January 17 / 14.00 Haydock

14.00

Good To Soft

Sky Bet Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £56950
  • 3m 1f 125y
  • Class 1
  • 6 runners
ITV
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Sky Bet Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

12/1 (Won)

  • Win: £4.70
  • Place: £2.50

Form: 342-56

Last run: 35 days

W: 10st 10lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 141

Form & Verdict
Three wins at Aintree (2m/2m4f, good/good to soft) last season and second there (3m1f, good) in April; current mark shouldn't be beyond him if he's at his best but that hasn't been the case on his two outings this term.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13th

36

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Imperial Saint

10st 2lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Novice campaign last season went well, notably over the conventional fences here where he registered three handicap wins (2m/2m4f) and was second at this meeting (3m1f); resumed progress with a win at Haydock (3m1f) this January but badly hampered at the Cheltenham Festival; this trip is a big step into the unknown but he needs a second look.

50/1

8th

11

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 0y

Class 1

15:20 Cheltenham

Imperial Saint

11st 1lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Progressive novice last season, winning three handicaps at Aintree (2m/2m4f, good/good to soft) and posting a good third here (2m4f, soft); won at Haydock (3m1f, good to soft) in January when back up in trip and he's unexposed over staying distances; up 3lb for that neck victory; could go well.

20/1

1st

6

17th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 125y

Class 1

14:00 Haydock

Imperial Saint

10st 10lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Three wins at Aintree (2m/2m4f, good/good to soft) last season and second there (3m1f, good) in April; current mark shouldn't be beyond him if he's at his best but that hasn't been the case on his two outings this term.

12/1

10/1

  • Place: £2.50

Form: 2P8-32 C

Last run: 42 days

W: 10st 3lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 134

Form & Verdict
Ran really well when third in this last year (soft) and kept on for second at Aintree (2m4f, soft) last month, albeit no match for the winner; this 10yo has a good record here and, now 8lb lower than 12 months ago, he could be involved back up in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

4

14th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 4f 97y

Class 1

15:15 Haydock

Richmond Lake

11st 5lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

10yo whose 13-race losing sequence goes back to December 2023 but he's run some good races in the meantime (including on soft), most recently staying on for a neck second in the Peter Marsh here (extended 3m1f, good to soft); on that evidence he's well worth a crack at a marathon trip.

8/1

2nd

7

17th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 125y

Class 1

14:00 Haydock

Richmond Lake

10st 3lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

Ran really well when third in this last year (soft) and kept on for second at Aintree (2m4f, soft) last month, albeit no match for the winner; this 10yo has a good record here and, now 8lb lower than 12 months ago, he could be involved back up in trip.

10/1

Form: 2-1U11

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 145

Form & Verdict
Front-runner who is 3-3 this season when completing, posting easy wins on last two starts at Newcastle (2m7f, good to soft) and Wetherby (3m, soft); had just three rivals to beat last time and now 9lb higher in a tougher race, but he's clearly thriving and his stable has won this race five times.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

14:30 Aintree

Konfusion

12st 0lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith

Faller in the Cheltenham Festival contest won by Grand National runner Johnnywho; progressive otherwise and his record of 5-11 over fences features wins in notable handicaps at Newcastle (2m7f, good to soft) and Wetherby (3m, soft) this term; likely to go well barring mishaps.

11/1

8

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 0y

Class 1

15:20 Cheltenham

Konfusion

11st 2lb

J: Callum Bewley

T: Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith

8yo who thrived towards the end of last year, winning three times (2m7f/3m, good-soft); having gone up the weights he was third of six (beaten about 2l) behind Imperial Saint at Haydock (3m1f, good to soft) in January but that was still a big performance and further improvement can't be ruled out.

16/1

3rd

3

17th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 125y

Class 1

14:00 Haydock

Konfusion

11st 0lb

J: Callum Bewley

T: Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith

Front-runner who is 3-3 this season when completing, posting easy wins on last two starts at Newcastle (2m7f, good to soft) and Wetherby (3m, soft); had just three rivals to beat last time and now 9lb higher in a tougher race, but he's clearly thriving and his stable has won this race five times.

