August 29 / 18.18 Fontwell

18.18

Good

Back A Winner – Birchwood Kia Chichester Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £3247.81
  • 2m 5f 135y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
SKY
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Back A Winner – Birchwood Kia Chichester Handicap Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

Form: 225P-6 C

Last run: 53 days

W: 12st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 99

Form & Verdict
Drew clear to win by 10l here (2m3f, good to soft) in spring 2024 but seems to have lost his way since the autumn and needs to be perked up by a change of heagear today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

31st Oct 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

12:55 Uttoxeter

Rajjamataz

11st 12lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Ran better than finishing position suggests when fifth of seven in first-time blinkers at Fontwell (2m5f, good to soft) in August but was quickly back in the doldrums over C&D last month and can't be relied upon.

20/1

3

31st Oct 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

12:55 Uttoxeter

Rajjamataz

11st 12lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Ran better than finishing position suggests when fifth of seven in first-time blinkers at Fontwell (2m5f, good to soft) in August but was quickly back in the doldrums over C&D last month and can't be relied upon.

20/1

2

16th Sep 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

16:40 Uttoxeter

Rajjamataz

11st 13lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Returned to form in new blinkers at Fontwell (2m5f, good to soft) last month, where he finished only fifth of seven but was right in the thick of things until fading after the last fence; still on a good mark; shortlisted.

12/1

Form: 3422P-

Last run: 176 days

W: 11st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
0-17 under rules and absent since a poor performance in March but came second in consecutive chases during the winter (3m1f/2m7f) and will be favoured by the forecast rain here; contender if back on song.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

29th Aug 2025

Good

2m 5f 135y

Class 5

18:18 Fontwell

Celtic Fortune

11st 4lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

0-17 under rules and absent since a poor performance in March but came second in consecutive chases during the winter (3m1f/2m7f) and will be favoured by the forecast rain here; contender if back on song.

6/1

3

6th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 1f 30y

Class 5

14:20 Wincanton

Celtic Fortune

11st 12lb

J: Harriet Tucker

T: Neil Mulholland

in touch with leaders, mistake 3rd

7/2

2nd

6

23rd Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 129y

Class 5

15:05 Huntingdon

Celtic Fortune

11st 7lb

J: James Bowen

T: Neil Mulholland

in rear

5/1

Form: 1PP-43 C BF

Last run: 46 days

W: 11st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
Dual chase winner for Chris Gordon last season (once here) but was pulled up on final two starts for him and failed to build upon his satisfactory stable debut when tailed-off third in small-field contest last month (first-time blinkers); sports refitted cheekpieces here; has a point to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

29th Aug 2025

Good

2m 5f 135y

Class 5

18:18 Fontwell

Mister Upton

11st 0lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Dual chase winner for Chris Gordon last season (once here) but was pulled up on final two starts for him and failed to build upon his satisfactory stable debut when tailed-off third in small-field contest last month (first-time blinkers); sports refitted cheekpieces here; has a point to prove.

7/1

3rd

4

14th Jul 2025

Good

2m 4f 216y

Class 4

16:20 Newton Abbot

Mister Upton

10st 10lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Anthony Honeyball

Dual chase winner for Chris Gordon last season (2m3f/2m5f); left that stable after two disappointing runs in the winter but was respectable fourth for new stable at Fontwell (2m3f, good) in May and has possibilities if aided by first-time blinkers here.

9/4

4th

4

25th May 2025

Good

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

16:43 Fontwell

Mister Upton

11st 3lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Anthony Honeyball

Dual chase winner for Chris Gordon last season, over C&D (good) last May and in first-time cheekpieces at Hereford (2m5f, good to soft) in December; pulled up on consecutive outings in the winter but is back on much better ground for this stable debut and it will be very interesting to see what Anthony Honeyball can do with him.

12/1

Form: 4365-4 C

Last run: 40 days

W: 10st 11lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Course hurdle winner last summer (2m1f, good), having made most of the running; held up in rear and never looked dangerous when fourth of six on last month's chasing debut at Stratford (2m3f, good) but that was his first run since the autumn and a return to more positive tactics might show him in a better light here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

24th May 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

16:55 Fontwell

Footloose Man

11st 0lb

J: Charlie Price

T: Richard Hobson

Dual 2m5f course winner in early part of last season; returned from five-month break with low-key run here 18 days ago but is versatile regarding ground and his current mark is workable; can feature if that recent outing brought him on.

