14:50 Stratford-On-Avon

Thursday 29 October 2026

Bath

Southwell

Stratford-On-Avon

Ffos Las

Abu Dhabi

Punchestown

Vaal

To Take Place
2m 2f 148y
11 runners
Soft (Good to Soft in places)

Drakaris (Ire)

J: Harry Skelton
T: Dan Skelton
F: 23788-0

Age: 5
Weight: 11st 9lbs
Or: 92

Showed some promise in bumpers last winter. Seemingly being brought along steadily over hurdles by top yard, down the field on reappearance/qualifying run at Worcester (250/1). First-time hood applied for step back up in trip and likely significant that Harry Skelton takes over on handicap debut.

Date	Course	Distance	Going	Pos	Type
07/10/26	Worcester	2m	Gd/Sft	11/12	Hurdle
21/03/26	Bangor-On-Dee	2m 3f 123y	Good	8/10	Hurdle
22/02/26	Hereford	2m 53y	Soft	8/13	Hurdle
04/02/26	Ludlow	1m 7f 169y	Soft	7/11	Hurdle
26/12/25	Sedgefield	2m 178y	Gd/Sft	3/4	Bumper
24/11/25	Sedgefield	2m 178y	Soft	2/5	Bumper

Churchman

J: Jonathan Burke
T: Alastair Ralph
F: 635223-62

Age: 8
Weight: 10st 8lbs
Or: 77

Long-standing maiden who placed on 4 of his final 5 starts of last season, including behind a progressive one here (2¾m) in March. That form reads well in the context of this race, and he makes appeal for a stable who has sent out a few reappearance winners in recent weeks.

Date	Course	Distance	Going	Pos	Type
28/05/26	Worcester	2m 4f	Gd/Sft	2/9	Hurdle
10/05/26	Ludlow	2m 7f 174y	Good	6/8	Hurdle
16/04/26	Hereford	2m 3f 147y	Good	3/8	Hurdle
28/03/26	Stratford-On-Avon	2m 6f 7y	Gd/Sft	2/9	Hurdle
07/03/26	Hereford	2m 3f 147y	Gd/Sft	2/11	Hurdle
13/02/26	Chepstow	2m 3f 100y	Soft	5/11	Hurdle
23/01/26	Warwick	2m 3f	Soft	3/12	Hurdle
31/12/25	Uttoxeter	1m 7f 168y	Soft	6/12	Hurdle
24/11/25	Ludlow	1m 7f 169y	Gd/Sft	3/11	Hurdle
17/03/25	Southwell	3m 60y	Gd/Sft	7/9	Hurdle
27/02/25	Ludlow	2m 5f 55y	Soft	3/9	Hurdle
08/02/25	Uttoxeter	2m 3f 207y	Heavy	4/9	Hurdle
18/01/25	Taunton	2m 3f 1y	Gd/Sft	9/16	Hurdle
18/05/24	Bangor-On-Dee	2m 3f 123y	Good	5/10	Hurdle
04/05/24	Uttoxeter	1m 7f 168y	Soft	3/7	Hurdle
21/04/24	Stratford-On-Avon	2m 2f 148y	Gd/Sft	4/8	Hurdle
29/02/24	Ludlow	1m 7f 169y	Heavy	2/8	Hurdle
27/11/23	Ludlow	1m 7f 169y	Soft	4/12	Hurdle
24/10/23	Hereford	2m 5f 163y	Good	8/9	Hurdle
16/07/23	Stratford-On-Avon	2m 70y	Good	6/11	Hurdle
10/06/23	Bangor-On-Dee	2m 145y	Good	6/12	Hurdle

Milan Milos (Ire)

J: Conor O'Farrell
T: Tom Gretton
F: 50/475431-

Age: 6
Weight: 10st 11lbs
Or: 80

Split a couple of subsequent winners in a small-field event at Fakenham on latest hurdle start in March. Well served by longer trip when off the mark in first-time tongue strap on chasing debut at Plumpton (3¼m) the following month. Now back hurdling over much shorter and may be sharper for a run.

Date	Course	Distance	Going	Pos	Type
05/04/26	Plumpton	3m 1f 157y	Gd/Sft	1/4	Chase
13/03/26	Fakenham	2m 4f 1y	Gd/Sft	3/4	Hurdle
23/01/26	Warwick	2m 3f	Soft	4/12	Hurdle
12/12/25	Doncaster	2m 3f 88y	Soft	5/9	Hurdle
30/10/25	Stratford-On-Avon	2m 2f 148y	Gd/Sft	7/12	Hurdle
09/05/25	Market Rasen	2m 4f 139y	Good	4/6	Hurdle
16/12/24	Plumpton	1m 7f 195y	Gd/Sft	11/12	Hurdle
27/11/24	Market Rasen	2m 125y	Soft	5/6	Hurdle
19/11/24	Fakenham	2m 3y	Gd/Sft	5/6	Hurdle
11/05/24	Warwick	2m	Good	5/6	Bumper
24/04/24	Ludlow	1m 7f 169y	Good	14/16	Bumper
16/03/24	Kempton Park	2m	Gd/Sft	4/15	Bumper

