July 04 / 19.40 Bangor-on-Dee

19.40

Good

Wrexfest Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £6337.2
  • 2m 3f 123y
  • Class 3
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Wrexfest Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

7/2

  • Place: £3.00

Form: 144-11

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Enjoyed a revival at Cartmel in May, winning twice over 2m6f in the space of three days; may not have much margin for error after latest 4lb rise but still enters calculations.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

7

27th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 83y

Class 5

19:38 Cartmel

Evenwood Sonofagun

11st 11lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Lizzie Quinlan

Won the 2m6f handicap on this card 12 months ago and returned to form with a 2l success over that same trip on Monday (following a wind operation); did that comfortably and must have every chance under a penalty.

9/4

1st

5

25th May 2026

Good

2m 6f 31y

Class 5

14:13 Cartmel

Evenwood Sonofagun

11st 7lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Lizzie Quinlan

Won this race in 2025 (good ground) and followed up over C&D (good to soft) two days later; suffered dip in form afterwards but shaped quite well before weakening into sixth in competitive series final at Musselburgh (3m, good to soft) in March and returns to this track on an attractive mark; had another wind op last month (his fourth); good chance.

7/2

6th

12

20th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 180y

Class 2

16:30 Musselburgh

Evenwood Sonofagun

10st 7lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Lizzie Quinlan

Won over C&D (good to soft) last February and add two wins at Cartmel in May; he's 6lb below his last winning mark but has failed to shine on his three outings since November, over C&D most recently.

50/1

Form: 1330-3 CD

Last run: 35 days

W: 12st 0lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Good-ground specialist with excellent 14-42 strike-rate under rules (including a C&D win); getting on a bit now and has not raced over hurdles since 2022 but ran quite well in a small-field chase in May; no surprise if he features.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

6th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 96y

Class 4

14:25 Kelso

Presentandcounting

12st 0lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald McCain

Veteran; has won nine chases, often making all in small fields on good ground; hasn't been quite at his best since Uttoxeter win last July (2m4f, good) but has plenty going for him here.

5/2

4th

1

18th Apr 2026

Good

2m 4f 72y

Class 4

16:10 Bangor-on-Dee

Presentandcounting

12st 1lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald McCain

Returned to winning ways at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good) last summer and remained competitive afterwards; however, he has since turned 12 and lacking a run might not be ideal.

14/1

5th

4

16th Oct 2025

Good

3m 0f 110y

Class 3

15:07 Carlisle

Presentandcounting

11st 5lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

11yo who returned to winning ways at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good) in July and has run pretty well in third on his next two outings (3m/3m1f, good); might not be far away.

9/2

Form: 21546- CD

Last run: 220 days

W: 11st 5lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Veteran who held on narrowly to capitalise upon some help from the handicapper here (2m7f, good) last summer, his seventh hurdling success; back down to the same mark now but had gone off the boil again when last seen in the autumn.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

25th Jul 2025

Good

2m 7f 70y

Class 4

15:47 Uttoxeter

Finisk River

11st 13lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

Veteran with seven hurdling wins on his CV; returned from layoff with fairly encouraging 2m3f run three weeks ago and may be better suited by this sort of trip nowadays but younger rivals appeal more.

20/1

4th

4

4th Jul 2025

Good

2m 3f 123y

Class 3

19:40 Bangor-on-Dee

Finisk River

11st 5lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald McCain

Veteran who held on narrowly to capitalise upon some help from the handicapper here (2m7f, good) last summer, his seventh hurdling success; back down to the same mark now but had gone off the boil again when last seen in the autumn.

14/1

6th

5

26th Nov 2024

Good

2m 3f 188y

Class 4

14:30 Sedgefield

Finisk River

11st 6lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Donald McCain

Just held on to win off a reduced mark at Bangor (2m7f, good) in September and is only 1lb higher here but he's getting long in the tooth now and wasn't quite in the same form on his last two appearances.

10/1

OUR TIP

Form: 57P-13 D

Last run: 32 days

W: 11st 13lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Looked as good as ever when scoring at Uttoxeter in May, after a layoff, and posted another good effort when third in Class 2 race at Market Rasen (also 2m4f, good) last month; ought to be right in the thick of things.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

5th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 147y

Class 4

19:17 Hereford

Donnie Azoff

11st 13lb

J: Isabelle Ryder

T: Jamie Snowden

Five-time hurdle winner, including over 2m5f here in October when ridden by Isabelle Ryder, form which gives him a solid chance; beaten 35l at Fontwell (2m3f, good to soft) in November and needs to bounce back but he's won off a similar break in the past.

7/1

3

13th Oct 2025

Good

2m 5f 163y

Class 4

16:15 Hereford

Donnie Azoff

11st 11lb

J: Isabelle Ryder

T: Jamie Snowden

Knows how to win and was close up in a Class 3 handicap last time at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good) which was bordering on his best form; every chance.

15/8

3rd

9

11th Sep 2025

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 3

18:05 Uttoxeter

Donnie Azoff

11st 3lb

J: Isabelle Ryder

T: Jamie Snowden

C&D winner in May (2m4f, good) when back from a winter break; lesser efforts the last twice and looks the stable second string.

20/1

Form: 546-21 CD

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Won twice over fences here in spring 2024 and battled on well for narrow C&D (good) hurdle success last month; cheekpieces (left off last time) are back on today; ought to remain competitive after recent 3lb rise.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

4

25th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 83y

Class 2

15:23 Cartmel

Lipa K

11st 9lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Best known for his heroics at Bangor but showed career-best form when winning narrowly at Warwick (3m1f, good) last month; 3lb rise demands even more from him here; usual cheekpieces left off; tongue-tie added.

11/2

1st

4

23rd Apr 2026

Good

3m 1f 5y

Class 3

14:30 Warwick

Lipa K

11st 5lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Goes particularly well at Bangor but was runner-up at Aintree on final run in October (3m, good); however, a 3lb rise sees him on a career-high mark and he's been off a good while.

4/1

9

26th Oct 2025

Good

3m 0f 149y

Class 3

12:40 Aintree

Lipa K

11st 5lb

J: Ben Smith

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Made it two wins from his last three starts when scoring at Bangor (2m7f, good) in September; however, his last four wins have come there and he was well beaten at Uttoxeter (2m7f, good) last time; has his first run here.

10/1

Form: 5172-P

Last run: 49 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
1-6 over hurdles for Gordon Elliott in Ireland; pulled up after weakening quickly on debut for Tjade Collier in May and is now with another new stable; others have much less to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

9

22nd Feb 2024

Soft

2m 0f 88y

16:53 Thurles

Wudya

11st 11lb

J: Mr H C Swan

T: Gordon Elliott

Califet mare; half-sister to dual bumper winner You Oughta Know; dam unplaced in two bumpers (favourite each time), sister to bumper/2m4f hurdle winner Pont Aval, half-sister to smart 2m1f-2m6f hurdle/chase winner Pont Alexandre; interesting newcomer.

8/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £63.40
Straight Forecast £98.81
Trifecta £275.20

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Lipa K

RP RATINGS:

Wudya

The Times:

Evenwood Sonofagun

The Guardian:

Donnie Azoff

TOPSPEED:

Wudya

D Express:

Wudya

POSTDATA:

Lipa K

Daily Mail:

Lipa K

Daily Mirror:

Lipa K

The Sun:

Lipa K

The Star:

Lipa K

Telegraph:

Evenwood Sonofagun

Daily Record:

Evenwood Sonofagun