October 17 / 15.15 Fakenham

15.15

Good

Axe The Racing Tax Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £3539.9
  • 2m 0f 3y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
RTV
View Course
Axe The Racing Tax Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £4.00
  • Place: £1.60

Form: 15 D

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
All-the-way Market Rasen hurdling debut winner in August, and 2l ahead of Currumbin when fifth at Warwick latest (2m, good); that form sets the standard here, and the second and fourth each won (over fences) next time; obvious player if settling better; gains tongue-tie.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

2nd Jun 2026

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

17:00 Southwell

Squeezebox

11st 7lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

A fair 1m4f Flat scorer who has made a bright start over hurdles, going 2-3 in 2m Fakenham novice when last seen out in October; goes handicapping after an absence now and can't be ruled out.

7/4

1st

1

17th Oct 2025

Good

2m 0f 3y

Class 4

15:15 Fakenham

Squeezebox

11st 9lb

J: Adam Wedge

T: Tom Lacey

All-the-way Market Rasen hurdling debut winner in August, and 2l ahead of Currumbin when fifth at Warwick latest (2m, good); that form sets the standard here, and the second and fourth each won (over fences) next time; obvious player if settling better; gains tongue-tie.

5/1

5th

1

23rd Sep 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

15:28 Warwick

Squeezebox

11st 7lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

Capable on the Flat and won from the front on hurdling debut at Market Rasen (2m, good); the runner-up ran well in defeat in a Plumpton handicap on Sunday; should be very competitive even with the penalty.

13/2

OUR TIP

9/1

  • Place: £2.60

Form: 4212-8

Last run: 12 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Drier ground maybe as much the issue as a refusal to settle when beaten at 8-11 on April's C&D hurdles debut, and things weren't any more in his favour in that regard last week; one for handicaps in the mud after this.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

14th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

16:45 Uttoxeter

Kelijoe

11st 5lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Stuart Edmunds

Doesn't always settle but his recent hurdles form features a comfortable win at Doncaster (2m3f, good to soft); ran creditably at Catterick last time; possibilities, provided he takes well to fences.

7/2

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Mostly hard to keep out of the frame in 1m2f-1m4f Class 5-6 Flat handicaps this past year, and only headed close home at Kempton latest; no jumping prowess in immediate pedigree, but won't mind the ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

(2)

20th May 2026

Good To Soft

1m 2f 23y

Class 5

18:40 Yarmouth

Solanna

9st 7lb

J: Hector Crouch

T: John Butler

Nine wins to his name, including C&D, and just 1lb higher than for March's narrow Kempton success (1m3f); two creditable efforts have followed but he could use the ground drying out if he is to add to his tally.

9/2

3rd

2

(2)

26th Apr 2026

Good

1m 2f 50y

Class 5

17:55 Nottingham

Solanna

9st 8lb

J: David Egan

T: John Butler

Ridden by Rossa Ryan (now on Kurios Lady) on last two starts, prevailing narrowly at Kempton (1m3f) before a close fourth at Southwell (1m3f); they were on AW and he ran only once on turf last year, when a respectable third off this mark at Haydock (1m2f, good) last July but he needs better than that.

7/2

15/8

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Not at his best either side of a Goodwood nose second (1m6f, good) since joining James Owen, though heavy ground and/or Class 2 company have offered excuses sometimes; not huge encouragement for hurdling on the damside pedigree, but starts at a most realistic level.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

(3)

2nd May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 3f 197y

Class 5

19:02 Doncaster

Sixpack

9st 9lb

J: Mason Paetel

T: James Owen

Inconsistent ex-Irish gelding who's never run on ground faster than good; didn't take to hurdles in one try last autumn but solid comeback off this mark three weeks ago and this does seem to be his time of year; no surprise to see him take this.

7/4

3rd

6

(10)

12th Apr 2026

Good

1m 4f 104y

Class 4

17:45 Musselburgh

Sixpack

9st 4lb

J: Cieren Fallon

T: James Owen

Beaten a nose at Goodwood (1m6f, good; 2lb lower today) last May but that's far and away the best of his six runs for James Owen, who won this race in 2024 and 2025; beaten 24l when evens for hurdling debut in October when last seen; needs a major revival.

9/1

4th

5

17th Oct 2025

Good

2m 0f 3y

Class 4

15:15 Fakenham

Sixpack

11st 2lb

J: Alex Chadwick

T: James Owen

Not at his best either side of a Goodwood nose second (1m6f, good) since joining James Owen, though heavy ground and/or Class 2 company have offered excuses sometimes; not huge encouragement for hurdling on the damside pedigree, but starts at a most realistic level.

15/8

Form: 16 D

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 8lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
2l and a place behind Squeezebox at Warwick latest, though that sixth still represented stronger form than that of June's Worcester hurdling debut win (2m, good); liable to remain vulnerable under his penalty on that evidence, but this doesn't look as deep a contest as last time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

13

(6)

11th Apr 2026

Good

1m 2f 23y

Class 4

15:42 Yarmouth

Currumbin

8st 11lb

J: Sean D Bowen

T: Michael Keady

Two staying wins on AW last winter and has since won over hurdles but he was tailed off in the latter discipline when last seen in October and, reappearing over 1m2f, others are higher up the list.

25/1

5th

2

17th Oct 2025

Good

2m 0f 3y

Class 4

15:15 Fakenham

Currumbin

11st 8lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Michael Keady

2l and a place behind Squeezebox at Warwick latest, though that sixth still represented stronger form than that of June's Worcester hurdling debut win (2m, good); liable to remain vulnerable under his penalty on that evidence, but this doesn't look as deep a contest as last time.

15/2

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Turf winner over a testing 1m2f in 2023, but more commonly seen over 6f-7f these days; remains to be seen whether he'll make a jumper, for all that he's a sibling of dual Perth Gold Cup scorer Statuario.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

(8)

11th Feb 2026

Standard To Slow

0m 7f 0y

Class 6

20:10 Kempton (AW)

Portoro

9st 5lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Martin Dunne

C&D winner; in good order this winter, including when midfield over C&D last week (met trouble on a few occasions); Rossa Ryan retains the ride and he should be in the thick of it once again.

7/2

5th

2

(9)

4th Feb 2026

Standard To Slow

0m 7f 0y

Class 6

14:35 Kempton (AW)

Portoro

9st 8lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Martin Dunne

Generally consistent; close second, finishing strongly from difficult position, in amateur riders' event at Kempton (6f) last week; respected off same mark back up in distance.

3/1

2nd

2

(7)

28th Jan 2026

Standard To Slow

0m 6f 0y

Class 6

17:30 Kempton (AW)

Portoro

11st 1lb

J: Miss Leah Banham

T: Martin Dunne

Generally consistent, including over 6f (raced mainly at further); has made the frame at Southwell in three starts since returned to AW; won his last Kempton attempt (in late 2024); solid.

7/2

Non-runners

Zafaan

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £16.40
Straight Forecast £23.39
Trifecta £81.40

Selections

NEWMARKET:

Sixpack

RP RATINGS:

Zafaan

SPOTLIGHT:

Squeezebox

Daily Mirror:

Currumbin

Telegraph:

Solanna

The Times:

Sixpack

Daily Mail:

Sixpack

D Express:

Sixpack

The Star:

Sixpack

Daily Record:

Sixpack

TOPSPEED:

Zafaan

The Guardian:

Zafaan

The Sun:

Zafaan

POSTDATA:

Squeezebox