Finjimk (Ire)

J: Kielan Woods
T: Nick Scholfield
F: 78800P

Age: 4
Weight: 10st 10lbs
Or: 81

Little impact in bumper/maiden hurdle runs in Ireland. Similar story in a couple of handicap starts for up-and-coming yard, jumping markedly left when pulled up at Worcester (2m, 22/1) latest.

Date	Course	Distance	Going	Pos	Type
07/10/26	Worcester	2m	Gd/Sft	-/10	Hurdle
26/09/26	Market Rasen	2m 2f 140y	Good	11/11	Hurdle
01/08/26	Galway	2m 175y	Gd/Sft	17/19	Hurdle
23/07/26	Wexford	2m 150y	Good	8/13	Hurdle
06/07/26	Roscommon	1m 7f 204y	Good	8/15	Hurdle
13/06/26	Hexham	2m 48y	Good	7/8	Bumper

Little Pi (Fr)

J: Toby McCain-Mitchell
T: Sam Allwood
F: 6P22133-7

Age: 8
Weight: 11st 6lbs
Or: 89

In good form over hurdles last season, including success in small-field handicap at Huntingdon (19.5f, heavy) in February. Only 1 lb above that winning mark following a pipe-opener at Chepstow earlier this month, and he looks set to go well with good-value claimer again aboard.

Date	Course	Distance	Going	Pos	Type
11/10/26	Chepstow	2m 3f 100y	Soft	7/13	Hurdle
30/03/26	Ludlow	2m 5f 55y	Gd/Sft	3/6	Hurdle
26/02/26	Ludlow	2m 5f 55y	Gd/Sft	3/8	Hurdle
05/02/26	Huntingdon	2m 3f 137y	Heavy	1/6	Hurdle
22/12/25	Huntingdon	2m 3f 137y	Soft	2/11	Hurdle
25/11/25	Hereford	2m 3f 147y	Good	2/12	Hurdle
03/11/25	Hereford	2m 8y	Good	-/12	Chase
15/10/25	Worcester	2m 110y	Gd/Sft	6/13	Chase
13/05/25	Worcester	2m 4f	Gd/Sft	7/9	Hurdle
24/04/25	Bangor-On-Dee	2m 3f 123y	Soft	5/10	Hurdle
29/03/25	Uttoxeter	1m 7f 168y	Gd/Sft	5/8	Hurdle
27/02/25	Ludlow	1m 7f 169y	Soft	7/9	Hurdle
31/01/25	Catterick Bridge	1m 7f 156y	Gd/Sft	6/8	Hurdle
21/02/24	Ludlow	1m 7f 169y	Heavy	-/11	Hurdle
28/01/24	Doncaster	2m 128y	Gd/Sft	15/17	Hurdle
12/01/24	Wincanton	1m 7f 50y	Soft	1/14	Hurdle
27/11/23	Ludlow	1m 7f 169y	Soft	1/12	Hurdle
10/11/23	Exeter	2m 161y	Soft	4/16	Hurdle
13/10/23	Chepstow	2m 11y	Soft	8/12	Hurdle
20/12/22	Ludlow	1m 7f 169y	Soft	12/15	Hurdle
08/12/22	Taunton	2m 104y	Gd/Sft	11/14	Hurdle

Bannister (Fr)

J: Tom Broughton
T: Nick Kent
F: 285-60474

Age: 9
Weight: 11st 0lbs
Or: 83

Has fallen a long way in the weights since his last success at Market Rasen (2¼m) in September 2024. Attracted support at long odds/fared no better than of late when beaten 18½ lengths in first-time cheekpieces (now removed) at the same track last time. Dropped further 3 lb here.

