18:12 Hereford

Tuesday 5 May 2026

All17:4218:1218:4719:1719:4720:17

Safer Gambling At CopyBet Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 18:12 | Winning time: 3m 52.77s

Alex The Great¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Lily Pinchin| T: A W Carroll| D

28/1

Regressive on the Flat and was never competitive after a scrappy jump at the second when tried hurdling over C&D last month.

Form: 9-

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Delta Legend³⁸²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Charlie Price| T: S-J Davies

100/1

Modest handicapper on Flat (stays 1½m) who won twice at Lingfield in 2024 but below form last year. Has left Michael Keady ahead of this switch to hurdling.

Form:

Haderach^h1,t1¹⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Daire James McConville⁽⁷⁾| T: Stephen AllenWS

150/1

Soundly beaten in 2 minor events on the Flat in 2024 for Charlie Fellowes and has since been pulled up in a pair of 2m Huntingdon maiden hurdles. Hood and tongue strap combination now applied (also had a breathing operation).

Form: PP-

Machete Beach³⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden

2/7

Fairly useful Flat performer, scoring twice over 1½m for Harry Charlton in 2024. Offered plenty to work on switched to hurdling when third of 8 at Plumpton (2m) last May and seems sure to do better.

Form: 3-

The Craftymaster¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: A W Carroll| D

17/2

Fair performer on the Flat, resuming winning ways in a change of headgear at Lingfield in March (2m). Ran poorly on rare turf start at Bath last time ahead of this switch to hurdling.

Form:

Backer Bilk¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Nick Slatter⁽³⁾| T: D Killahena & G McPherson

15/2

Modest 1¼m handicap winner on the Flat who was given a considerate introduction to hurdling over C&D last month, closing up late without being knocked about.

Form: 7-

Whatcombe^p¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: R P McLernon| T: Faye Bramley

7/1

Went the wrong way on the Flat and little promise in 2 runs over hurdles, dropping away tamely at Chepstow latest.

Form: 40-

Non-Runners

Noble Don⁴⁵

Weight: 11-4| Age: 7

T: D J Jeffreys J: J J Burke

Forecasts

Machete Beach (2/7), Noble Don (6/1), Whatcombe (7/1), Backer Bilk (15/2), The Craftymaster (17/2), Alex The Great (28/1), Delta Legend (100/1), Haderach (150/1)

MACHETE BEACH, a lightly-raced dual winner on the Flat for Harry Charlton, showed enough on his hurdling debut at Plumpton last May to believe he'll reach a similar standard over hurdles, so he's a straightforward choice to come out on top in what looks a notably weak maiden. Backer Bilk was given a considerate introduction to hurdling over C&D last month and is entitled to build on that, while The Craftymaster, a dual winner at up to 2m on the level this year, won't fail for stamina.