19:00 Worcester

Wednesday 20 August 2025

All16:5017:2517:5518:3019:0019:3020:00

Happy Birthday Fergal O'Brien Mares' Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 19:07 | Winning time: 3m 53.0s

Brionywells³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson

33/1

Well held in 3 bumpers and 2 hurdles (beaten 21 lengths when third at Newton Abbot latterly). Looks more one for handicaps after this.

Form: 0/89-39

Brooklyn Lullaby⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Bannister| T: M & D Easterby

100/1

Modest form in 2 course bumpers this summer so not an obvious one to strike on hurdle debut.

Form: 76

Celestron Star⁷⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Luke Scott⁽⁵⁾| T: Dr R Newland & J Insole| D

11/4

Dual bumper winner in the spring. That made her distant sixth of 7 on Market Rasen hurdle debut very disappointing but she can be given another chance.

Form: 610-16

Chips And Rice^p²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: C Gethings| T: R Stephens| OR: 94

11/1

Fair Flat winner for James Fanshawe. Modest form in 3 maiden hurdles for current yard (including C&D) this summer and also well held back on the Flat 3 weeks ago.

Form: 834

Darcy's Glance^p1³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Shane Quinlan⁽³⁾| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 71

28/1

Continues to show little, finishing well held in low-grade handicap at Uttoxeter last time. First-time cheekpieces need to spark major improvement.

Form: 94-0859

Feeling Frisky²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Roisin Leech⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs S Leech

125/1

Didn't show much in a couple of bumpers for Kieran Burke last winter and similar story on C&D hurdle debut for new yard last month.

Form: 86-8

Jammy Jay²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: H J Evans

80/1

Failed to trouble the judge in a couple of Hereford bumpers earlier this year and well-held seventh on C&D hurdle debut 27 days ago.

Form: 75-7

Just A Heartbeat^t⁸⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Bryan Carver| T: H Fry

5/2

Scorpion mare who was runner-up in an Ascot bumper in February and showed promise when filling the same position on her 19f Fontwell hurdle debut in May. Open to progress back from 3 months off. Leading claims.

Form: 42-2

Lipstick Traces⁸⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: B S Hughes| T: Justin Landy| BF

8/1

Placed in 3 bumpers in the spring and has the services of Brian Hughes on hurdle debut after 87 days off.

Form: 2-32

Lusso Milan⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Theo Gillard| T: Mark Gillard| OR: 80

17/2

Has taken a bit of time to find her feet over hurdles but ran her best race when second of 9 in handicap at Stratford (2m, good) in May. Better than result (hampered and mistake last) when fourth in C&D handicap since.

Form: 044-524

Never Told Me^t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: J J Burke| T: F O'Brien

7/2

Showed ability on second of 2 bumper outings for Polly Gundry. Fifth of 12 on 2m Uttoxeter hurdle/yard debut in July. Should be sharper for the run and respected.

Form: 78-5

Princesse Milania⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Lewis Stones⁽³⁾| T: O Murphy

40/1

Point winner who was third in a course bumper on her Rules debut in June. Hasn't built on that in a pair of 2m maiden hurdles since but it's still early days with this leading stable.

Form: F21-368

Richieandsams Lady³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Kimber| T: Sheila Lewis

18/1

Point winner who also made a successful start to her Rules career in a 2¼m Sligo bumper for Brendan Walsh last month. Has to enter the reckoning now hurdling for Sheila Lewis.

Form: FU3P-21

Hannahs Story^h²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Conor Ring| T: Joanne Thomason-Murphy

200/1

Well held in 3 maidens on the Flat for Gary Brown in early 2024 and no show in 3 hurdles since returning from an absence for a new stable.

Form: PP0

La Lolita³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: G Sheehan| T: G Hanmer

40/1

Modest form in bumpers but remote fourth on last month's Stratford hurdle debut.

Form: 6544

Forecasts

Just A Heartbeat (5/2), Celestron Star (11/4), Never Told Me (7/2), Lipstick Traces (8/1), Lusso Milan (17/2), Chips And Rice (11/1), Richieandsams Lady (18/1), Darcy's Glance (28/1), Brionywells (33/1), La Lolita (40/1), Princesse Milania (40/1), Jammy Jay (80/1), Brooklyn Lullaby (100/1), Feeling Frisky (125/1), Hannahs Story (200/1)

JUST A HEARTBEAT gets the vote on the back of her encouraging hurdle debut second at Fontwell in the spring. Dual bumper winner Celestron Star is surely much better than she showed on her Market Rasen hurdle debut and can bounce back and provide the chief threat. Never Told Me is also respected for Fergal O'Brien, with point/bumper winner Richieandsams Lady completing the shortlist.