Leicester
Monday, 13 April 2026 · 7f · Good To Firm · flat · Class Class 6 · £3,140
Race Assessment
A competitive Class 6 handicap for 3-year-olds over 7f at Leicester. The field is tightly grouped from ratings 46-60, suggesting an open affair where small margins could be crucial.
Key Factors
- •First-time equipment changes
- •Trainer form variations
- •Course specialisation
- •Seasonal debuts after breaks
Going
Good to firm conditions should suit most runners, though some may have shown better form on softer surfaces. The faster ground could expose stamina limitations over 7f.
Pace
Likely to be a steady pace with the draw potentially influential - low draws (1-5) may have slight advantage getting early position. Maximum Velocity and Monk's Hill drawn well to track the pace.
Recommendations (2)
Monk's Hill
win8/10Confidence: 7/10Excellent recent form with good second at Newcastle, trainer hitting 22% winners in last 14 days with profitable course record. Fair value at current odds despite being favourite.
Suggested stake: 2.3% of bank
Starakova
eachway7/10Confidence: 6/10Improved last time and racing off 2lb lower mark. Jockey has excellent 16% course strike rate. Each-way value with 4 places available in this field size.
Suggested stake: 1.5% of bank
Runner Analysis
Creciente
Returning after 195 days off with poor form figures from 2025. The trainer-jockey combination shows profit but overall statistics are concerning.
- + Profitable trainer-jockey combo
- + Owner-trainer combination profitable
- - Long layoff
- - Poor recent form
- - Trainer struggling at course
Fullstop
Adding hood for first time having been tongue-tied last run. Strong trainer-jockey combination with excellent A/E ratio of 1.56, though general form remains modest.
- + Excellent trainer-jockey A/E ratio
- + First-time hood
- + Recent run
- - Modest overall form
- - Went freely last time
Castlekeely
Switched stables and gelded since last run for James Owen who has good course record. The yard change and gelding operation could spark improvement.
- + Stable switch to profitable trainer at distance
- + Recently gelded
- + Trainer 17% strike rate at distance
- - Long break
- - Needs to improve significantly
Space Moon
Showed improvement on handicap debut and trainer-jockey combination is profitable. First run on turf could reveal further improvement.
- + Improving form
- + Profitable trainer-jockey combo
- + Turf debut
- - Trainer out of form recently
- - Unproven on turf
Shimmering Spirit
Modest form in novice company but trainer has excellent course record. Switch to handicaps could help but needs significant improvement.
- + Trainer 12% strike rate at course
- + Jockey 17% course strike rate
- - Poor recent form
- - Trainer struggling at distance
- - Needs big step forward
Euphonia
Wasn't disgraced last time in handicap company and now racing off a reduced mark. Stable in decent form.
- + Reduced handicap mark
- + Not disgraced last run
- + Trainer-jockey profitable combo
- - Yet to win in 6 attempts
- - Trainer poor strike rate at distance
Give Me Sun
Long break and poor juvenile form. Trainer-jockey combination shows promise but needs major improvement.
- + Profitable trainer-jockey A/E
- + First handicap
- - 208 days off
- - Poor juvenile form
- - Trainer poor at course
Maximum Velocity
Shaped well on return but disappointed subsequently. Trainer has good course record and the horse has shown some ability.
- + Good course record for trainer
- + Shaped well on return
- + Owner profitable at course
- - Disappointing recent run
- - Poor trainer distance record
Hurricane Ann
Trainer has excellent course record (21% strike rate) but form has been inconsistent. Raced wide last time which may excuse poor run.
- + Trainer 21% course strike rate
- + Excuse for last run
- - Inconsistent form
- - Jockey-trainer combination winless
She's Crafty
Stable switch could help but poor recent form and long break are concerns. Trainer-jockey combination shows promise.
- + Profitable trainer-jockey combo
- + Stable switch
- - 104 days off
- - Poor recent form
- - Trainer struggling at course
Tickettothestars
Good recent fourth suggests she's finding form. Eased in weights and trainer hitting some winners.
- + Good recent fourth
- + Dropped 1lb
- + Trainer in form
- - 0-10 record
- - Jockey-trainer combination struggling
Starakova
Improved last time and racing off lower mark. Jockey has excellent course record (16% strike rate).
