Ascot Rotary Club Festive Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Ascot

15:35

Date 2025-12-20

Distance 1m7f157y

Class Class 1

Going Good To Soft

Type Hurdle

Surface Turf

Age Band 3yo+

Prize £71,188

Winning Time 3m 42.46s (slow by 4.16s)

Result

Pos	Horse	SP	Btn
1st	Wilful (IRE) Jonjo O'Neill Jr · Jonjo & A J O'Neill	15/2	Won
2nd	Hot Fuss (IRE) David Bass · Tom Dascombe	33/1	2.75
3rd	Alexei (GER) Brendan Powell · Joe Tizzard	85/40F	1.25
4th	Mondo Man (GB) Caoilin Quinn · Gary & Josh Moore	7/2	5
5th	Helnwein (IRE) Tom Bellamy · Alan King	12/1	3
6th	Welsh Charger (IRE) Jonathan Burke · Alastair Ralph	20/1	9
7th	Wreckless Eric (GB) Kielan Woods · Jonjo & A J O'Neill	12/1	.5
8th	Faivoir (FR) Miss Heidi Palin · Dan Skelton	28/1	.5
9th	Joyeuse (FR) Nico de Boinville · Nicky Henderson	16/1	.5
10th	Live Conti (FR) Harry Skelton · Dan Skelton	18/1	2.5
11th	Sticktotheplan (FR) Sean Bowen · Olly Murphy	18/1	1.5
12th	Fiercely Proud (IRE) Ben Jones · Ben Pauling	8/1	0.1
13th	Hardy Du Seuil (FR) Isabelle Ryder · Jamie Snowden	33/1	11

Runners (13)

EW Terms: 3 places, ¼ odds (standard bookmaker terms — may vary)

#	Horse	Jockey / Trainer	Wt	Gear	Form	OR	RPR	TS	Last	Crs	Dst	Val	Scr	EW	Odds
1	Alexei Bay J:Brendan Powell T:Joe Tizzard	J:Brendan Powell T:Joe Tizzard	168	t	48-211	147	149	128	34d	—	—	+9	30.9	0.75/1	3/1 25%
Improving quickly, winning here and at Cheltenham last two starts; high on the list
12	Mondo Man Chestnut J:Caoilin Quinn T:Gary & Josh Moore	J:Caoilin Quinn T:Gary & Josh Moore	144	—	239-2	123	148	121	23d	—	—	+9	29.4	0.83/1	10/3 23%
Useful Flat racer; 0-4 over hurdles but looks well treated for handicap debut; big player
6	Fiercely Proud Bay J:Ben Jones T:Ben Pauling	J:Ben Jones T:Ben Pauling	156	p	61PP-5	135	149	143	34d	—	—	+13	24.3	1.88/1	15/2 12%
Won this 12 months ago and shaped nicely on reappearance; interesting contender
5	Wilful Brown J:Jonjo O'Neill Jr T:Jonjo & A J O'Neill	J:Jonjo O'Neill Jr T:Jonjo & A J O'Neill	156	—	4P1-23	135	151	126	69d	—	—	+14	24.1	1.75/1	7/1 13%
Pleasing return from break when third at Chepstow; should be in the thick of things again
8	Helnwein Bay J:Tom Bellamy T:Alan King	J:Tom Bellamy T:Alan King	154	—	372-22	133	148	136	34d	—	—	+16	22.7	3.00/1	12/1 8%
Chased home clearcut winner Alexei in the Greatwood; obvious each-way claims again
10	Wreckless Eric Chestnut J:Kielan Woods T:Jonjo & A J O'Neill	J:Kielan Woods T:Jonjo & A J O'Neill	150	—	12620-	129	149	147	260d	—	—	+22	28.5	3.50/1	14/1 7%
Unlucky second in the Imperial Cup and had an excuse next time; well worth considering
2	Live Conti Bay J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton	J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton	164	—	112-	143	140	111	261d	—	—	+36	41.9	4.50/1	18/1 5%
Lightly raced 4yo; runner-up in Aintree Grade 1 novice; reappears with stacks of potential
4	Joyeuse Grey J:Nico de Boinville T:Nicky Henderson	J:Nico de Boinville T:Nicky Henderson	161	—	169-22	140	147	-	15d	—	—	+19	23.9	4.00/1	16/1 6%
Beaten favourite in two chases this season; will need career best back over hurdles
3	Sticktotheplan Grey J:Sean Bowen T:Olly Murphy	J:Sean Bowen T:Olly Murphy	163	—	212113	142	146	128	28d	—	—	+38	42.9	4.50/1	18/1 5%
Grade 2 novice winner and better than result suggests last time; not dismissed lightly
9	Welsh Charger Bay J:Jonathan Burke T:Alastair Ralph	J:Jonathan Burke T:Alastair Ralph	150	—	715-04	129	148	120	34d	—	—	+16	21.1	5.00/1	20/1 5%
Fourth to Alexei in the Greatwood was a respectable effort but others have more potential
7	Faivoir Bay J:Miss Heidi Palin(7) T:Dan Skelton	J:Miss Heidi Palin(7) T:Dan Skelton	155	—	526/83	134	148	120	34d	—	—	+18	22	6.25/1	25/1 4%
Veteran; third to Alexei in the Greatwood at Cheltenham; others appeal more for the win
13	Hot Fuss Bay J:David Bass T:Tom Dascombe	J:David Bass T:Tom Dascombe	144	v	2144-6	123	138	123	21d	—	—	+16	19	8.25/1	33/1 3%
Fourth at Cheltenham Festival but not at best in three runs since; enough to prove
11	Hardy Du Seuil Bay J:Isabelle Ryder(7) T:Jamie Snowden	J:Isabelle Ryder(7) T:Jamie Snowden	149	p	503-31	128	150	111	27d	—	—	+18	20.2	16.50/1	66/1 1%
Ended losing run at Windsor last month; back up 5lb and faces much stronger opposition

