July 01 / 19.18 Stratford

19.18

Good To Firm

Davisons Law Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £4039.96
  • 2m 2f 148y
  • Class 5
  • 8 runners
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Davisons Law Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

6/1 (Won)

  • Win: £2.88
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 5345-2

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 98

Form & Verdict
Irish bumper winner who had yet to reproduce that ability over hurdles until runner-up to a subsequent winner, when upped to around this trip at Warwick last month (back from a break following wind surgery); remains with handicap potential and one to consider.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

27th Jul 2025

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 4

14:37 Uttoxeter

Realistic Optimism

10st 13lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Irish bumper winner; made underwhelming start to hurdling career last season but kept on strongly to win Stratford handicap (2m2f, good to firm; second run after wind op) this month; upped in grade here but could still have more to offer.

5/1

1st

2

1st Jul 2025

Good To Firm

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

19:18 Stratford

Realistic Optimism

11st 12lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Irish bumper winner who had yet to reproduce that ability over hurdles until runner-up to a subsequent winner, when upped to around this trip at Warwick last month (back from a break following wind surgery); remains with handicap potential and one to consider.

6/1

2nd

4

4th Jun 2025

Good

2m 3f 0y

Class 5

19:10 Warwick

Realistic Optimism

11st 7lb

J: Isabelle Ryder

T: Jamie Snowden

Irish bumper winner, unable to reproduce that promise over hurdles and soundly beaten on handicap debut at Fakenham in January, but he returns from a break having had wind surgery and with his trainer in fine form; no surprise to see a bigger performance today.

11/2

12/1

  • Place: £2.10

Form: 854-34

Last run: 29 days

W: 10st 5lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
First two starts back from wind surgery were promising and would put him firmly in the picture here but he has to be forgiven a lesser effort most recently at Market Rasen (2m4f; good) when a remote fourth of seven; on a competitive mark but needs to bounce straight back.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

17th Apr 2026

Good To Firm

2m 7f 25y

Class 5

18:10 Exeter

Square Du Roule

11st 11lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Nigel Hawke

C&D winner last November (good to soft; held up), when 15lb lower; also held up when showing marginal improvement to score at Wincanton (3m, good) latest; up another 6lb but looks a leading player.

11/8

1st

6

1st Apr 2026

Good

3m 0f 150y

Class 5

15:50 Wincanton

Square Du Roule

11st 6lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Nigel Hawke

Made the breakthrough at Exeter (2m5f, good to soft) in November and he had a near-miss at Taunton (3m, good) the following month; looks interesting on that form but he was laboured at Exeter last month and that took his hurdling record to 1-18.

8/1

8th

9

17th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 25y

Class 5

14:20 Exeter

Square Du Roule

11st 5lb

J: James Davies

T: Nigel Hawke

Came good here (2m5f, good to soft) in November, his 14th hurdling start, and has performed well over 3m at Taunton on all three starts since; ought to be right in the thick of things again.

7/1

OUR TIP

4/1

  • Place: £1.40

Form: 144-33

Last run: 13 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Colt

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Two respectable thirds over hurdles either side of a hat-trick on the Flat (1m6f-2m), most recently when a late mistake proved costly at Worcester (2m, good) last month, under Nathan Howie; likely to be involved again off an unchanged mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

6

25th Aug 2025

Good

2m 6f 31y

Class 4

14:55 Cartmel

Star Legend

11st 2lb

J: Nathan Howie

T: James Owen

Has been running well under both codes for most of this year and was clear of the rest behind a lightly raced winner at Worcester a month ago (2m7f, good); just 3lb higher.

2/1

2

24th Jul 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 5

17:17 Worcester

Star Legend

12st 0lb

J: Mr Conal Kavanagh

T: James Owen

Won three in a row on the Flat in the spring (1m6f-2m) and was placed over hurdles on next two outings (2m/2m2f); has won over 2m7f before and could plausibly still have untapped potential as a stayer over jumps.

9/2

5th

2

(6)

9th Jul 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 7f 218y

Class 4

19:20 Kempton (AW)

Star Legend

9st 8lb

J: Mason Paetel

T: James Owen

Completed Flat hat-trick when winning by a neck at Lingfield (2m, Polytrack) on June 5; solid efforts when third over hurdles the next twice and he has to be respected off a mark just 2lb higher than at Lingfield.

9/2

Form: PP78-1 D

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 9lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Out of sorts last summer/winter but returned to form when winning at Huntingdon (2m4f; good) in May on return from a break; remains well treated on past form despite the 8lb rise.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

30th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

19:48 Stratford

Charlie My Boy

11st 8lb

J: James Davies

T: J R Jenkins

3-19 over hurdles, the latest coming at Huntingdon last May off 5lb higher; no match for Tyson (down to go in the 7.18) in his repeat bid in May on return from a break, though that was still encouraging; on a workable mark if able to build on that effort.

12/1

2nd

5

25th May 2026

Good To Firm

2m 4f 145y

Class 5

15:10 Huntingdon

Charlie My Boy

11st 1lb

J: James Davies

T: J R Jenkins

Won this last year off a 5lb lower mark and he was returning from 192 days off that day, so a break might well have done him good.

13/2

5th

2

7th Oct 2025

Good

2m 3f 137y

Class 5

15:07 Huntingdon

Charlie My Boy

11st 11lb

J: James Bowen

T: J R Jenkins

Returned to form with 20-1 C&D (good) win in May and also ran very well at Newton Abbot a few weeks later; never going well when pulled up on latest outing (reportedly lost action) and not an easy one to predict here but has possibilities if all goes to plan.

