19:15 Sedgefield

Friday 28 August 2026

All16:2517:0017:3218:0518:4019:1519:50

MW Civils & Groundworks Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 19:16 | Winning time: 4m 36.40s

Aimeric⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 96

17/2

Useful at best on Flat (stays 1¾m) for Karl Burke but only limited encouragement across 3 hurdles starts for this yard. Potentially well treated on form on the level now switched to handicap company.

Form: 4-44

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American Empire^p1,t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Theo Gillard| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 94

14/1

Fair bumper winner who ran to a similar level over hurdles when third in a Hereford maiden in April. Well beaten in 2 handicaps this summer, though, so makes little appeal upped in trip and in first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 243-337

Indian Sunbird³⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: James Best| T: Sara Ender| OR: 93

12/1

Dual winner around 3m in the first half of last season. Back to form at the second time of asking after a break when second over 3m at Southwell (good) in June and has shaped as if still in decent heart under very patient rides both starts since. This the shortest trip he's tackled for some time.

Form: 15-3264

William Yeats^t¹⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 93| C

5/4

Sedgefield bumper winner at the second attempt when trained by Rebecca Menzies. Seemingly brought along gradually across his qualifying runs but didn't immediately improve when third of 15 over 17f here on handicap debut. Longer trip will suit if ready after a 5-month break, though.

Form: 215633-

Lipstick Traces⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Callum Bewley| T: Justin Landy| OR: 92

25/1

Placed all 3 starts in bumpers and in a couple of mares maiden hurdles in the spring but isn't especially progressive and was below form on the back of a fall when fifth of 8 in novice hurdle at Uttoxeter (2½m, good) 44 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut from stiff-looking opening mark.

Form: 53-35F5

Pepite De Saphir^t⁸⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: R Menzies| OR: 91

33/1

Showed some promise in maiden/novice hurdles for Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole and offered more than on yard debut when fourth of 7 in handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter (2½m, good to soft, 80/1) 85 days ago, albeit finding less than looked likely. Starting to look well treated.

Form: 8462/P4

Top Flight Century^p³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Joshua Thompson⁽⁵⁾| T: D Thompson| OR: 89| CD

11/1

C&D winner who returned to form when 2¾ lengths third in a competitive race for the grade at Perth (2½m) at the start of last month but was never going well when eighth of 9 in a handicap hurdle at Cartmel (2¾m, good) 39 days ago. Place claims if able to bounce back.

Form: P6-4538

Makinbecon^p,t⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Callum Pritchard| T: B J Murphy| OR: 85| BF

13/2

Resumed his progress in first-time tongue tie when landing 8-runner handicap hurdle at Market Rasen (21f) last month but ran poorly at Newton Abbot last time and he arrives here with yard struggling for form.

Form: 9-51316

Lillistar²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: B S Hughes| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 79

4/1

Off the mark at Wolverhampton on the Flat in October prior to posting 3 solid in frame efforts over hurdles. Not really convincing on turf this Flat season, albeit not ideally placed when fourth of 9 at Catterick (2m, firm) 24 days ago and others make more appeal back hurdling.

Form: 342FP5-

Non-Runners

Socks Off²²⁰

Weight: 11-12| Age: 9

T: K Frost J: Lee Edwards

Forecasts

William Yeats (5/4), Lillistar (4/1), Makinbecon (13/2), Socks Off (7/1), Aimeric (17/2), Top Flight Century (11/1), Indian Sunbird (12/1), American Empire (14/1), Lipstick Traces (25/1), Pepite De Saphir (33/1)

WILLIAM YEATS should benefit from this step up in trip and he's an interesting proposition making his second handicap outing after a 5-month break. Pepite De Saphir showed enough last time to suggest she can prove competitive from this reduced mark and makes most appeal of the remainder.