Horse	bet365	William Hill	Boyle Sports	Ladbrokes	Unibet
Alexei	11/4	3/1	11/4	11/4	3/1
Mondo Man	3/1	10/3	3/1	3/1	3/1
Fiercely Proud	7/1	15/2	15/2	15/2	15/2
Wilful	7/1	13/2	13/2	13/2	13/2
Helnwein	11/1	11/1	11/1	10/1	12/1
Wreckless Eric	14/1	12/1	12/1	11/1	14/1
Live Conti	14/1	12/1	14/1	18/1	12/1
Joyeuse	16/1	16/1	16/1	16/1	16/1
Sticktotheplan	16/1	16/1	16/1	18/1	14/1
Welsh Charger	20/1	20/1	20/1	20/1	20/1
Faivoir	25/1	25/1	25/1	25/1	25/1
Hot Fuss	33/1	33/1	33/1	33/1	28/1
Hardy Du Seuil	40/1	33/1	40/1	66/1	50/1

Predictor

Scored on Official Rating (max 30), Recent Form (max 25), and Market Odds (max 20). Max score: 75.

1st

Sticktotheplan

42.9

OR: 23 Form: 18.5 Odds: 1.4

18/1

2nd

Live Conti

41.9

OR: 23.3 Form: 17 Odds: 1.6

18/1

3rd

Alexei

30.9

OR: 24.3 Form: 0 Odds: 6.7

3/1

Mondo Man

29.4

OR: 18.3 Form: 5 Odds: 6.2

10/3

Wreckless Eric

28.5

OR: 19.8 Form: 7 Odds: 1.7

14/1

Fiercely Proud

24.3

OR: 21.3 Form: 0 Odds: 3.1

15/2

Wilful

24.1

OR: 21.3 Form: 0 Odds: 2.9

7/1

Joyeuse

23.9

OR: 22.5 Form: 0 Odds: 1.4

16/1

Helnwein

22.7

OR: 20.8 Form: 0 Odds: 1.9

12/1

Faivoir

OR: 21 Form: 0 Odds: 1

25/1

Welsh Charger

21.1

OR: 19.8 Form: 0 Odds: 1.4

20/1

Hardy Du Seuil

20.2

OR: 19.5 Form: 0 Odds: 0.7

66/1

Hot Fuss

OR: 18.3 Form: 0 Odds: 0.8

33/1

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
Alexei	147	149	128
Live Conti	143	140	111
Sticktotheplan	142	146	128
Joyeuse	140	147	—
Fiercely Proud	135	149	143
Wilful	135	151	126
Faivoir	134	148	120
Helnwein	133	148	136
Wreckless Eric	129	149	147
Welsh Charger	129	148	120
Hardy Du Seuil	128	150	111
Mondo Man	123	148	121
Hot Fuss	123	138	123

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
Joyeuse	15d ago	Fit
Hot Fuss	21d ago	Fit
Mondo Man	23d ago	Fit
Hardy Du Seuil	27d ago	Fit
Sticktotheplan	28d ago	Fit
Alexei	34d ago	Fit
Fiercely Proud	34d ago	Fit
Helnwein	34d ago	Fit
Welsh Charger	34d ago	Fit
Faivoir	34d ago	Fit
Wilful	69d ago	Fresh
Wreckless Eric	260d ago	Long break
Live Conti	261d ago	Long break