17:25 Worcester

Wednesday 2 July 2025

All14:1514:4515:1515:4516:1516:5017:25

M&E Global Defence Sector Solutions Experts Conditional Jockeys' Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:26 | Winning time: 4m 59.18s

Zarhanya^t,p1²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Daire James McConville⁽⁵⁾| T: M Keighley| OR: 91

22/1

Hasn't really gone on from what was a fairly encouraging hurdles debut at Market Rasen in November and hopes now pinned in the first-time cheekpieces doing the trick.

Form: 7/3765-8

Mr Le Philosophe^p¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Dylan Johnston| T: James Owen| OR: 89| BF

2/1

Dual winner on the Flat in France and, though yet to get his head in front in this sphere, he has finished in the money all 3 starts since joining the James Owen yard. Step up to this trip no problem when second at Uttoxeter (good) recently and likely to make a bold bid to go one better here.

Form: 63/P-232

Gone In Sixty³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Alice Stevens| T: A M Hales| OR: 87| D

7/2

Finally got off the mark in 7-runner handicap at Fakenham (2½m, good) last month, going clear under this rider in a well-run race. 7 lb rise doesn't look prohibitive and he has to enter calculations.

Form: 2277-31

Jo's Rainbow³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Tristan Durrell⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 84| BF

15/2

Flat winner who performed well on a couple of occasions over hurdles last year, including when fourth in a big-field handicap over this C&D in September. Well held both starts since returning from a break/wind op in April, though, and now has a bit to prove.

Form: 44775-7

Lunar Ocean^t,p⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Andrews| T: Billy Aprahamian| OR: 79| BF

7/2

Respectable third on latest start in this sphere (also final run for Paul Webber) at Market Rasen last May. Has found just one too good on 4 of his 5 subsequent starts over fences for present yard, but he's not the most genuine and probably worth taking on for win purposes back hurdling.

Form: 32225-2

Golden Moonshake^t,p⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Freddie Gordon| T: N J Hawke| OR: 76

16/1

Got back on track after 7 months off when second of 7 in handicap hurdle at Hereford (19.7f, good) in April. A rather in-and-out profile has already emerged, though, so it wasn't much of a surprise that he failed to build on that at Perth next time.

Form: 739P2-8

Noble Recall⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Harriet Tucker⁽³⁾| T: A Day| OR: 73| D

8/1

Has found improvement from somewhere the last twice, finishing fourth of 8 over this C&D prior to opening his account in a 9-runner Southwell handicap (20.4f, good) a week later. More needed up 5 lb in this tougher race, but he does at least appear to be heading in the right direction.

Form: P095-41

Darcy's Glance¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Shane Quinlan| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 72

22/1

Remains winless following 10 attempts overall and there were little signs of encouragement at Stratford recently.

Form: 8994-08

Non-Runners

Gms Prince³⁰

Weight: 11-5| Age: 10

T: Sarah Hollinshead J: Jay Tidball

Circle Of Hope²³

Weight: 10-12| Age: 5

T: B Brookhouse J: Fern O'Brien

Forecasts

Mr Le Philosophe (2/1), Gone In Sixty (7/2), Lunar Ocean (7/2), Jo's Rainbow (15/2), Noble Recall (8/1), Golden Moonshake (16/1), Zarhanya (22/1), Darcy's Glance (22/1), Gms Prince (25/1), Circle Of Hope (66/1)

Despite failing to justify favouritism on each of his three starts for this yard, MR LE PHILOSOPHE has nevertheless acquitted himself well in the process, stepping up markedly on what he showed during his spell with previous connections last year. He is taken to deservedly open his account, with last-time-out winners Gone In Sixty and Noble Recall taken to fill the places.