15:35 Windsor

Friday 16 January 2026

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:05

Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:38 | Winning time: 3m 53.02s

Wilful²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 142| D

85/40

Largely progressive since dropped back to 2m, producing a smart handicap performance to see off Hot Fuss by 2¾ lengths and bag a valuable prize at Ascot just before Christmas. A 7 lb rise looks fair enough.

Form: 4P12-31

Live Conti^h1,t1²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 142| D

12/1

Smart juvenile hurdler last term, including second in Aintree Grade 1 in the spring. Never involved in 2m Ascot handicap on reappearance just before Christmas. Has first-time tongue tie and hood combination added on the back of that. No surprise were he to prove a totally different proposition now.

Form: 112-0

Knickerbockerglory⁴¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Atkins⁽⁷⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 140| D

6/1

Won on Sandown reappearance last season before finishing a good third in this race. Finished a good second in that same Sandown contest on return in December and could make another bold bid in this with Harry Atkins taking 7 lb off.

Form: P/1354-2

Go Dante^t,p⁴¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 134| D

22/1

Dual Imperial Cup winner who enhanced his excellent Sandown record with another win last month but well held in this race 12 months and worth opposing away from Sandown. Cheekpieces are refitted.

Form: P071-61

Spectacularsunrise²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 131| D

10/1

Imposing sort who has taken really well to hurdling, winning Bangor novice before making a mockery of an opening mark of 122 at Kelso (2m, soft) last month. Couldn't give weight away to a smart prospect back in novice company at Chepstow over Christmas but could resume progression back in handicap.

Form: 44-3112

No Ordinary Joe^t²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Benjamin Macey⁽⁷⁾| T: Faye Bramley| OR: 128| DWS

28/1

Useful on his day for Nicky Henderson but winless since 2022. There have been few positives to take from his 5 efforts for present connections but he has dropped 9 lb as a result and worth a look in the betting having had wind surgery since finishing well behind Saligo Bay at Haydock 4 weeks ago.

Form: 0-90P09

Milldam^h,t²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 127| D

20/1

Better than ever successful at Haydock (2m, heavy) last winter but below par in 2 outings there this season. At his best when the mud is flying so any rain in his favour.

Form: 1/410-96

Great Fleet^t⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Tristan Durrell| T: D Skelton| OR: 126| D

20/1

Bumper winner who shaped encouragingly when placed on first 2 hurdle starts. Found a 21f Cheltenham Grade 2 novice beyond him in November but immediately back on track with his sights lowered when making all in 2m Kelso novice in a first-time tongue tie (retained). Respected handicap newcomer.

Form: 19-3261

Hot Fuss^v¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: David Bass| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 125| BF| D

10/1

Useful on Flat and similar standard over hurdles, including fourth of 22 in the Fred Winter at least year's Cheltenham Festival. Good in-frame efforts at Ascot (second to Wilful) and Sandown (both 2m, good to soft) in recent weeks. Should go well again.

Form: 144-624

Saligo Bay²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Craig Nichol| T: S England| OR: 125| C| D

25/1

Likeable type arrives in the form of his life, making it 5 wins in last 6 starts (including a victory on the Flat) when quickening clear on the run-in at Haydock (2m, good to soft) just before Christmas. Raised another 7 lb but further progress can't be discounted in his current mood.

Form: 313111

Melon³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Michael Kenneally⁽⁵⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 124| D

9/1

Lightly raced improver on Flat for this yard and took well to hurdling last winter, winning juveniles at Doncaster (good to soft) and Wetherby (heavy). Made an encouraging return to action when third of 11 in 17f Cheltenham handicap last month. May build on that and has to enter calculations.

Form: 1614-3

The Hardest Geezer²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Sean Houlihan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 122| D

12/1

Maiden hurdle winner last season who has shown better form in defeat in handicaps this time round, including second to Hardy du Seuil over C&D in November. Good fourth of 15 at Ascot since.

Form: 515-224

Stoner's Choice^t¹⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 10-7| J: Fern O'Brien⁽⁵⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 121| D

100/1

Has yet to fire this season. Not disgraced at Haydock latest but this now 11-y-o didn't really show enough on that occasion to mark him down as the likely winner of a hot handicap such as this.

Form: 0-05605

Poet Laureate³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Freddie Gordon| T: C Gordon| OR: 121| D

15/2

Point recruit who built on an encouraging hurdle debut third when winning 2m Plumpton maiden in November. Only sixth of 7 on 2m Ascot handicap debut but resumed progression when seeing off 12 rivals in Wincanton handicap (soft) last month. Up 8 lb in a stronger race now but may be more to come.

Form: 43-3161

Non-Runners

Bubble Dubi⁶⁹

Weight: 11-1| Age: 9

T: S Edmunds J: Charlie Hammond

Listentoyourheart¹⁵

Weight: 11-0| Age: 7

T: D Skelton J: Miss Heidi Palin

Forecasts

Wilful (85/40), Knickerbockerglory (6/1), Poet Laureate (15/2), Melon (9/1), Hot Fuss (10/1), Spectacularsunrise (10/1), Live Conti (12/1), The Hardest Geezer (12/1), Bubble Dubi (12/1), Listentoyourheart (14/1), Milldam (20/1), Great Fleet (20/1), Go Dante (22/1), Saligo Bay (25/1), No Ordinary Joe (28/1), Stoner's Choice (100/1)

LIVE CONTI is the mount of Harry Skelton from brother Dan's quartet and is taken to leave his Ascot reappearance just before Christmas behind with a new headgear combination fitted now. His stablemate Knickerbockerglory went close in this race last year and could be primed for another bold bid. Hot Fuss, Melon and the thriving Saligo Bay are a few of many others to consider in this cracking handicap.