Virgin Bet EBF "National Hunt" Maiden Hurdle (Qualifier) (GBB Race)

Doncaster

12:45

Date 2026-01-23

Distance 2m3f88y

Class Class 4

Going Soft

Type Hurdle

Surface Turf

Age Band 4-7yo

Prize £6,535

Winning Time 4m 49.80s (slow by 17.80s)

Result

Pos	Horse	SP	Btn
1st	Rathkenny (IRE) Conor O'Farrell · Neil Mulholland	11/2	Won
2nd	West Hill Verde (FR) Brian Hughes · Seamus Mullins	5/2	2.75
3rd	Hardly Surprising (IRE) Bryan Carver · Harry Fry	11/8F	4.25
4th	Name Me Nicely (IRE) Tom Bellamy · Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls	28/1	7
5th	Dig Deep (IRE) Ben Jones · Ben Pauling	9/2	1.25
6th	Kastellion (FR) Toby Wynne · Mel Rowley	33/1	12
7th	Agent Argylle (IRE) Finn Lambert · Richard Phillips	80/1	12
8th	Les's Destiny Star (IRE) Kielan Woods · Ben Pauling	40/1	23

Non-Runners / Other

Status	Horse	SP
P.U.	Berks And Bucks (IRE) Brendan Powell · Lucy Wadham	100/1
P.U.	Danger Nap (IRE) Jonjo O'Neill Jr · Jonjo & A J O'Neill	33/1
P.U.	Mulinas (GB) Sam Twiston-Davies · Paul Nicholls	14/1
P.U.	Scrumpyjack (GB) Daire McConville · Charlie Longsdon	150/1
P.U.	Tierbay (GB) Lee Edwards · Claire Dyson	300/1

Runners (15)

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
5	Hardly Surprising Bay J:Bryan Carver T:Harry Fry	J:Bryan Carver T:Harry Fry	164	t	1-53	-	115	84	55d	—	1W/1P 1 run	-22	21.2	0.25/1	Evens 50%
In touch with leaders - headway before 2 out - weakened before last(op 10/11)
14	West Hill Verde Bay J:Brian Hughes T:Seamus Mullins	J:Brian Hughes T:Seamus Mullins	164	—	98-533	123	125	111	35d	—	—	+3	24.9	0.63/1	5/2 29%
A good looker who is progressing well; sets the standard on latest third at Ascot
4	Dig Deep Bay J:Ben Jones T:Ben Pauling	J:Ben Jones T:Ben Pauling	164	—	2-226	118	117	102	35d	—	—	+10	24.9	1.13/1	9/2 18%
Unlikely at this best last time at Ascot and stable has won this race twice in three years
12	Rathkenny Bay J:Conor O'Farrell T:Neil Mulholland	J:Conor O'Farrell T:Neil Mulholland	164	—	21-13	-	96	68	28d	—	—	-6	2.2	2.75/1	11/1 8%
Point/bumper winner; beaten a long way into third on his hurdling debut at Fontwell
9	Mulinas Bay J:Sam Twiston-Davies T:Paul Nicholls	J:Sam Twiston-Davies T:Paul Nicholls	164	h	123/	-	-	-	647d	—	—	+7	13.2	3.50/1	14/1 7%
Point form reads really well and ran okay in two small-field bumpers; off since April 24
10	Name Me Nicely Grey J:Tom Bellamy T:Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls	J:Tom Bellamy T:Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls	164	—	3/6-7U	-	104	40	41d	—	—	-2	2.7	5.50/1	22/1 4%
In the process of showing improved form when departing late on over C&D last month
8	Les's Destiny Star Bay J:Kielan Woods T:Ben Pauling	J:Kielan Woods T:Ben Pauling	164	—	2/0-4P	-	100	76	35d	—	—	+1	3.2	16.50/1	66/1 1%
33-1 when pulled up at Ascot in the maiden in which West Hill Verde finished third
3	Danger Nap Bay J:Jonjo O'Neill Jr T:Jonjo & A J O'Neill	J:Jonjo O'Neill Jr T:Jonjo & A J O'Neill	164	—	250-6	-	96	67	89d	—	—	-2	0.6	16.50/1	66/1 1%
6	Kastellion Bay J:Toby Wynne T:Mel Rowley	J:Toby Wynne T:Mel Rowley	164	—	2-64	-	97	78	54d	—	—	+2	4	20.00/1	80/1 1%
Beaten 27l and 47l in first two starts over hurdles; returns from wind surgery
1	Agent Argylle Bay J:Finn Lambert(3) T:Richard Phillips	J:Finn Lambert(3) T:Richard Phillips	164	—	5-18	-	-	-	27d	—	—	-1	0.5	20.00/1	80/1 1%
Point winner; only 8th in a bumper but very stoutly bred; can improve now sent further
2	Berks And Bucks Bay J:Brendan Powell T:Lucy Wadham	J:Brendan Powell T:Lucy Wadham	164	—	57	-	-	-	43d	—	—	-1	0.4	31.25/1	125/1 1%
Second bumper run was better but he wouldn't be the obvious answer on this hurdling debut
13	Scrumpyjack Chestnut J:Daire McConville(7) T:Charlie Longsdon	J:Daire McConville(7) T:Charlie Longsdon	164	—	0-	-	-	-	398d	—	—	-1	0.3	50.00/1	200/1 0%
Finished tailed off in a Hereford bumper on debut and that was over a year ago
15	Tierbay Bay J:Lee Edwards T:Claire Dyson	J:Lee Edwards T:Claire Dyson	157	—	99	-	-	-	43d	—	—	-1	0.3	75.00/1	300/1 0%
Insufficient promise in two Warwick bumpers to seriously consider for this hurdling debut
NR	Kiwi Rush Bay J:TBC T:Harry Derham	J: T:Harry Derham	164	t	612-45	-	114	100	22d	—	—	—	0	—	—
Kelso bumper winner; positives to take from both runs over hurdles; each-way claims
NR	Passing Diamond Bay J:TBC T:Neil Mulholland	J: T:Neil Mulholland	164	—	21-436	-	80	41	44d	—	—	—	0	—	—
Ability in Ireland but needs to step up loads on last month's stable/hurdle debut