12/1

Form: 64291-

Last run: 192 days

W: 11st 11lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 97

Form & Verdict
Gained a narrow first win over hurdles at Hereford (2m, good to soft) in December but has not been seen since; unraced on ground quicker than good but open to progress if ready to roll after a break.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

26th Mar 2026

Good

2m 0f 16y

Class 5

14:18 Chepstow

Timeforarum

12st 0lb

J: Lewis Saunders

T: Brian Eckley

Has run well on good/good to soft but reportedly benefited from switch to heavy ground when bouncing back to form to win by 7l at Ffos Las last month; subsequent 5lb rise is not excessive but it's hard to predict whether he'll be in the right mood again.

7/2

1st

3

20th Feb 2026

Soft

1m 7f 182y

Class 5

15:52 Ffos Las

Timeforarum

11st 6lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Brian Eckley

Back to within 1lb of the mark for December 2024's Hereford win (2m, good to soft), and only one of just three starts since has been over this short a trip; possibilities if sharp enough after five months out.

16/1

5

15th Sep 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

17:00 Worcester

Timeforarum

11st 8lb

J: Conor Ring

T: Brian Eckley

Ended 2024 with narrow win at Hereford (2m, good to soft) and returned from break with two fairly good runs at Stratford (2m2f/2m) this summer; needs to find extra here but is unexposed over the trip.

20/1

Form: 96/622 BF

Last run: 18 days

W: 10st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 81

Form & Verdict
0-11 over hurdles but was only just denied a first win at Newton Abbot (2m1f, good) last month and ran respectably when filling the same position back there nine days later; back up 4lb but high on the list.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

7

(1)

3rd Feb 2026

Standard

1m 5f 219y

Class 5

19:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Hill Station

9st 6lb

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Not beaten far into fifth in a 2m handicap here four weeks ago; on a fair mark but others bring more persuasive claims.

16/1

2nd

3

22nd Sep 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 162y

Class 5

14:30 Fontwell

Hill Station

11st 9lb

J: Luke Scott

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Got off the mark at the 15th attempt over hurdles at Stratford (2m, good) 16 days ago; 5lb rise will make it tougher but looks sure to run his race and unlikely to be far away.

11/4

Form: P3466- D

Last run: 78 days

W: 10st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
Placed over hurdles in February and there was nothing wrong with his sixth at Warwick (2m3f, good) in April; has undergone wind surgery since finishing a distant last of ten back on the Flat in May but others have more pressing claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

11

29th Aug 2025

Good

2m 1f 162y

Class 5

18:48 Fontwell

Rays The One

10st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Mark Pattinson

Dual C&D winner (soft/good) but not since December 2022, and is very inconsistent nowadays; tailed off at Stratford on latest outing in early July; 1lb wrong today; others have more pressing claims.

25/1

7th

9

1st Jul 2025

Good To Firm

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

19:18 Stratford

Rays The One

10st 2lb

J: Connor Brace

T: Mark Pattinson

Placed over hurdles in February and there was nothing wrong with his sixth at Warwick (2m3f, good) in April; has undergone wind surgery since finishing a distant last of ten back on the Flat in May but others have more pressing claims.

14/1

10th

5

4th May 2025

Good To Firm

1m 6f 44y

Class 6

17:00 Salisbury

Rays The One

9st 3lb

J: Molly Gunn

T: Mark Pattinson

Placed over hurdles in February but three lesser performances since then; both Flat wins have come on the AW and a good while back now.

16/1

Form: /343-P D

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 4lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 90

Form & Verdict
Consistent in handicap hurdles for Stuart Edmunds but was pulled up on stable/chase debut last month; reverts to hurdles on a competitive mark with the step back up in trip a positive; handles most ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

30th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

12:47 Stratford

Sailed Away

11st 4lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Rob Summers

Sole success came in a Huntingdon handicap in March 2024 when trained by Stuart Edmunds; pulled up on chase/stable debut in May and tailed off when last of eight back over hurdles over C&D (good to firm) in July; drop in grade will help but he has questions to answer.

12/1

3

30th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

12:47 Stratford

Sailed Away

11st 4lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Rob Summers

Sole success came in a Huntingdon handicap in March 2024 when trained by Stuart Edmunds; pulled up on chase/stable debut in May and tailed off when last of eight back over hurdles over C&D (good to firm) in July; drop in grade will help but he has questions to answer.

12/1

8th

5

1st Jul 2025

Good To Firm

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

19:18 Stratford

Sailed Away

11st 4lb

J: James Best

T: Rob Summers

Consistent in handicap hurdles for Stuart Edmunds but was pulled up on stable/chase debut last month; reverts to hurdles on a competitive mark with the step back up in trip a positive; handles most ground.

12/1

Non-runners

Lady Henrietta, No Guarantee

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £15.80
Straight Forecast £15.85
Tricast £42.56
Trifecta £50.60

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Star Legend

Telegraph:

Charlie My Boy

SPOTLIGHT:

Hill Station

POSTDATA:

Realistic Optimism

The Times:

Star Legend

The Guardian:

Star Legend

The Sun:

Star Legend

D Express:

Realistic Optimism

Daily Mirror:

Charlie My Boy

Daily Record:

Charlie My Boy

Daily Mail:

Hill Station

The Star:

Hill Station