April 15 / 15.15 Southwell

15.15

Good

Weekend Winners On Sky Sports Racing Novices’ Hurdle (Novices’ Championship Hdl Qualifier) (GBB)

  • Prize money: £4193.42
  • 1m 7f 182y
  • Class 4
  • 5 runners
SKY
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Weekend Winners On Sky Sports Racing Novices’ Hurdle (Novices’ Championship Hdl Qualifier) (GBB)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

OUR TIP

2/1 (Won)

  • Win: £6.00
  • Place: £1.90

Form: 511 D

Last run: 50 days

W: 12st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Very useful on the Flat when based in Ireland and 2-3 over hurdles for Fergal O'Brien this year, having won at Plumpton (2m4f, soft) and Ayr (2m, heavy); might be seen to even better effect on the faster ground here and needs to be taken very seriously.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

15th Apr 2025

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

15:15 Southwell

Serious Challenge

12st 0lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Fergal O’Brien

made all, increased tempo before 2 out, pushed out run-in

2/1

1st

1

15th Apr 2025

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

15:15 Southwell

Serious Challenge

12st 0lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Fergal O’Brien

made all, increased tempo before 2 out, pushed out run-in

2/1

11/2

  • Place: £2.80

Form: 31421 D

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
Good-ground bumper winner; clear second to very useful rival on hurdle debut at Ludlow (2m, good to soft) in February and did not need to improve to win a modest race very comfortably last month; has more on his plate today but probably still has potential.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

15th Apr 2025

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

15:15 Southwell

John Barbour

11st 9lb

J: Jack Hogan

T: Fergal O’Brien

in touch with leaders, dropped to rear before 3rd, headway before 2 out, kept on and went second run-in

11/2

2nd

3

15th Apr 2025

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

15:15 Southwell

John Barbour

11st 9lb

J: Jack Hogan

T: Fergal O’Brien

in touch with leaders, dropped to rear before 3rd, headway before 2 out, kept on and went second run-in

11/2

1st

5

22nd Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 69y

Class 3

15:50 Newbury

John Barbour

11st 0lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Fergal O’Brien

Won a good-ground bumper in November; made several mistakes but still shaped well when second of ten in novice at Ludlow (2m, good to soft; 7-2) on hurdling debut last month; open to plenty of improvement.

4/1

Form: 112239 D

Last run: 38 days

W: 12st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Dual novice winner on good ground in the autumn (2m/1m7f) and consistent in defeat since; never looked dangerous when staying on from the rear for ninth in Imperial Cup at Sandown (2m, good to soft) last month but was beaten about only 5l in the end and has a big role to play in this easier race.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

15th Apr 2025

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

15:15 Southwell

Sorceleur

12st 0lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

prominent, lost ground when not fluent last, weakened and lost position run-in

7/2

3rd

2

15th Apr 2025

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

15:15 Southwell

Sorceleur

12st 0lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

prominent, lost ground when not fluent last, weakened and lost position run-in

7/2

9th

15

8th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

1m 7f 216y

Class 2

14:25 Sandown

Sorceleur

10st 2lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Stablemate of Afadil; generally consistent sort whose hurdles record is 211223; however, needs to improve on the bare form he showed in lower grade at Newbury (2m) last Saturday.

14/1

Form: 211-13 D BF

Last run: 66 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
2-3 in French bumpers in early part of last year and created a pretty good impression when winning readily on hurdle debut at Kempton (2m, good) on Boxing Day; perhaps a shade disappointing when only third of five at Newbury (2m, soft; again raced freely) in February but remains of interest.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

15th Apr 2025

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

15:15 Southwell

Kientzheim

11st 2lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

took keen hold, in touch with leaders, not fluent 4 out, not fluent 2 out, lost ground when not fluent last, no extra run-in

13/8

4th

4

15th Apr 2025

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

15:15 Southwell

Kientzheim

11st 2lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

took keen hold, in touch with leaders, not fluent 4 out, not fluent 2 out, lost ground when not fluent last, no extra run-in

13/8

Form: 770

Last run: 47 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Well beaten at triple-digit odds in two soft-ground hurdles this year; may improve on the quicker surface here but still can't be recommended.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

26th Feb 2025

Soft

3m 0f 45y

Class 5

16:28 Wetherby

Monticello

10st 4lb

J: Edward Austin

T: Neil Mechie

held up in last, jumped right and lost ground 4th, mistake 9th, tailed off from 10th, pulled up before 12th

50/1

10th

12

(6)

19th Sep 2024

Good

2m 1f 27y

Class 5

16:05 Pontefract

Monticello

8st 11lb

J: Paula Muir

T: Neil Mechie

slowly away, always behind

66/1

13

22nd Jul 2024

Good

3m 1f 83y

Class 4

15:20 Cartmel

Monticello

10st 2lb

J: William Maggs

T: Neil Mechie

prominent, outpaced and lost position before 2 out, pulled up before last

100/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £21.20
Straight Forecast £42.62
Trifecta £47.00

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Kientzheim

Telegraph:

Serious Challenge

TOPSPEED:

Sorceleur

WEST COUNTRY:

John Barbour

RP RATINGS:

Kientzheim

The Times:

Kientzheim

The Guardian:

Kientzheim

Daily Mail:

Kientzheim

D Express:

Kientzheim

Daily Mirror:

Kientzheim

The Star:

Kientzheim

POSTDATA:

Sorceleur

Daily Record:

Serious Challenge