Date	Course	Distance	Going	Pos	Type
08/10/26	Market Rasen	2m 125y	Gd/Frm	4/6	Hurdle
14/09/26	Sedgefield	2m 3f 188y	Good	7/10	Hurdle
19/08/26	Worcester	2m 4f	Good	4/8	Hurdle
24/07/26	Uttoxeter	2m 7f 70y	Gd/Sft	10/16	Hurdle
05/07/26	Market Rasen	2m 4f 139y	Good	6/8	Hurdle
13/11/25	Market Rasen	2m 4f 139y	Gd/Sft	5/7	Hurdle
31/10/25	Wetherby	2m 5f 56y	Good	8/12	Hurdle
27/09/25	Market Rasen	2m 2f 140y	Good	2/10	Hurdle
16/08/25	Market Rasen	2m 2f 140y	Good	6/12	Hurdle
24/07/25	Worcester	2m	Good	6/8	Hurdle
29/06/25	Uttoxeter	1m 7f 168y	Good	8/9	Hurdle
02/06/25	Market Rasen	2m 4f 139y	Gd/Frm	5/6	Hurdle
16/05/25	Aintree	2m 103y	Gd/Frm	4/12	Hurdle
15/10/24	Market Rasen	2m 125y	Good	2/8	Hurdle
28/09/24	Market Rasen	2m 2f 140y	Gd/Frm	1/9	Hurdle
17/08/24	Market Rasen	2m 2f 140y	Gd/Frm	5/13	Hurdle
20/07/24	Market Rasen	2m 125y	Gd/Frm	2/9	Hurdle
07/07/24	Market Rasen	2m 125y	Gd/Frm	4/12	Hurdle
25/04/24	Huntingdon	1m 7f 171y	Good	7/9	Hurdle
03/06/23	Worcester	2m	Good	2/4	Hurdle
01/05/23	Warwick	2m	Gd/Sft	5/8	Hurdle

Wind Your Neck In (Ire)

J: Rebecca Hitchen
T: Sam England
F: 44472215-

Age: 7
Weight: 12st 0lbs
Or: 97

Enthusiastic front runner. Saw off a well-backed handicap newcomer to land first hurdling success at Sedgefield in March. Easy to mitigate for subsequent end-of-season effort at Carlisle. Yard's jumpers generally going well and could have a say if his exuberance is kept in check on return.

Date	Course	Distance	Going	Pos	Type
04/04/26	Carlisle	2m 3f 61y	Good	5/7	Hurdle
10/03/26	Sedgefield	2m 3f 188y	Gd/Sft	1/7	Hurdle
24/02/26	Catterick Bridge	2m 3f 66y	Gd/Sft	2/6	Hurdle
16/02/26	Carlisle	2m 3f 61y	Soft	2/9	Hurdle
01/02/26	Market Rasen	2m 4f 139y	Gd/Sft	7/9	Hurdle
16/01/26	Market Rasen	2m 125y	Gd/Sft	4/9	Hurdle
01/01/26	Catterick Bridge	1m 7f 156y	Good	4/10	Hurdle
04/12/25	Market Rasen	2m 125y	Gd/Sft	4/6	Hurdle
17/11/25	Leicester	1m 7f 113y	Soft	6/7	Hurdle
06/11/25	Sedgefield	2m 178y	Gd/Sft	3/6	Hurdle
30/09/25	Sedgefield	2m 178y	Gd/Frm	5/11	Hurdle
21/07/25	Cartmel	2m 1f 46y	Heavy	4/7	Hurdle
08/07/25	Pontefract	1m 4f 5y	Good	4/5	Flat
14/06/25	Chester	1m 7f 196y	Soft	7/9	Flat
31/05/25	Chester	1m 7f 196y	Good	10/12	Flat
12/05/25	Southwell	1m 7f 182y	Gd/Sft	2/6	Hurdle
27/03/25	Southwell	1m 7f 182y	Good	2/8	Hurdle
15/03/25	Newcastle	2m 190y	Gd/Sft	5/5	Hurdle
22/02/25	Southwell	1m 4f 14y	Std	11/11	Flat
08/02/25	Newcastle	1m 4f 99y	Slow	7/7	Flat
04/10/24	Ascot	1m 7f 209y	Soft	5/7	Flat

Tobi Kanobee (Ire)

J: Ben Godfrey
T: Claire Hitch
F: 6/056503-

Age: 7
Weight: 11st 6lbs
Or: 89

Showed definite ability in a couple of Wincanton maidens (soft/heavy) in January. Gave it a good go from the front when well-held third at Newton Abbot (2¾m) final start last season, and he's edging toward a more realistic mark.

Date	Course	Distance	Going	Pos	Type
14/04/26	Newton Abbot	2m 5f 122y	Gd/Sft	3/9	Hurdle
23/03/26	Wincanton	2m 3f 179y	Good	11/12	Hurdle
20/02/26	Exeter	2m 5f 137y	Heavy	5/7	Hurdle
29/01/26	Wincanton	1m 7f 50y	Heavy	6/17	Hurdle
15/01/26	Wincanton	1m 7f 50y	Soft	5/10	Hurdle
17/11/25	Exeter	2m 161y	Gd/Sft	11/12	Hurdle
28/10/24	Wexford	2m 100y	Heavy	6/6	Bumper

River Glance

J: Lilly Pinchin
T: Emma-Jane Bishop
F: 76/8P705-

Age: 5
Weight: 10st 2lbs
Or: 71

Free-going 5-y-o. Fared no better for the switch to a handicap (despite being tighter in the betting) when beaten 25¾ lengths here (2m) in March. Another breathing operation/slightly longer trip are only hopeful catalysts for improvement on return.

