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4.53 Fairlight Studios At Sedgefield Racecourse Mares’ Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

This Class 4 race for 4yo+ fillies and mares covers a distance of 2m 3f 188y on Good going, with a winner’s prize of £4,193.42.

• Kottayam (FR)
  • TimeWise Rating: 275
  • Details: This 5-year-old mare carries 11st 4lb and has an OR of 101. She is trained by P Neville, whose stable has a 100% win-rate in the last 14 days, with 1 win from 1 runner. Sean Bowen is the jockey. Her running style is to press leaders (M).
  • Recent Form and Assessment: Kottayam showed improved form in July when finishing third of 12 at Uttoxeter over 2m on good ground. However, she subsequently took a heavy mid-race tumble when tackling 2m4f at Market Rasen a month later. Despite this setback, the spotlight suggests she still holds claims if she can put the fall behind her, noting that she “possibly [has] more scope for improvement” and is likely to be a strong contender. She had also been narrowly denied on her Irish point debut over 3m in May. Her Topspeed rating is 61, and her master RPR is 109.
• Lipstick Traces (IRE)
  • TimeWise Rating: 260
  • Details: This 5-year-old mare also carries 11st 4lb. She is trained by J Landy, who has a 100% win-rate in the last 14 days (2 wins from 18 runners). Jamie Hamilton is the jockey. Her running style is held up (M).
  • Recent Form and Assessment: Lipstick Traces made the frame in all three bumpers in the spring. She had an encouraging hurdles debut a fortnight ago, finishing fourth of 15 at Worcester (2m, good), keeping on well. While she has “bit to find on RPRs,” the step up in trip is expected to bring out better form. The spotlight also indicates she “enters calculations” for this race. Her Topspeed rating is 66, and both her latest and master RPRs are 92.

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5.28 Canine Premier Flex Plus Joint Supplement Novices’ Handicap Chase

This Class 5 handicap chase is run over 2m 5f 28y on Good going, for 4yo+ horses rated 0-100, with a winner’s prize of £3,247.81.

• Ivane (FR)
  • TimeWise Rating: 279
  • Details: This 7-year-old gelding carries 11st 10lb and has an OR of 96. He is trained by J Owen, whose stable has a strong 77% win-rate in the last 14 days, with 4 wins from 13 runners. Sean Bowen is the jockey. His running style is to press leaders (P).
  • Recent Form and Assessment: Ivane is a dual hurdle winner but has a 0-4 record over fences. However, he showed a “good effort” in a chase at Fontwell (2m3f) in April. More recently, he made a strong return from a break, finishing second at Worcester (2m7f, good) on Sunday, racing off the same mark. He is considered “in form and sure to make their presence felt”. His Topspeed rating is 82, and his latest RPR is 106, with a master RPR of 109.
• Couldbeaweapon (IRE)
  • TimeWise Rating: 232
  • Details: This 8-year-old gelding carries 10st 9lb and has an OR of 81. He is trained by S England (25% win-rate in last 14 days, with 0 wins from 19 runners). Jonathan England is the jockey. His running style is to press leaders (P).
  • Recent Form and Assessment: Couldbeaweapon is 0-12 over fences. Despite this, he has shown “good effort” at Market Rasen (2m1f, soft) in July with cheekpieces, and was second again at the same track (about 2m6f, good) 19 days ago, this time in first-time blinkers. The spotlight considers him “in form and sure to make their presence felt” and notes he “should be involved” with the same mark. He is also highlighted as the second choice in the Spotlight verdict. His Topspeed rating is 102, and his latest RPR is 105, with a master RPR of 108.

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6.00 D&J Yates Memorial – Never Forgotten Handicap Hurdle

This Class 4 handicap hurdle is for 4yo+ horses rated 0-120, run over 3m 3f 9y on Good ground, with a winner’s prize of £4,066.37.

• Earth King (IRE)
  • TimeWise Rating: 279
  • Details: This 9-year-old gelding carries 12st 0lb and has an OR of 120. He is trained by N Mulholland, who boasts a 56% win-rate in the last 14 days, with 6 wins from 20 runners. Conor O’Farrell is the jockey. His running style is to press leaders (P).
  • Recent Form and Assessment: Earth King is a 3m2f winner who has won two of his last four starts, including at Exeter and Uttoxeter. His most recent outing saw him finish last of six in a Class 2 race at Uttoxeter, but he runs off the same mark here. The extended trip is “probably no bother” to him. While he “need[s] to get back in the groove,” the spotlight suggests this is “by no means unlikely”. His Topspeed rating is 64, and his latest RPR is 117, with a master RPR of 122.
• Spitalfield (IRE)
  • TimeWise Rating: 264
  • Details: This 7-year-old gelding carries 11st 5lb and has an OR of 111. He is trained by J & A J O’Neill (43% win-rate in last 14 days, with 1 win from 3 runners). Richie McLernon is the jockey. His running style is held up (H).
  • Recent Form and Assessment: Spitalfield secured his first win at Ffos Las (3m, good) in May 2024. Since his comeback in June, he has been placed in all three starts, with his last two efforts over 3m2f at Newton Abbot. The spotlight notes that he “arrive[s] in form” and should be “on the premises again”. He is identified as the second choice in the Spotlight verdict. His Topspeed rating is 102, and both his latest and master RPRs are 120.

