16.03
HeavyIt Pays To Buy Irish Stewart Tory Memorial Open Hunters’ Chase
- Prize money: £3228.55
- 3m 1f 30y
- Class 5
- 6 runners
Runners: 6 runners
Type: Hunter Chase
Surface: Turf
Weather: Light rain
12/1 (Won)
- Win: £6.50
- Place: £2.40
Form: 3/31P-
Last run: 301 days
W: 12st 0lb
11 yo Gelding
OR: 117
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
15 |
13th Mar 2026 Good 3m 2f 70y Class 2 |
12st 0lb |
Dual hunter chase winner but tends to struggle on the bigger stage; remote third on sole visit here (2023) and pulled up in 2025 Aintree Foxhunters'. |
80/1 |
|
2nd 3 |
24th Feb 2026 Heavy 2m 6f 151y Class 3 |
12st 4lb |
Lightly raced 11yo who resumed his progress in similar event at Wincanton (3m1f, heavy) on seasonal debut, taking chase record to 2-5; successful on this card last year (2m4f, heavy) and warrants respect. |
9/4 |
|
1st 4 |
29th Jan 2026 Heavy 3m 1f 30y Class 5 |
12st 0lb |
Won a small-field Leicester maiden hunter chase last February (2m4f, heavy) before pulling up over the big fences at Aintree; looks vulnerable, especially over this far. |
12/1 |
6/4
- Place: £2.40
Form: 4447-P
Last run: 62 days
W: 12st 6lb
10 yo Gelding
OR: 137
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
16th 21 |
9th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 5f 19y Class 2 |
12st 0lb |
Very talented in his prime; this 10yo isn't the force of old and today's race is much tougher than the hunter chases he's won easily on his last two starts (2m4f, good to soft/good) but if he can tap further into his back-class he may well be in the mix; James King has won this twice. |
16/1 |
|
1st 1 |
23rd Mar 2026 Good 2m 4f 110y Class 5 |
12st 6lb |
Listed winner in his prime and has made a solid start to hunter chasing, namely a close second and easy success at Wincanton; should follow up. |
1/10 |
|
1st 2 |
25th Feb 2026 Soft 2m 4f 35y Class 5 |
12st 6lb |
Powers were on the decline when confined to hurdling last season but he was a classy chaser back in the day and nearly won his first hunter chase over 3m1f here a month ago (heavy); may need that longer trip now but strong claims otherwise. |
Evs |
4/1
Form: 1326P- D
Last run: 288 days
W: 12st 2lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: 122
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3rd 2 |
29th Jan 2026 Heavy 3m 1f 30y Class 5 |
12st 2lb |
Lightly raced gelding who did well in handicap chases last season for Dan Skelton before losing his way; beaten in two points for current yard and he'll need more here; has won on heavy. |
4/1 |
|
3 |
16th Apr 2025 Good 3m 4f 21y Class 3 |
12st 0lb |
Scored by 8l on seasonal/chase debut at Carlisle (3m2f, good to soft) in October and was placed over 3m on next two outings; finished very weakly when upped to 3m5f at Warwick last month, which is a concern, but could plausibly still have untapped potential over marathon trips. |
10/1 |
|
3 |
16th Apr 2025 Good 3m 4f 21y Class 3 |
12st 0lb |
Scored by 8l on seasonal/chase debut at Carlisle (3m2f, good to soft) in October and was placed over 3m on next two outings; finished very weakly when upped to 3m5f at Warwick last month, which is a concern, but could plausibly still have untapped potential over marathon trips. |
10/1 |
5/2
Form: /2/1P- CD
Last run: 350 days
W: 12st 2lb
10 yo Gelding
OR: 122
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2 |
22nd Apr 2026 Good 2m 7f 171y Class 4 |
12st 2lb |
Won races for Paul Nicholls and Will Biddick and his last success was in a hunter chase at Wincanton (3m1f, heavy) last January; that form puts him in the picture and he made a respectable stable debut when third at Exeter (3m, good to soft) last month; possibilities. |
7/2 |
|
3rd 9 |
17th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 3m 0f 54y Class 5 |
12st 2lb |
Put poor reappearance run behind him when signing off for Paul Nicholls with fair third in Wincanton hunter chase (2m4f, good to soft; behind Gateau De Miel) last month; will be fine over this longer trip and has each-way claims if in similar form for new yard; cheekpieces removed after one use. |
10/1 |
8/1
Form: /3/2P-
Last run: 325 days
W: 11st 12lb
10 yo Gelding
OR: 113
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5 |
29th Jan 2026 Heavy 3m 1f 30y Class 5 |
11st 12lb |
40-1 second behind Mr Glass in this 12 months ago; just two runs in the meantime, winning a small-field point at Badbury Rings two months ago; a repeat of last year's run in this race should see him competitive. |
8/1 |
|
5 |
10th Mar 2025 Good To Soft 2m 4f 205y Class 5 |
11st 12lb |
Point winner (3m, good) in January 2023 who was off for two years before finishing second of five in an open hunter chase at Wincanton (3m1f, heavy; 40-1); could take some catching if again positively ridden over this shorter trip. |
5/1 |
12/1
Form: P3/4-
Last run: 636 days
W: 11st 12lb
9 yo Gelding
OR: 105
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 |
29th Jan 2026 Heavy 3m 1f 30y Class 5 |
11st 12lb |
Won a recent point (3m, soft) and now 3-9 in that scene; hasn't run too badly in two of his three previous hunter chases but has his work cut out here. |
12/1 |
|
4th 5 |
3rd May 2024 Good 3m 2f 0y Class 4 |
11st 12lb |
Won four-runner intermediate point by 15l in December but was a long way behind Another Furlough in his last two points, and his recent Exeter third (3m, good) came in a much weaker hunter chase than this. |
25/1 |
+o+e Accumulators
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | £26.60 |
| Straight Forecast | £27.82 |
| Trifecta | £59.20 |
Selections
Telegraph:
Illico De CotteThe Guardian:
Illico De CotteDaily Record:
Illico De CotteD Express:
Mr GlassThe Star:
Thunder Rock