14:30 Fontwell

Wednesday 8 April 2026

All14:3015:0515:4016:1516:4717:17

Mercedes-Benz Of Chichester Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:30 | Winning time: 4m 55.06s

Cluain Chormaic²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Tom Cannon| T: K Jewell| OR: 115

9/4

Finished only mid-field in 2 bumpers but has made more impact over hurdles, backing up his final run for Brian M. McMahon 10 weeks earlier when second of 15 in a maiden at Huntingdon last month. Must enter calculations.

Form: 7-7532

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Graeme The Grey¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: N J Gifford

50/1

Placed on 2 of his 3 outings in bumpers but looks one for later on in this sphere judged on his opening effort at this course 12 days ago.

Form: 24-34

Hardly Surprising^t⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Bryan Carver| T: H Fry| OR: 117| BF

8/11

€80,000 half-brother to smart Fiddlerontheroof. Won sole start in Irish point last spring and again showed promise when third in a Doncaster maiden in January. Ideally wants further but with his form working out well, he must be taken very seriously.

Form: 1-533

Jetaway Holiday^t³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

17/2

£65,000 Jet Away gelding. Dam unraced sister to bumper winner/fairly useful hurdler (stayed 3¼m) Listen And Learn. Beat only other finisher sole start in points and failed to meet expectations starting out under Rules in a tongue strap at Warwick. Switches to hurdles now.

Form: 15

Knight Templar^h²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Bannister| T: R Bandey

28/1

Authorized gelding who was placed on first of 2 starts in Irish points but has run to just a poor level in a pair of maiden hurdles, pulling hard at Fontwell on latest start.

Form: 3/F-08

Maximum Benefit²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Finn Lambert⁽³⁾| T: Miss J S Davis

33/1

Offered a tad more than previously when fifth of 11 in maiden hurdle at this course on most recent outing, albeit ridden with more dash than some.

Form: 56045

Snowski^p1³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: M Goldstein| T: K Jewell

250/1

Showed nothing on last month's debut at Plumpton. Cheekpieces quickly applied.

Form: P

Style De Folie^t¹⁰³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Joe Anderson⁽³⁾| T: Jamie Snowden

50/1

Has a good pedigree but in a tongue strap (having already undergone a breathing operation), made an underwhelming start to his career in a course bumper on Boxing Day.

Form: 5

Testing Patience¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Caoilin Quinn| T: G & J Moore

10/1

Well held in 2 bumpers and was probably flattered by his proximity in a small-field novice at Kempton on hurdles bow 16 days ago.

Form: 3834

Cockney Cleopatra^h¹⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: R P McLernon| T: J & S Best

28/1

Fell on debut in October but has shaped with clear promise on both outings subsequently, latterly in 9-runner maiden at Clonmel in November. Has since left P. M. J. Doyle and appeals as the type to do better still.

Form: F55

Porridge⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Oscar Palmer⁽⁷⁾| T: Tracey Leeson| OR: 51

250/1

Of no account and easily passed over.

Form: 47-PPPP

Mega Etoile³²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: R T Dunne| T: Miss H C Knight

80/1

No impact in 2 bumpers and looks up against it on hurdling debut.

Form: 40

Non-Runners

Dropematthestation³⁹

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: B Pauling J: Ben Jones

Forecasts

Hardly Surprising (8/11), Cluain Chormaic (9/4), Dropematthestation (4/1), Jetaway Holiday (17/2), Testing Patience (10/1), Knight Templar (28/1), Cockney Cleopatra (28/1), Maximum Benefit (33/1), Graeme The Grey (50/1), Style De Folie (50/1), Mega Etoile (80/1), Porridge (250/1), Snowski (250/1)

DROPEMATTHESTATION has shown enough in each of his 3 starts over hurdles to suggest a race of this nature is within his compass and in the hope a breathing operation since his previous start improves his finishing effort, he's fancied to get off the mark. Hardly Surprising ideally needs further but is an obvious threat based on the strength of his form, with Cluain Chormaic and Cockney Cleopatra also in the mix.