odds, produced a career-best RPR when 1l second in 2m Naas Grade 3 (heavy) on return from nine months off; entitled to build on that effort and is of major interest in his first handicap, with Paul Townend seemingly preferring him to Murcia and Absurde. |
4/1 |
14/1
Form: 22211 D
Last run: 34 days
W: 11st 7lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 137
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
11 |
1st May 2026 Yielding 2m 4f 55y |
11st 2lb |
Unsuccessful in three chase runs in first half of the season, including when well beaten on handicap debut at Musselburgh (2m5f, good to soft, 9-4 favourite); reverted to hurdles with a poor effort in the Morebattle after wind surgery but better effort when sixth at Aintree last time (2m4f, good to soft); returns to chasing now. |
25/1 |
|
6th 11 |
10th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 4f 0y Class 1 |
11st 7lb |
Returned to hurdles (from fences) with a below-par effort last time in the 2m Morebattle at Kelso, where he had won a 2m2f Grade 2 novice event 12 months earlier; bit to prove in another warm handicap. |
28/1 |
|
8th 3 |
28th Feb 2026 Good To Soft 2m 0f 51y Class 2 |
11st 12lb |
Finished held over fences at Musselburgh on New Year's Day on his handicap debut, but didn't run badly and has had wind surgery since; won the Grade 2 Premier Novices' Hurdle on this cards 12 months ago (2m2f, good to soft) and is not ruled out now back in this sphere. |
10/1 |
25/1
Form: 18-114 D BF
Last run: 76 days
W: 11st 7lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 134
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5th 1 |
15th Apr 2026 Good 2m 5f 50y Class 2 |
12st 0lb |
Skelton runner on a losing run of nine; up and down over hurdles this season and tried chasing the once in December; latest Kempton run when behind some of these wasn't overly encouraging and his trainer now turns to cheekpieces; still couldn't put a line through him. |
11/2 |
|
9th 1 |
14th Mar 2026 Good 2m 5f 0y Class 2 |
12st 0lb |
Has won maiden and introductory hurdles; running well either side of one chase run and he was the only one to pose any threat to a progressive type over C&D (good to soft; Fasol fourth and held) last month; up 2lb to a career-high mark but still early days in handicaps; not far away. |
8/1 |
|
2nd 2 |
21st Feb 2026 Good To Soft 2m 5f 0y Class 3 |
11st 12lb |
Chasing was shelved after just one attempt, and he returned to hurdling with a creditable run in conditions event at Windsor last month, although finishing last of five; will have no problem with trip or ground and looks the pick of Dan Skelton's three on jockey bookings. |
6/1 |
3/1
Form: 2-2111 D
Last run: 41 days
W: 11st 7lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 142
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 7 (3) |
2nd Jul 2026 Standard To Slow 1m 3f 219y Class 3 |
8st 5lb |
Winner of a bumper and three novice hurdle races, most recently a Grade 2 here in February 2025; chasing didn't work out but he mostly ran with credit in defeat back over hurdles and three Flat races have been thrown in (1m3f here latest) in which he's shown some ability; it's not clear what his ideal Flat trip is but he's now qualified for a Flat handicap mark and it's a highly attractive one compared to his hurdles figure. |
3/1 |
|
3rd 1 (12) |
27th May 2026 Standard To Slow 1m 2f 219y Class 3 |
9st 9lb |
Bagged a bumper and three hurdles, including Grade 2 Dovecote last February; acquitted himself well in two big spring festivals of late; should have a future on the Flat but will likely get a mark after this third start; no headgear. |
10/1 |
10/1
Form: 1-2123 C
Last run: 22 days
W: 11st 0lb
6 yo Mare
OR: 134
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
No Results Found |
66/1
Form: 21 D
Last run: 46 days
W: 11st 7lb
5 yo Gelding
OR: 120
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4th 2 |
4th Jun 2026 Good 2m 4f 189y Class 4 |
11st 13lb |
Resumed previous progression with last time's Doncaster handicap hurdle second (2m5f, good to soft) off 1lb lower; switched to front-running there, and would likely face competition for the lead if that strategy is persisted with today; retains tongue-tie for chasing debut. |
8/1 |
|
2nd 3 |
13th Mar 2026 Good 2m 4f 181y Class 4 |
11st 11lb |
Irish point winner (3m, good to yielding) in May 2024; won a Carlisle novice in February last year (2m1f, good to soft) and should come on for his latest fifth in a Catterick handicap (2m3f, soft) when returning after a wind op; tongue-tie now tried. |
9/1 |
|
5th 1 |
9th Feb 2026 Heavy 2m 3f 66y Class 4 |
12st 0lb |
Irish point winner in May 2024 (3m, good to yielding); won a novice hurdle at Carlisle (2m1f, good to soft) last season; sound reappearance run when second at Kelso (2m, soft) and returns after a short break having had wind surgery; step up in trip should suit; contender. |
7/1 |
40/1
Form: 53311 D
Last run: 55 days
W: 11st 7lb
5 yo Gelding
OR: 128
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2nd 2 |
2nd May 2026 Good 2m 4f 15y Class 3 |
11st 5lb |
Not at his best in competitive handicap hurdles at Sandown in March and Aintree in April, but he'd previously won well at Newbury (2m, good to soft; probably stays 2m4f); began his career in points (1-1) and has a jumps pedigree so there's a reasonable chance he'll make a chaser; respected in first-time headgear. |
3/1 |
|
14th 5 |
10th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 0f 103y Class 2 |
11st 7lb |
Returned to form with a bang when seeing off the reopposing Melon at Newbury (2m, good to soft) in February; has a quick turnaround as an excuse for a lesser effort in the Imperial Cup at Sandown (2m, soft) one week later, while his trainer reported to the stewards that he'll be suited by a flatter track and a quicker surface, both of which he should get today; not dismissed. |
12/1 |
|
8th 7 |
7th Mar 2026 Soft 1m 7f 216y Class 2 |
11st 3lb |
Returned to form with a bang when dropped back in trip and a well-backed winner at Newbury (2m, good to soft) last Saturday; now 8lb higher in a much hotter race but he's unexposed at this sort of distance and his stable is in tremendous form; has also won on soft ground; not ruled out. |
9/1 |
Non-runners
Blues Singer
+o+e Accumulators
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | £11.30 |
| Straight Forecast | £10.98 |
| Tricast | £190.81 |
| Trifecta | £139.00 |
Selections
The Guardian:
Romeo CoolioThe Sun:
Romeo Coolio