Johnston Smillie Novices' Hurdle (Novices' Championship Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB Race)

Kelso

13:30

Date 2026-02-13

Distance 2m51y

Class Class 4

Going Heavy

Type Hurdle

Surface Turf

Age Band 4yo+

Prize £5,446

Winning Time 4m 18.84s (slow by 33.84s)

Result

Pos	Horse	SP	Btn
1st	Kaka's Cousin (IRE) Jonjo O'Neill Jr · Jonjo & A J O'Neill	16/5	Won
2nd	Kocktail Bleu (FR) Freddie Gordon · Chris Gordon	EvensF	8.5
3rd	They Want Me (IRE) Theo Gillard · Donald McCain	100/30	16
4th	Mister R (GB) Danny McMenamin · Nicky Richards	5/1	0.2
5th	Au Plaisir (FR) Rian Corcoran · Rebecca Menzies	125/1	7
6th	Ratemenow (IRE) Conor Rabbitt · Susan Corbett	66/1	0.2
7th	Ellistrin Bay (GB) Jamie Hamilton · Donald Whillans	250/1	3.5
8th	Nosy Neighbour (IRE) Nathan Moscrop · Rebecca Menzies	22/1	17
9th	All One Word (IRE) William Maggs · Donald McCain	80/1	9.5
10th	Big Jon (IRE) Ross Chapman · Rebecca Menzies	200/1	1.75
11th	King Kodiak (IRE) Jonathon Bewley · George Bewley	250/1	32

Runners (12)

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
2	Kocktail Bleu Grey J:Freddie Gordon T:Chris Gordon	J:Freddie Gordon T:Chris Gordon	161	—	23-152	122	129	111	34d	—	—	-11	32.2	0.28/1	11/10 48%
The form of his Kempton second reads well and he holds leading claims
1	Kaka's Cousin Bay J:Jonjo O'Neill Jr T:Jonjo & A J O'Neill	J:Jonjo O'Neill Jr T:Jonjo & A J O'Neill	161	—	F2-12	118	123	114	22d	—	—	+1	23.7	0.75/1	3/1 25%
Disputed lead - not fluent 1st - led with one circuit to go - faced challenge 3 out - went clear before last - kept on well - comfortably(op 11/4)
3	They Want Me Bay J:Theo Gillard T:Donald McCain	J:Theo Gillard T:Donald McCain	161	—	1/4-21	114	117	98	46d	—	—	+7	26.7	0.83/1	10/3 23%
Bumped into Idaho Sun on hurdle debut then won over C&D; could have a big part to play
10	Mister R Chestnut J:Danny McMenamin T:Nicky Richards	J:Danny McMenamin T:Nicky Richards	154	—	—	-	-	-	—	—	—	-8	3.3	1.88/1	15/2 12%
From a family connections have done well with; no surprise to see a good run on debut
11	Nosy Neighbour Bay J:Nathan Moscrop T:Rebecca Menzies	J:Nathan Moscrop T:Rebecca Menzies	154	—	54-3	-	111	81	80d	—	—	-1	4.6	5.00/1	20/1 5%
19l third on hurdle debut at Southwell; pedigree suggests he'll come into own over further
12	Ratemenow b/br J:Conor Rabbitt(3) T:Susan Corbett	J:Conor Rabbitt(3) T:Susan Corbett	154	—	4-3545	-	108	99	23d	—	—	-2	0.7	20.00/1	80/1 1%
He's displayed some ability but not enough to suggest he'll be posing a threat today
4	All One Word Bay J:William Maggs(5) T:Donald McCain	J:William Maggs(5) T:Donald McCain	154	—	3/6	-	69	30	20d	—	—	0	2.8	20.00/1	80/1 1%
Third in a point-to-point in 2023; first run since when tailed off at Uttoxeter last month
5	Au Plaisir Grey J:Rian Corcoran(7) T:Rebecca Menzies	J:Rian Corcoran(7) T:Rebecca Menzies	154	t	0300	-	91	65	29d	—	—	0	1.9	37.50/1	150/1 1%
Towards rear - midfield with one circuit to go - no impression from 2 out (vet reported gelding finished lame on his right-hind)(op 100/1 tchd 150/1)
8	King Kodiak Bay J:Jonathon Bewley T:George Bewley	J:Jonathon Bewley T:George Bewley	154	p	75U-0P	-	63	55	47d	—	—	-1	0.4	62.50/1	250/1 0%
Jumped right on occasions and didn't always jump with fluency - mistake 3rd - always behind - tailed off(tchd 200/1)
6	Big Jon Bay J:Ross Chapman T:Rebecca Menzies	J:Ross Chapman T:Rebecca Menzies	154	h	670	-	70	55	29d	—	—	-1	0.4	50.00/1	200/1 0%
Always behind - tailed off(op 125/1)
7	Ellistrin Bay Bay J:Jamie Hamilton T:Donald Whillans	J:Jamie Hamilton T:Donald Whillans	154	tb	3-PPP	-	-	-	46d	—	—	+1	2.5	75.00/1	300/1 0%
Pulled up at triple-figure odds on all three starts over hurdles
NR	Melbourne Ghost Grey J:Sean Quinlan T:Donald Whillans	J:Sean Quinlan T:Donald Whillans	154	—	7	-	-	-	31d	—	—	—	0	—	—
Tailed off at 10-1 in his sole bumper and he's hard to fancy on this first hurdle start