Date	Course	Distance	Going	Pos	Type
28/03/26	Stratford-On-Avon	2m 70y	Gd/Sft	5/11	Hurdle
18/02/26	Ludlow	1m 7f 169y	Soft	10/12	Hurdle
02/02/26	Southwell	1m 7f 182y	Soft	7/10	Hurdle
02/12/25	Southwell	1m 7f 182y	Gd/Sft	-/14	Hurdle
05/11/25	Chepstow	2m 16y	Soft	8/13	Bumper
21/04/25	Chepstow	2m 11y	Gd/Frm	6/9	Bumper
02/03/25	Huntingdon	1m 7f 171y	Gd/Sft	7/14	Bumper

Yanka Blue (Ire)

J: Paul O'Brien
T: Barry John Murphy
F: 5227P443

Age: 5
Weight: 10st 7lbs
Or: 76

Long-standing maiden who finished runner-up to a fair sort over C&D this summer. Has been shaping up better than the bare result in handicaps more recently, too, latterly when well-held third at Hereford. Weighted to be in the hunt for another in-frame finish.

Date	Course	Distance	Going	Pos	Type
13/10/26	Hereford	2m 3f 147y	Gd/Frm	3/7	Hurdle
26/09/26	Market Rasen	2m 2f 140y	Good	4/11	Hurdle
14/09/26	Sedgefield	2m 3f 188y	Good	4/10	Hurdle
09/09/26	Sedgefield	2m 3f 188y	Good	-/7	Hurdle
28/08/26	Sedgefield	2m 178y	Firm	7/10	Hurdle
19/07/26	Newton Abbot	2m 2f 110y	Good	2/8	Hurdle
12/07/26	Stratford-On-Avon	2m 2f 148y	Gd/Frm	2/8	Hurdle
30/06/26	Stratford-On-Avon	2m 2f 148y	Gd/Frm	5/10	Hurdle
13/05/26	Newton Abbot	2m 2f 110y	Gd/Sft	6/7	Hurdle
04/05/26	Fakenham	2m 7f 95y	Good	6/6	Hurdle
12/04/26	Ffos Las	2m 4f	Soft	9/12	Hurdle
21/12/25	Fakenham	2m 3y	Soft	2/8	Hurdle
06/11/25	Sedgefield	2m 178y	Gd/Sft	2/5	Hurdle
23/10/25	Fontwell Park	2m 3f 29y	Gd/Sft	5/7	Hurdle
09/09/25	Newton Abbot	2m 167y	Gd/Sft	4/8	Hurdle
04/09/25	Sedgefield	2m 3f 188y	Good	3/6	Hurdle
21/08/25	Newton Abbot	2m 2f 110y	Good	5/7	Hurdle
25/07/25	Uttoxeter	1m 7f 168y	Good	8/14	Bumper
25/06/25	Worcester	2m	Gd/Frm	6/12	Bumper

Black Dakota (Ire)

J: Robbie David
T: Daisy Hitchins
F: 54643

Age: 7
Weight: 11st 11lbs
Or: 94

Showed more than previously in this sphere when 9½-length third in first-time hood on handicap debut at Fontwell (2¼m) latest. The slightly longer trip can only benefit, for all his pedigree/pointing background suggests he may want further still.

Date	Course	Distance	Going	Pos	Type
03/10/26	Fontwell Park	2m 1f 162y	Gd/Sft	3/8	Hurdle
18/09/26	Newton Abbot	2m 5f 122y	Good	4/7	Hurdle
16/06/26	Stratford-On-Avon	2m 2f 148y	Good	6/10	Hurdle
30/05/26	Listowel	2m 4f 80y	Gd/Sft	4/9	Hurdle
07/05/26	Wexford	2m 7f	Gd/Sft	5/8	Chase

Timeform Verdict

CHURCHMAN's best effort of last season came when runner-up over C&D, and he's taken to break his duck on return for an in-form yard. Drakaris looks interesting sent handicapping by the Skeltons, especially if supported. Little Pi is a solid operator at this level and rates another likely danger in a competitive handicap.

Betting Forecast

11/2 Drakaris (Ire), 9/2 Churchman, 12/1 Milan Milos (Ire), 33/1 Finjimk (Ire), 11/2 Little Pi (Fr), 20/1 Bannister (Fr), 9/1 Wind Your Neck In (Ire), 14/1 Tobi Kanobee (Ire), 20/1 River Glance, 10/1 Yanka Blue (Ire), 10/1 Black Dakota (Ire)