- + Improved last run
- + 2lb lower mark
- + Jockey 16% course strike rate
- - Trainer struggling recently
- - Poor trainer course record
Diamond Ali
Best form was at this course but failed to build on it. Long break and headgear change might help.
- + Course winner
- + First-time cheekpieces
- - 122 days off
- - Poor recent form
- - Trainer struggling at course
Monk's Hill
Good recent second and trainer in excellent form (22% strike rate). Well positioned in the betting and conditions suit.
- + Good recent second
- + Trainer 22% recent form
- + Trainer profitable at course
- - Unchanged mark
- - Jockey-trainer combination struggling
Petes Diamond
Poor form on AW and needs major improvement. Turf debut could help but statistics are concerning.
- + Turf debut
- + Jockey decent at course
- - Poor AW form
- - Jockey-trainer combination winless
- - Last of 8 last time
Calabrian Soldato
Adding hood after break but poor recent form and trainer struggling. Needs significant improvement.
- + First-time hood
- + Good form end of 2025
- - Poor 2026 form
- - Trainer struggling
- - Failed to fire this year
Nando's Pride
Poor form and trainer struggling at course. First-time cheekpieces unlikely to transform this one.
- + First-time cheekpieces
- + Turf debut
- - Poor overall form
- - Trainer 4% course strike rate
- - Showed little promise
No Value
Improving form and good trainer-jockey combo but odds of 6.5 offer no edge
Shaped well on return and trainer has good course record but fairly priced at 6.5
Avoid
Failed to fire in three runs this year, last of six most recently
Poor form throughout career with trainer struggling badly at course (4% strike rate)
Runners (17)
| Pos | Draw | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | OR | Weight | Odds | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | 1 | Hurricane Ann | Marco Ghiani | Peter Chapple-Hyam | 56 | 131lbs | 17.0 | 6/10 |
| - | 2 | Castlekeely | Mason Paetel(5) | James Owen | 60 | 135lbs | 7.5 | 7/10 |
| - | 3 | Give Me Sun | Benoit De La Sayette | Patrick Owens | 56 | 131lbs | 21.0 | 3/10 |
| - | 4 | Maximum Velocity | Charles Bishop | Nigel Tinkler | 56 | 131lbs | 6.5 | 5/10 |
| - | 5 | Monk's Hill | Clifford Lee | Ivan Furtado | 50 | 125lbs | 4.5 | 8/10 |
| - | 6 | Shimmering Spirit | Faye McManoman | Nigel Tinkler | 57 | 132lbs | 17.0 | 4/10 |
| - | 7 | Euphonia | Kieran Shoemark | Ed Walker | 57 | 132lbs | 15.0 | 5/10 |
| - | 8 | Calabrian Soldato | Warren Fentiman(3) | Lemos De Souza | 46 | 121lbs | 29.0 | 3/10 |
| - | 9 | Space Moon | David Allan | Brian Ellison | 58 | 133lbs | 6.5 | 5/10 |
| - | 10 | Fullstop | Ray Dawson | Grace Harris | 60 | 135lbs | 15.0 | 6/10 |
| - | 11 | Starakova | Edward Greatrex | Warren Greatrex | 51 | 126lbs | 9.5 | 7/10 |
| - | 12 | Petes Diamond | Finley Marsh | Joey Ramsden | 49 | 124lbs | 23.0 | 3/10 |
| - | 13 | Nando's Pride | Joe Leavy | Mark Loughnane | 46 | 121lbs | 26.0 | 3/10 |
| - | 14 | Tickettothestars | Jack Doughty | Rod Millman | 51 | 126lbs | 10.0 | 6/10 |
| - | 15 | Diamond Ali | Dylan Hogan | Julia & Shelley Birkett | 50 | 125lbs | 19.0 | 4/10 |
| - | 16 | She's Crafty | Callum Shepherd | George Margarson | 55 | 130lbs | 17.0 | 4/10 |
| - | 17 | Creciente | Lewis Edmunds | Rod Millman | 60 | 135lbs | 23.0 | 3/10 |