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6.30 MW Groundworks & Civils Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

This Class 4 handicap chase, over 2m 3f 65y on Good ground, is for 4yo+ horses rated 0-110, with a winner’s prize of £4,700.09.

• Limerick Leader (FR)
  • TimeWise Rating: 270
  • Details: This 8-year-old gelding carries 11st 3lb and has an OR of 98. He is trained by Mrs A Thorpe (50% win-rate in last 14 days, but 0 wins from 2 runners). James Bowen is the jockey. His running style is to press leaders (P).
  • Recent Form and Assessment: Limerick Leader has been “incredibly consistent” in his last four starts, with three second-place finishes and a win, all on good ground between 2m3f and 2m5f, consistently achieving an RPR of 100. He also has previous course form over hurdles. The spotlight considers him “entering bombproof territory and must go well again” from an unchanged mark, making him a strong contender. He is highlighted as the second choice in the Spotlight verdict. His Topspeed rating is 100, and both his latest and master RPRs are 111.
• Dream Jet (IRE)
  • TimeWise Rating: 269
  • Details: This 7-year-old gelding carries 11st 13lb and has an OR of 108. He is trained by B Ellison (0% win-rate in last 14 days, 0 wins from 24 runners). Craig Nichol is the jockey. His running style is to press leaders (P).
  • Recent Form and Assessment: Dream Jet achieved a career best when winning at Hexham (1m7f) in May, his third success over fences. He showed a solid return from a break, finishing fourth of seven at Market Rasen (2m1f, good) 19 days ago. While he has “weakened over this trip and beyond before,” the spotlight suggests it’s “worth exploring again” and that he “can prove the pick of them” among others with questions to answer. His Topspeed rating is 104, and his latest RPR is 111, with a master RPR of 114.

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7.00 Fairlight Studios Handicap Hurdle

This Class 4 handicap hurdle is for 4yo+ horses rated 0-115, run over 2m 3f 188y on Good ground, with a winner’s prize of £4,066.37.

• Mr Le Philosophe
  • TimeWise Rating: 268
  • Details: This 5-year-old gelding carries 11st 3lb and has an OR of 102. He is trained by J Owen (77% win-rate in last 14 days, 4 wins from 13 runners). Sean Bowen is the jockey. His running style is held up (H).
  • Recent Form and Assessment: His last race, a heavy defeat at Worcester, was his first “blip” for this yard, reportedly due to ground softer than official good. Prior to that, he had won his previous two races. He is considered to be on a “competitive mark if back on song”. However, the spotlight notes that the “prospect of rain is a worry” for him. His Topspeed rating is 88, and his latest RPR is 76, with a master RPR of 112.
• The Navigator
  • TimeWise Rating: 267
  • Details: This 10-year-old gelding carries 10st 13lb and has an OR of 98. He is trained by Mrs D Sayer, who has a 100% win-rate in the last 14 days (8 wins from 50 runners). Henry Brooke is the jockey. His running style is to press leaders (P).
  • Recent Form and Assessment: The Navigator showed “plenty of determination to win” over 2m1f at Cartmel 12 days ago, despite his powers seeming to be on the wane previously. He is “only 3lb higher and has won off higher marks in the past,” suggesting he remains competitive. His Topspeed rating is 107, and his latest RPR is 113, with a master RPR of 118.

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7.30 Honky Tonks Open NH Flat Race (GBB Race)

This Class 5 National Hunt Flat Race is over 2m 178y on Good ground, for 4-5yo horses, with a winner’s prize of £2,450.70.

• Fairlawn Skipper
  • TimeWise Rating: 258
  • Details: This 5-year-old gelding carries 11st 9lb. He is trained by M Bowen (67% win-rate in last 14 days, but 0 wins from 1 runner). Shane Fenelon (5) is the jockey. His running style is to lead (L).
  • Recent Form and Assessment: Fairlawn Skipper won an uncompetitive bumper at Stratford (good to firm) two months ago. However, he is now “penalised for winning” that race, and this “additional weight spells danger”. The spotlight reiterates that he was penalised for winning a slowly run race. Despite the penalty, he “still has to be considered as a previous winner”. His Topspeed rating is 21, and his master RPR is 98.
• Frammy
  • TimeWise Rating: 250
  • Details: This 4-year-old gelding carries 11st 0lb. He is trained by D McCain, who has a perfect 100% win-rate in the last 14 days (53 wins from 246 runners). Kielan Woods is the jockey. His running style is held up (H). A tongue-tie is added for this race.
  • Recent Form and Assessment: Frammy finished fourth of 12 at Bangor and second of ten at Worcester, both on good ground. His form “might be that bit better than that of his sole rival and he’s receiving weight”. The spotlight gives him “marginal preference,” stating he “probably edges it on form anyway”. His Topspeed rating is 78, and his master RPR is 108.