Horse	bet365	William Hill	Boyle Sports	Ladbrokes	Unibet
Kocktail Bleu	evn	11/10	11/10	11/10	Evens
Kaka's Cousin	11/4	3/1	11/4	11/4	5/2
They Want Me	10/3	3/1	16/5	3/1	10/3
Mister R	13/2	11/2	11/2	11/2	15/2
Nosy Neighbour	20/1	18/1	18/1	16/1	16/1
Ratemenow	80/1	66/1	66/1	66/1	66/1
All One Word	80/1	66/1	66/1	50/1	50/1
Au Plaisir	150/1	125/1	125/1	100/1	100/1
King Kodiak	200/1	200/1	200/1	250/1	250/1
Big Jon	200/1	150/1	150/1	125/1	150/1
Ellistrin Bay	300/1	250/1	250/1	250/1	250/1
Melbourne Ghost	-	-	-	-	-

Predictor

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

1st

Kocktail Bleu

32.2

OR: 18 Form: 0 Odds: 14.2

11/10

2nd

They Want Me

26.7

OR: 16 Form: 5 Odds: 5.7

10/3

3rd

Kaka's Cousin

23.7

OR: 17 Form: 0 Odds: 6.7

3/1

Nosy Neighbour

4.6

OR: 0 Form: 3 Odds: 1.6

20/1

Mister R

3.3

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 3.3

15/2

All One Word

2.8

OR: 0 Form: 2.1 Odds: 0.7

80/1

Ellistrin Bay

2.5

OR: 0 Form: 2.1 Odds: 0.4

300/1

Au Plaisir

1.9

OR: 0 Form: 1.5 Odds: 0.4

150/1

Ratemenow

0.7

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0.7

80/1

King Kodiak

0.4

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0.4

250/1

Big Jon

0.4

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0.4

200/1

Melbourne Ghost

OR: 0 Form: 0 Odds: 0

—

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
Kocktail Bleu	122	129	111
Kaka's Cousin	118	123	114
They Want Me	114	117	98
Mister R	—	—	—
Nosy Neighbour	—	111	81
Ratemenow	—	108	99
All One Word	—	69	30
Au Plaisir	—	91	65
King Kodiak	—	63	55
Big Jon	—	70	55
Ellistrin Bay	—	—	—
Melbourne Ghost	—	—	—

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
All One Word	20d ago	Fit
Kaka's Cousin	22d ago	Fit
Ratemenow	23d ago	Fit
Au Plaisir	29d ago	Fit
Big Jon	29d ago	Fit
Melbourne Ghost	31d ago	Fit
Kocktail Bleu	34d ago	Fit
They Want Me	46d ago	Fresh
Ellistrin Bay	46d ago	Fresh
King Kodiak	47d ago	Fresh
Nosy Neighbour	80d ago	Fresh
Mister R	—	—