Horse	bet365	Coral	Virgin Bet
Hardly Surprising	evn	10/11	Evens
West Hill Verde	5/2	5/2	5/2
Dig Deep	9/2	9/2	9/2
Rathkenny	11/1	10/1	10/1
Mulinas	14/1	12/1	14/1
Name Me Nicely	22/1	22/1	22/1
Les's Destiny Star	50/1	66/1	50/1
Danger Nap	66/1	50/1	50/1
Kastellion	80/1	66/1	80/1
Agent Argylle	80/1	66/1	66/1
Berks And Bucks	125/1	100/1	125/1
Scrumpyjack	200/1	125/1	150/1
Tierbay	300/1	300/1	300/1
Kiwi Rush	-	-	-
Passing Diamond	-	-	-

Predictor

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

1st

West Hill Verde

24.9

OR: 18.3 Form: 0 Odds: 6.7

5/2

2nd

Dig Deep

24.9

OR: 17 Form: 3.5 Odds: 4.4

9/2

3rd

Hardly Surprising

21.2

OR: 0 Form: 7 Odds: 14.2

Evens

Mulinas

13.2

OR: 0 Form: 11.5 Odds: 1.7

14/1

Kastellion

OR: 0 Form: 3.5 Odds: 0.5

80/1

Les's Destiny Star

3.2

OR: 0 Form: 2.5 Odds: 0.7

66/1

Name Me Nicely

2.7

OR: 0 Form: 1.5 Odds: 1.2

22/1

Rathkenny

2.2

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 2.2

11/1

Danger Nap

0.6

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0.6

66/1

Agent Argylle

0.5

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0.5

80/1

Berks And Bucks

0.4

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0.4

125/1

Scrumpyjack

0.3

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0.3

200/1

Tierbay

0.3

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0.3

300/1

Kiwi Rush

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0

—

Passing Diamond

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0

—

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
West Hill Verde	123	125	111
Dig Deep	118	117	102
Hardly Surprising	—	115	84
Rathkenny	—	96	68
Mulinas	—	—	—
Name Me Nicely	—	104	40
Les's Destiny Star	—	100	76
Danger Nap	—	96	67
Kastellion	—	97	78
Agent Argylle	—	—	—
Berks And Bucks	—	—	—
Scrumpyjack	—	—	—
Tierbay	—	—	—
Kiwi Rush	—	114	100
Passing Diamond	—	80	41

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
Kiwi Rush	22d ago	Fit
Agent Argylle	27d ago	Fit
Rathkenny	28d ago	Fit
West Hill Verde	35d ago	Fit
Dig Deep	35d ago	Fit
Les's Destiny Star	35d ago	Fit
Name Me Nicely	41d ago	Fit
Berks And Bucks	43d ago	Fit
Tierbay	43d ago	Fit
Passing Diamond	44d ago	Fit
Kastellion	54d ago	Fresh
Hardly Surprising	55d ago	Fresh
Danger Nap	89d ago	Fresh
Scrumpyjack	398d ago	Long break
Mulinas	647d ago	Long break