January 28 / 15.20 Leicester

15.20

Heavy

Leicester Racecourse Ideal Self-Hire Wedding Venue Claiming Hurdle

  • Prize money: £3812.2
  • 1m 7f 113y
  • Class 4
  • 4 runners
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Leicester Racecourse Ideal Self-Hire Wedding Venue Claiming Hurdle

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

Abandoned

Form: /12-36 CD BF

Last run: 50 days

W: 11st 13lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

5

28th Mar 2026

Good

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

14:15 Stratford

Hara Kiri

11st 4lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Olly Murphy

Scored three times (around 2m) over hurdles in 2024; very lightly raced since and he failed to build on an encouraging reappearance Wetherby third when sixth of eight in 2m Uttoxeter handicap in December; reportedly finished lame there so worth another chance in this grade.

11/4

2

24th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 35y

Class 4

14:55 Perth

Hara Kiri

11st 11lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Form figures of 3111 in handicaps since joining Olly Murphy on ground ranging from good to soft to heavy; defied a nine-month absence at Leicester in December and that form has worked out well; up another 7lb and drying ground is an unknown, but dangerous to dismiss.

3/1

OUR TIP

Form: 2253-5 D

Last run: 230 days

W: 11st 13lb

6 yo Colt

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

16th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 77y

Class 4

17:05 Bangor-on-Dee

Pigeon House

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Charles & Adam Pogson

Can do too much in front but no alarms when making all in a Catterick claiming hurdle for Jennie Candlish in March (1m7f, good); out of a half-sister to a minor chase winner, but not bred for this job otherwise.

8/1

9th

5

(9)

2nd Apr 2026

Standard

1m 3f 23y

Class 5

20:18 Southwell (AW)

Pigeon House

9st 3lb

J: David Nolan

T: Charles & Adam Pogson

Claimed out of Jennie Candlish's yard for £12,000 after winning over hurdles at Catterick last time; could go well but looks no certainty to follow up, being 0-12 on the Flat (mostly turf starts).

10/1

1st

1

4th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 156y

Class 4

14:10 Catterick

Pigeon House

12st 0lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Jennie Candlish

No win since August 2024 (Ballinrobe, 2m2f; for Jessica Harrington) but has finished runner-up on both visits to this track, including when racing too freely on return from a seven-month break over 2m4f (33-1) latest; top-rated, and dropping back in trip should suit; key player.

13/8

Form: 2P-P1P

Last run: 33 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

9

3rd Mar 2024

Soft

2m 0f 128y

Class 5

17:00 Doncaster

Zainy Champ

11st 2lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Jeremy Scott

led, headed over 3f out, outpaced and hung right under 2f out, kept on, no match for first two

14/1

Form: 62-3

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 5lb

7 yo Mare

OR:

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

9

19th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 70y

Class 4

15:08 Stratford

Borna Gem

11st 1lb

J: Miss Amber Jackson-Fennell

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Made shaky start to hurdling career during the winter but benefited from combination of drop in trip and switch to good ground when winning 2m Ludlow maiden by 4l last month; probably needs to improve again to overcome opening handicap mark but that's possible.

15/2

1st

2

19th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 169y

Class 4

14:20 Ludlow

Borna Gem

11st 5lb

J: Miss Amber Jackson-Fennell

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Irish point winner on heavy; beaten favourite in both bumpers and modest third in seller in sole completed attempt over hurdles; 100-1 and pulled up at Southwell (also about 2m4f, soft) last time; drop in trip might help but it needs to.

14/1

3

2nd Mar 2026

Heavy

2m 4f 88y

Class 4

15:45 Southwell

Borna Gem

11st 2lb

J: James Turner

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Irish point winner; beaten favourite in both bumpers and modest third in seller in sole completed attempt over hurdles; brought down early latest; needs improvement.

20/1

Verdict

Having been in fairly good heart before an excusable defeat last time, HARA KIRI appeals as the most likely winner on these terms. Pigeon House is the danger as Zainy Champ seems hard to predict and Borna Gem ran moderately in a seller last time.[Alistair Jones]