7/1

6th

8

6th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

19:42 Fontwell

Footloose Man

10st 8lb

J: James Best

T: Richard Hobson

All of his three victories have been at Fontwell including two chase wins over an extended 2m5f (good to soft); beaten 9l when runner-up here in December but that was behind an improver and he's still lightly raced in this sphere; respected back in trip on his return.

13/2

5

29th Aug 2025

Good

2m 5f 135y

Class 5

18:18 Fontwell

Footloose Man

10st 11lb

J: Charlie Price

T: Richard Hobson

Course hurdle winner last summer (2m1f, good), having made most of the running; held up in rear and never looked dangerous when fourth of six on last month's chasing debut at Stratford (2m3f, good) but that was his first run since the autumn and a return to more positive tactics might show him in a better light here.

8/1

Form: 2U5-45 BF

Last run: 52 days

W: 10st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 79

Form & Verdict
Chase winner for Harriet Dickin last winter; started off for Olly Murphy with two respectable runs this season (1m7f/2m; favourite both times) and should be okay over this trip but needs to find something extra here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

3rd Jun 2026

Good To Firm

3m 0f 0y

Class 5

20:00 Warwick

Pescatorius

11st 4lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Rob Summers

Left Olly Murphy for 5,500gns and pretty much tailed off in four handicap chases since.

25/1

5th

2

19th Apr 2026

Good

3m 3f 119y

Class 5

15:43 Stratford

Pescatorius

11st 9lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: Rob Summers

Won twice for Olly Murphy in the autumn and subsequently sold for 5,500gns; hasn't been in the same form in three runs for his current trainer; cheekpieces worn on his last three starts are dispensed with on this step up in trip; still has time on his side but all of a sudden has a bit to prove.

8/1

3rd

8

9th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 6f 125y

Class 4

16:20 Stratford

Pescatorius

10st 7lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: Rob Summers

In good form for Olly Murphy in the autumn, winning in blinkers at Sedgefield (3m2f, good to firm) and Market Rasen (2m5f, good to soft), but soundly beaten in cheekpieces (retained) at Warwick for new stable twice since and now has a point to prove.

25/1

Form: 9P-356

Last run: 43 days

W: 10st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 73

Form & Verdict
0-4 over hurdles and has the same record over fences (raced only on good ground) but ran well for a long way when third at Warwick (3m; wore cheekpieces) in early June and has possibilities off lowly mark here if switch to first-time blinkers has positive effect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

26th Sep 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

14:07 Worcester

Noble Cave

10st 5lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Stayed on from unpromising position for close fourth in first-time blinkers at Fontwell (2m5f, good to soft) last month but is now 0-5 over fences, and it's not easy to predict whether the first-time visor will get the best out of him here.

8/1

8

29th Aug 2025

Good

2m 5f 135y

Class 5

18:18 Fontwell

Noble Cave

10st 2lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

0-4 over hurdles and has the same record over fences (raced only on good ground) but ran well for a long way when third at Warwick (3m; wore cheekpieces) in early June and has possibilities off lowly mark here if switch to first-time blinkers has positive effect.

12/1

Form: 86-765 C

Last run: 54 days

W: 10st 2lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 62

Form & Verdict
Won twice over hurdles in spring 2021 but has been in the doldrums for a long time and is 11lb out of the weights today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

16th Oct 2025

Good

2m 7f 177y

Class 5

14:05 Ffos Las

Mawlood

10st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Georgie Howell

Struggled when a big-priced outsider at Southwell (2m4f, good) a fortnight ago and is now 0-18 over fences; 12lb wrong here; can't be recommended.

100/1

10

2nd Oct 2025

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 5

15:05 Southwell

Mawlood

10st 2lb

J: James Davies

T: Georgie Howell

0-17 over fences and winless in well over four years; well beaten again from out of the weights last week and a similar fate likely awaits.

200/1

11

26th Sep 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

14:07 Worcester

Mawlood

10st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Georgie Howell

Won twice over hurdles in spring 2021 but has been in the doldrums for a long time; 8lb out of the weights today and very difficult to enthuse over.

50/1

Non-runners

Mokoro, Gone In Sixty

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £31.00
Straight Forecast £42.68
Tricast £95.17
Trifecta £111.40

Selections

The Times:

Mokoro

Daily Mirror:

Pescatorius

RP RATINGS:

Rajjamataz

SPOTLIGHT:

Footloose Man

Daily Mail:

Mister Upton

D Express:

Celtic Fortune

Telegraph:

Mokoro

The Guardian:

Mokoro

Daily Record:

Mokoro

The Sun:

Pescatorius

The Star:

Pescatorius

POSTDATA:

Rajjamataz