December 09 / 15.30 Lingfield

15.30

Soft

Best Odds Guaranteed At BetMGM Conditional Jockeys’ Veterans’ Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £4700.09
  • 2m 4f 0y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Best Odds Guaranteed At BetMGM Conditional Jockeys’ Veterans’ Handicap Chase

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

6/4 (Won)

  • Win: £3.50
  • Place: £1.80

Form: 2548-3 D

Last run: 43 days

W: 11st 13lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
Five-time chase winner; finished last season on a low note but reappeared, following wind surgery, with a fair effort in third of four finishers in a similar race at Wincanton (2m4f, good) in October; has won on heavy and needs to be taken seriously off 9lb lower than his most recent win.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

18th Mar 2025

Good

2m 3f 48y

Class 3

15:17 Exeter

Le Ligerien

11st 1lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

prominent, pressed leader 6th

11/8

8/1

  • Place: £1.90

Form: F11P-0 D

Last run: 41 days

W: 11st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Won a Chepstow chase (2m3f, heavy) in February then the only finisher there the following month but ended the season on a low when pulling up at Haydock in March; failed to get involved on October's return but that run might have been needed; others still make more appeal.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

3rd May 2025

Good

2m 4f 189y

Class 4

16:45 Uttoxeter

Thor De Cerisy

11st 5lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Neil Mulholland

raced in last but in touch with leaders, outpaced after 4 out, weakened 2 out

8/1

4th

3

3rd May 2025

Good

2m 4f 189y

Class 4

16:45 Uttoxeter

Thor De Cerisy

11st 5lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Neil Mulholland

raced in last but in touch with leaders, outpaced after 4 out, weakened 2 out

8/1

3rd

4

5th Apr 2025

Good

2m 7f 131y

Class 4

14:15 Chepstow

Thor De Cerisy

11st 3lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Neil Mulholland

took keen hold, in touch with leaders, headway and went second before 3 out, not fluent 2 out, soon outpaced, not fluent last, weakened and lost second run-in

7/1

Form: 51357- C

Last run: 319 days

W: 11st 7lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Largely reliable; won 1m7f Wetherby chase (soft) off this mark last November and his third of six finishers at Newbury the following month was another decent performance; however, subsequent efforts that season were poor; drops in class returning from a break with a point to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

5

1st Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 14y

Class 3

13:10 Kelso

Gallic Geordie

10st 7lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Samuel Drinkwater

12yo who doesn't appear to be as good as he was and hasn't really threatened this season, but he's been a fair third on two of his last three starts and continues to edge down the weights; might not be far away.

16/1

3

19th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 78y

Class 4

14:50 Doncaster

Gallic Geordie

11st 6lb

J: Ned Fox

T: Samuel Drinkwater

Now 12 but showed when third of six at Lingfield (2m4f, soft) in December that he retains plenty of spark; effective on good to soft ground earlier in career; mid-race unseat at Wetherby last time; possible player.

9/2

7

1st Feb 2025

Soft

2m 3f 85y

Class 3

14:08 Wetherby

Gallic Geordie

11st 2lb

J: Ned Fox

T: Samuel Drinkwater

Long in the tooth now but was not that far off his career-best form when third of six at Lingfield (2m4f, soft) in December, after a layoff; 2lb lower here and has a fighting chance if aided by combination of refitted tongue-tie and first-time cheekpieces.

7/1

Form: 6/P4-5 D

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 2lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Lightly campaigned in recent years and offered little in two starts last season; returned from absence with a respectable fifth in the Southern National at Fontwell last month, off a reduced mark; well treated on past form and versatile regarding ground and trip so he's hard to dismiss.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14

16th Apr 2025

Good

3m 4f 21y

Class 3

15:15 Cheltenham

Saint Xavier

10st 13lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Richard Hobson

Long in the tooth now and no longer the force of old; exploited some considerable help from the handicapper when winning at Haydock (3m4f, soft) just after Christmas but was well beaten next time (albeit on heavy ground) and younger rivals have much more appealing profiles.

25/1

14

16th Apr 2025

Good

3m 4f 21y

Class 3

15:15 Cheltenham

Saint Xavier

10st 13lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Richard Hobson

Long in the tooth now and no longer the force of old; exploited some considerable help from the handicapper when winning at Haydock (3m4f, soft) just after Christmas but was well beaten next time (albeit on heavy ground) and younger rivals have much more appealing profiles.

25/1

Form: 28P5-5 C

Last run: 219 days

W: 11st 12lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Mostly struggled last season, best effort when a close second of four at Aintree (2m4f, soft) on Boxing Day but form slumped after and well held in a Class 2 at Uttoxeter (3m) in May on final start for Philip Kirby; on a good mark but needs the change of scenery to have revived him.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

31st Dec 2024

Soft

3m 0f 0y

Class 4

13:20 Warwick

Top Ville Ben

12st 0lb

J: Luke Scott

T: Jennie Candlish

led, headed 13th, weakened after 4 out

7/2

3rd

1

31st Dec 2024

Soft

3m 0f 0y

Class 4

13:20 Warwick

Top Ville Ben

12st 0lb

J: Luke Scott

T: Jennie Candlish

led, headed 13th, weakened after 4 out

7/2

5th

2

9th Dec 2024

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

15:30 Lingfield

Top Ville Ben

11st 12lb

J: Luke Scott

T: Jennie Candlish

Mostly struggled last season, best effort when a close second of four at Aintree (2m4f, soft) on Boxing Day but form slumped after and well held in a Class 2 at Uttoxeter (3m) in May on final start for Philip Kirby; on a good mark but needs the change of scenery to have revived him.

8/1

OUR TIP

Form: 15P62- D

Last run: 238 days

W: 11st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Eventually capitalised upon help from the handicapper when scoring at Haydock (3m, heavy) in December but quickly lost his form again before appearing to be revitalised by first-time cheekpieces at Kelso (2m6f, soft) in April; remains well treated off 2lb rise and chance if returning from a break in similar form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

1

30th Jan 2026

Soft

3m 1f 54y

Class 5

15:13 Catterick

Bushypark

12st 0lb

J: Joe Williamson

T: Philip Kirby

12yo who is without a win since December 2023 but he ran his best race for some time when fourth at Carlisle (3m2f, soft) in November and when seventh at Ayr last time he was back up in grade; his mark continues to fall and this front-runner, who has won here, could make a bold bid.

11/2

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £10.90
Straight Forecast £10.44
Trifecta £32.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Le Ligerien

The Guardian:

Bushypark

The Star:

Gallic Geordie

D Express:

Top Ville Ben

Telegraph:

Saint Xavier

Daily Mail:

Bushypark

RP RATINGS:

Le Ligerien

TOPSPEED:

Le Ligerien

POSTDATA:

Le Ligerien

WEST COUNTRY:

Le Ligerien

The Times:

Le Ligerien

Daily Mirror:

Le Ligerien

The Sun:

Le Ligerien

Daily Record:

Le Ligerien