My Timeform: Three hurdlers to note

By Timeform — published 27th November 2025

Timeform highlight three horses who shaped well last week and earned the Horse In Focus Flag.

Lance Les Des (Timeform rating h102p)

Third, 2m novices' hurdle, Kelso, Tuesday 18 November

A good position in a slowly-run race was no negative to his chance of landing the odds but the good-looking Triple Crown Ted is probably just the best prospect regardless, continuing his stable's monopoly on the novice and maiden hurdles run at Kelso since its opening fixture of the autumn. There was some promise to glean from Lance les Des back in third, too, not at all given a hard time on his return from 13 months off, while he also wasn't best positioned, further back than ideal given how the race was run. He did stay on in the closing stages under considerate handling, though, this run doing a purpose for his next run likely to be in handicaps, and there should be more to come from him.

Catch Catchfire (h108, c103)

Third, 3m1f handicap hurdle, Warwick, Wednesday 19 November

Catch Catchfire was backed at long odds (sent off 7/1) and would have made a winning return for Ian Williams on his first start since February had his effort been delayed a little longer, having gone like much the best horse, moving strongly to the front with most plodding in his wake. Leading on the bridle three out, he kicked on at the next but began to idle as well as tire and was collared only in the final fifty yards, beaten just a nose and a neck into third behind Gwennie May Star. Catch Catchfire will be of interest again, especially back over fences as he won two of his three completed starts in chases last winter, both wins on soft/heavy ground.

Lasko des Obeaux (h101p)

Runner-up, 2m novices' hurdle, Chepstow, Friday 21 November

The gallop steadied appreciably at the end of the back straight, seeing the field group right up, before the market leaders quickened away from the second last, both looking good prospects even if the bare form is nothing out of the ordinary. The Harry Derham-trained Lasko des Obeaux fetched £120,000 after finishing runner-up on his sole start in Irish points and emerged with plenty of credit, jumping soundly but left behind by the speedier winner on the run-in. There is stamina in his pedigree, while he'll more than likely come into his own when seeing a fence, but he's open to plenty of improvement, and is more than capable of winning races over hurdles in the near future.

TIMEFORM RACE CARD PDF DOWNLOADS