5/2

Form: 1F11-F D BF

Last run: 49 days

W: 10st 11lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 142

Form & Verdict
Prone to the odd major blunder, as when falling mid-race in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November, when favourite; however, he was seriously impressive when making all by 11l in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival (3m1f, good to soft) last March, and this 15lb higher mark may not stop him.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

3

17th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 2

15:30 Ayr

Myretown

11st 6lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Prone to making a bad blunder and arrives with something to prove following heavy defeats on his last two starts; however, he hasn't been devoid of promise this season and he'll be a major player if tapping back into the promise shown when romping to victory at last season's Cheltenham Festival.

11/1

13th

14

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 0y

Class 1

15:20 Cheltenham

Myretown

10st 13lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Mistakes were costly on first two runs this term and he was pulled up at Haydock (extended 3m4f, good to soft) 24 days ago; not easy to fancy on the back of that but stamina may well have been an issue and he was hugely impressive when making all by 11l in this race last March (good to soft); might take plenty of catching, even now 15lb higher, if rediscovering that same dominant form.

10/1

OUR TIP

Form: 325-53

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 1lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 146

Form & Verdict
Beaten just a neck in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival (3m2f, good to soft) last March and finished strongly for close third in the Silver Cup at Ascot (3m, good to soft) last month; every chance he'll be bang there.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

33

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Johnnywho

10st 4lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Fine over these fences in November; laboured from before three out when a well-beaten fifth to Haiti Couleurs in Irish National last April; that was in the mud, though, and his top efforts have been on good to soft; they include his neck second in the 3m2f Kim Muir at Cheltenham last March and, equipped with first-time cheekpieces after wind surgery, a 3m1f win from Jagwar at this year's Festival; able to race here off the same mark as last time (due to go up 6lb) and he wasn't stopping in either of those big races at Cheltenham; seriously considered.

12/1

1st

7

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 0y

Class 1

15:20 Cheltenham

Johnnywho

11st 3lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Neck second in the Kim Muir here (3m2f, good to soft) 12 months ago; promise in defeat on his first two runs this season; not quite at the top of his game at Haydock last time but wind op since and cheekpieces are added; remains one to be interested in, especially given his Festival form.

11/1

5th

2

17th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 125y

Class 1

14:00 Haydock

Johnnywho

11st 1lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Beaten just a neck in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival (3m2f, good to soft) last March and finished strongly for close third in the Silver Cup at Ascot (3m, good to soft) last month; every chance he'll be bang there.

3/1

Form: P56P-2 CD

Last run: 56 days

W: 12st 0lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 159

Form & Verdict
Five-time course winner including this race in 2021 and 2022 and the Betfair Chase in 2023 and 2024; reappeared with fine second in that Grade 1 here 56 days ago (good to soft); struggled last season after his reappearance win but this 12yo could have a big say if backing up his latest effort.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

17th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 125y

Class 1

14:00 Haydock

Royale Pagaille

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Five-time course winner including this race in 2021 and 2022 and the Betfair Chase in 2023 and 2024; reappeared with fine second in that Grade 1 here 56 days ago (good to soft); struggled last season after his reappearance win but this 12yo could have a big say if backing up his latest effort.

13/2

2

5th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Royale Pagaille

11st 9lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

All wins on soft or heavy; he's been a class act at Haydock but did not show it in two visits there this year, including on his second attempt at a marathon trip, and his sixth in last month's Cheltenham Gold Cup was a remote one; some conspicuous negatives.

80/1

2

5th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Royale Pagaille

11st 9lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

All wins on soft or heavy; he's been a class act at Haydock but did not show it in two visits there this year, including on his second attempt at a marathon trip, and his sixth in last month's Cheltenham Gold Cup was a remote one; some conspicuous negatives.

80/1

Non-runners

Nassalam

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £18.70
Straight Forecast £22.67
Trifecta £48.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Myretown

TOPSPEED:

Johnnywho

RP RATINGS:

Richmond Lake

Telegraph:

Konfusion

D Express:

Konfusion

The Times:

Myretown

The Sun:

Myretown

The Star:

Myretown

Daily Record:

Myretown

The Guardian:

Johnnywho

Daily Mirror:

Johnnywho

POSTDATA:

Richmond Lake

Daily Mail:

Richmond Lake