May 07 / 14.45 Huntingdon

14.45

Good

Virgin Bet Mares’ Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £4620.87
  • 2m 3f 137y
  • Class 4
  • 5 runners
RTV
View Course
Virgin Bet Mares’ Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

4/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.25
  • Place: £1.50

Form: F82P5- CD BF

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 4lb

7 yo Filly

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
7-27 over hurdles, including a good-ground C&D win; not firing on all cylinders since last autumn but wasn't beaten far when fifth of seven in refitted cheekpieces at Fakenham (2m4f, good) last month and continues to slip down the weights.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

15th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

17:10 Aintree

Mermaids Cave

11st 10lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: James Owen

Won by 10l last week at Huntingdon (2m3f, good) in a race she also won the previous season, when beating Masked Dance on similar terms to today's; clear claims.

9/4

1st

3

7th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 137y

Class 4

14:45 Huntingdon

Mermaids Cave

11st 4lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: James Owen

7-27 over hurdles, including a good-ground C&D win; not firing on all cylinders since last autumn but wasn't beaten far when fifth of seven in refitted cheekpieces at Fakenham (2m4f, good) last month and continues to slip down the weights.

4/1

5th

2

6th Apr 2026

Good

2m 4f 1y

Class 4

14:15 Fakenham

Mermaids Cave

12st 1lb

J: Mr Cian Murphy

T: James Owen

7-23 over hurdles, including a good-ground C&D win; beaten favourite in plating company two starts and pulled up in a subsequent handicap, but has slipped to a very good mark and can't be ruled out.

11/2

5/1

  • Place: £2.50

Form: 35145- D

Last run: 18 days

W: 11st 4lb

7 yo Filly

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Returned to form with front-running win at Warwick (2m3f, good) in September and caught the eye at Stratford (2m, good) last month, after a break, making good headway from a long way off the pace before fading into fifth on the run-in; back up in trip here and it will be interesting to see whether she reverts to much more positive tactics.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

19th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

2m 3f 98y

Class 4

14:15 Stratford

Mary

11st 4lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Ian Williams

Both wins over hurdles when making all, one here on fast ground; ridden with more restraint since returning this year but was in contention before last-fence fall at Bangor (2m4f, good) two starts ago, and last month's Uttoxeter third was respectable; can go well again and it will be interesting to see whether she reverts to more positive tactics.

3/1

3rd

6

13th Jun 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

19:42 Uttoxeter

Mary

11st 6lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Ian Williams

Both wins over hurdles when making all; has been ridden with more restraint since returning this year and was still in contention when falling at the last fence on her return to chasing at Bangor (2m4f, good) three weeks ago; looks sure to be thereabouts as long as her fall has left no ill-effects.

11/4

7

23rd May 2026

Good

2m 4f 72y

Class 4

14:25 Bangor-on-Dee

Mary

11st 2lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Ian Williams

Both wins over hurdles came when making all; yet to convince as a chaser, falling in two of her three starts in this sphere; a clear round would be a priority.

7/2

Form: 1212R-

Last run: 208 days

W: 11st 11lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Progressive over hurdles in early part of last season, winning three times on good ground (2m-2m1f); absent since blotting copybook in the autumn (whipped round at start and refused to race) and not bred to benefit from this step up in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

(6)

15th Jul 2026

Firm

1m 3f 137y

Class 6

16:31 Bath

Hope Rising

9st 11lb

J: Charles Bishop

T: Jamie Snowden

Unplaced in seven Flat starts (last ran in this sphere in 2024); triple good-ground hurdle winner at up to 2m1f last summer; reluctant to race when well beaten over hurdles latest; others make more appeal.

3/1

2nd

2

28th Jun 2026

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 4

16:43 Uttoxeter

Hope Rising

11st 10lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Comes with some risk, having refused to race on one occasion and lost many lengths by whipping around at the start last time (ran well in the circumstances); otherwise capable of playing a big role.

5/2

2nd

3

30th May 2026

Good To Firm

2m 2f 148y

Class 3

18:50 Stratford

Hope Rising

11st 9lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Won three in her first season over hurdles last term and may not have got home when third of five at Huntingdon (2m3f, good) on her return to action 23 days ago; should be sharper for the run and holds claims.

3/1

Form: /0953-

Last run: 40 days

W: 11st 5lb

9 yo Mare

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Yet to match peak form since returning from long absence in the autumn but her third in first-time cheekpieces at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good to soft) in late March was a pretty good effort, and she'll be fine on the forecast good ground here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

7th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 137y

Class 4

14:45 Huntingdon

Notnowlinda

11st 5lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Yet to match peak form since returning from long absence in the autumn but her third in first-time cheekpieces at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good to soft) in late March was a pretty good effort, and she'll be fine on the forecast good ground here.

6/4

3rd

3

28th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

14:35 Uttoxeter

Notnowlinda

11st 9lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

In good form in spring of 2024; returned from long absence with two low-key runs in November but, after another break, she ran well to a point when fifth of 13 at Haydock (2m3f, good to soft) three weeks ago; continues to drop down the weights and she's not ruled out with cheekpieces added.

5/1

Form: 3981P- CD

Last run: 40 days

W: 11st 2lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Looked back in good nick when scoring over C&D (good) in March but ran poorly and was pulled up at Uttoxeter last month (trainer blamed the good to soft ground); has become hard to predict.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

7th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 137y

Class 4

14:45 Huntingdon

No No Fizz

11st 2lb

J: Tom Broughton

T: Fergal O’Brien

Looked back in good nick when scoring over C&D (good) in March but ran poorly and was pulled up at Uttoxeter last month (trainer blamed the good to soft ground); has become hard to predict.

7/1

6

28th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

14:35 Uttoxeter

No No Fizz

11st 7lb

J: Tom Broughton

T: Fergal O’Brien

Got back in the groove after three months off when landing a gamble at Huntingdon (2m4f, good) 17 days ago; back up 4lb in the weights but she still looks feasibly treated and has form figures of 12431 under Tom Broughton; key player.

100/30

1st

1

11th Mar 2026

Good

2m 3f 137y

Class 5

16:18 Huntingdon

No No Fizz

12st 0lb

J: Tom Broughton

T: Fergal O’Brien

A dual 2m hurdles winner last season but she failed to take to chasing early this term before beating only one back in this sphere in 2m4f Wincanton handicap in December; she has plenty to prove after a break.

33/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £12.40
Straight Forecast £16.95
Trifecta £48.50

Selections

The Times:

Notnowlinda

RP RATINGS:

Mermaids Cave

LAMBOURN:

Hope Rising

SPOTLIGHT:

Mary

WEST COUNTRY:

No No Fizz

Daily Mail:

Hope Rising

TOPSPEED:

Mermaids Cave

POSTDATA:

Mermaids Cave

Daily Mirror:

Mermaids Cave

The Guardian:

Mary

Telegraph:

Notnowlinda

D Express:

Notnowlinda

The Sun:

Notnowlinda

The Star:

Notnowlinda

Daily Record:

Notnowlinda