February 06 / 15.30 Bangor-on-Dee

15.30

Soft

Hotel Wrexham Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £4224.8
  • 2m 3f 123y
  • Class 5
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Hotel Wrexham Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Snow

OUR TIP

Form: 17P822 D

Last run: 11 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Won Uttoxeter maiden (2m4f, heavy) in November and back to form when second at Hereford (2m3f, soft) in January; no match for the winner when second of four at Hereford (2m3f, soft) since but still high on the list.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

7

26th Mar 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

15:58 Warwick

Gower Spirit

11st 1lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Matt Sheppard

Won Uttoxeter maiden (2m4f, heavy) in November and has also shown promise in some handicaps subsequently; however, well beaten at Hereford (2m, good) recently and there is a question mark about the forecast good ground.

9/1

8th

3

7th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 53y

Class 5

16:37 Hereford

Gower Spirit

11st 13lb

J: James Bowen

T: Matt Sheppard

Got off the mark at Uttoxeter (2m4f) in November and comes here in good nick, scuppered by a late blunder when fourth of ten in 2m3f handicap hurdle at Taunton 23 days ago; she must enter calculations eased 1lb.

4/1

4th

1

12th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 3f 1y

Class 5

14:15 Taunton

Gower Spirit

12st 0lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Matt Sheppard

Goes well in the mud, including a 2m4f mares' maiden success on heavy at Uttoxeter in November; runner-up in soft-ground handicaps over the extended 2m3f at Hereford on her last two outings; ought to be in the mix again.

11/2

Form: 2P35/P

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 13lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 99

Form & Verdict
Very lightly raced 8yo who showed promise for Ben Pauling in 2023 and early 2024; made stable debut after long absence at Ffos Las (2m4f, heavy) last month and was pulled up at 25-1; may have needed that comeback run and it will be interesting to see if she's stronger in the betting this time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

18th Feb 2026

3m 0f 60y

Class 5

16:55 Southwell

Bluella Bresil

11st 13lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Jamie Snowden

Achieved little since her return last month (stable/handicap debut) from a lengthy absence, including when last of six finishers at Plumpton nine days ago; goes up in trip and while things can only get better, she's hard to suggest until showing something.

20/1

6th

1

9th Feb 2026

Soft

1m 7f 195y

Class 5

16:45 Plumpton

Bluella Bresil

11st 13lb

J: Joe Anderson

T: Jamie Snowden

Achieved nothing on return from lengthy absence last time (stable/handicap debut) but may fare better with that outing under her belt; showed some encouraging bumper/hurdles form in 2023-24.

14/1

Form: 443422

Last run: 7 days

W: 11st 6lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 92

Form & Verdict
0-10 but hasn't had many goes in handicaps and she's been runner-up on last two starts, most recently at Catterick (1m7f, soft) last Friday behind a well-handicapped winner; there can be optimism she'll be fine now back up in trip and she could play a leading role.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

6

31st Mar 2026

Good

2m 3f 123y

Class 5

16:50 Bangor-on-Dee

Voodoo Angel

10st 12lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Donald McCain

Now a 12-race maiden but as consistent as her form figures would suggest; however, her best form in Britain has been over shorter and she has tried this far.

9/2

3rd

1

26th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

15:00 Wetherby

Voodoo Angel

11st 12lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald McCain

0-11 but runner-up twice in a row this winter (2m1f/1m7f, soft) before slightly lesser effort when third of five at Catterick (1m7f, soft); this might not take much winning and it could prove to be a good opportunity.

11/4

3rd

3

9th Feb 2026

Heavy

1m 7f 156y

Class 5

16:00 Catterick

Voodoo Angel

11st 10lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Donald McCain

Promise in a good Irish bumper; slow to find her level over hurdles but she's improved since handicapping in cheekpieces and was the only one to give a progressive winner a race over C&D (soft) last time; good claims.

7/4

Form: 666

Last run: 17 days

W: 10st 12lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 84

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

Form: -36FPP

Last run: 25 days

W: 10st 11lb

7 yo Filly

OR: 83

Form & Verdict
17-race maiden who has been pulled up on her last two starts; arrives with plenty to prove but her trainer won this last year and she's one to watch in the betting off a reduced mark in a first-time hood.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

18th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 147y

Class 5

15:00 Hereford

Make Sunshine

10st 13lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Ryan Potter

18-race maiden with a Flat background; the odd piece of form is worth noting and she has never been lower in the weights, but she's suffered four non-completions on the bounce (fell midrace on chase debut latest); a bit risky in the new hood (replacing tongue-tie).

25/1

5

18th Feb 2026

1m 7f 212y

Class 5

16:35 Ludlow

Make Sunshine

11st 0lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Ryan Potter

Well in on some of her hurdle form but she's a 17-race maiden with a Flat background, so hard to know what she'll make of fences.

12/1

Form: 680/0

Last run: 14 days

W: 10st 6lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Tailed off in sole bumper and same story on all three hurdle starts, the latest a fortnight ago following a mammoth absence; not easy to fancy but she now goes handicapping off a basement mark and her dam is a half-sister to connections' useful hurdler/chaser Yalltari; monitor the betting.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

10

12th Apr 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

14:03 Ffos Las

Lily Grace

10st 5lb

J: Ned Fox

T: Venetia Williams

Closest finish was a 30l defeat at Stratford (2m7f, soft; 33-1) last time in her second handicap; no recognisable claims yet.

40/1

5th

9

9th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 6f 7y

Class 5

15:50 Stratford

Lily Grace

10st 5lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Nothing positive so far, beaten 58l when earning a 'peak' RPR of 53 at Warwick (2m3f mares' novice; 250-1) in January; tailed off on handicap debut at Hereford (2m5f) just over a fortnight ago.

12/1

5th

7

22nd Feb 2026

Soft

2m 5f 163y

Class 5

16:10 Hereford

Lily Grace

10st 2lb

J: Murray Dodd

T: Venetia Williams

Has shown little in her four starts, latest when tailed off at Warwick (2m3f, good to soft) last month on her first start for 1,001 days; may do better now she goes handicapping but big improvement required.

8/1

Verdict

Fine As Wine and Lily Grace are handicap newcomers who might be open to improvement but GOWER SPIRIT and Voodoo Angel have a lot more substance to their claims. They have both finished second on their last two starts and Gower Spirit is selected to return to winning ways.[Ben Hutton]

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Voodoo Angel

SPOTLIGHT:

Gower Spirit

LAMBOURN:

Bluella Bresil

Telegraph:

Gower Spirit

D Express:

Gower Spirit

The Sun:

Gower Spirit

The Star:

Gower Spirit

POSTDATA:

Voodoo Angel

The Times:

Voodoo Angel

The Guardian:

Voodoo Angel

Daily Mail:

Voodoo Angel

Daily Mirror:

Voodoo Angel

Daily Record:

Voodoo Angel