April 22 / 14.10 Perth

14.10

Soft

Balnakeilly Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £7921.5
  • 2m 4f 20y
  • Class 3
  • 7 runners
RTV
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Balnakeilly Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

OUR TIP

3/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.50
  • Place: £1.70

Form: 2-2183 D

Last run: 39 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Soundly beaten on last two starts but those were Class 2 contests at Cheltenham and Kempton and this is a drop back in grade; this lightly raced 7yo had previously made a promising start to his chasing career, including a 2m4f win at Kempton, and he remains one to be interested in.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

22nd Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 20y

Class 3

14:10 Perth

Barlovento

11st 10lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Soundly beaten on last two starts but those were Class 2 contests at Cheltenham and Kempton and this is a drop back in grade; this lightly raced 7yo had previously made a promising start to his chasing career, including a 2m4f win at Kempton, and he remains one to be interested in.

3/1

3rd

7

14th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 110y

Class 2

15:18 Kempton

Barlovento

10st 9lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Encouraging chase debut at Exeter then a convincing if narrow C&D win (good; has won on soft) in November, sealing the race between the last two; much lesser run at Cheltenham since (well behind Califet En Vol); may do much better back here.

8/1

8th

6

24th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 2

12:05 Cheltenham

Barlovento

11st 2lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Ridden out to win the novice handicap chase at Kempton (2m4f, good) on Boxing Day, building on his promising reappearance effort; appears to handle soft ground; this low-mileage 7yo looks likely to improve further over fences; enters calculations.

11/4

Form: P-3281 D

Last run: 47 days

W: 11st 3lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Clear second to highly progressive winner at Hexham (2m4f, heavy) in December and returned to form for 9l win in three-runner race at Ayr (2m4f, soft) last month; has also shown promise on good to soft ground; up in grade today but he's in good hands to continue to progress; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

6

22nd Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 20y

Class 3

14:10 Perth

Walking On A Dream

11st 3lb

J: Jack Power

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Clear second to highly progressive winner at Hexham (2m4f, heavy) in December and returned to form for 9l win in three-runner race at Ayr (2m4f, soft) last month; has also shown promise on good to soft ground; up in grade today but he's in good hands to continue to progress; respected.

4/1

1st

1

6th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 4

14:20 Ayr

Walking On A Dream

12st 2lb

J: Jack Power

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Low-mileage 7yo who won a 2m maiden hurdle here last season; disappointed when upped to 2m7f at Newcastle in January but remains just 1lb higher than when clear second to a next-time-out winner at Hexham (2m4f, heavy) in December.

2/1

8th

2

15th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 91y

Class 4

14:00 Newcastle

Walking On A Dream

12st 2lb

J: Jack Power

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

2m maiden hurdle winner who was a clear second behind a highly progressive winner at Hexham (2m4f, heavy) last month on his second chase start; also effective on good to soft ground; finished second in three 3m points and he's open to improvement now up in trip; firmly in calculations.

4/1

Form: 792656 D BF

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
Runner-up when back over fences at Ayr (2m4f, soft) in January and this 6yo is of interest on that form; however, three lesser performances have followed and he needs to raise his game if he's to win this.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

22nd Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 20y

Class 3

14:10 Perth

Karafon

11st 7lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: S R B Crawford

Runner-up when back over fences at Ayr (2m4f, soft) in January and this 6yo is of interest on that form; however, three lesser performances have followed and he needs to raise his game if he's to win this.

12/1

6th

5

29th Mar 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 3f 100y

17:00 Downpatrick

Karafon

11st 12lb

J: Danny Mullins

T: S R B Crawford

Best of his form chase runs when second at Ayr in January, two moderate runs since then; possibly flattered by an official rating of 120.

6/1

5th

6

16th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 207y

Class 3

13:40 Carlisle

Karafon

11st 10lb

J: J J Slevin

T: S R B Crawford

Underwhelming at Down Royal last time when cheekpieces were applied (now left off); however, prior to that he ran well in second at Ayr (2m4f, soft) on his second chase start and has a part to play if rediscovering that form.

6/1

Form: 10-645 D

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 7lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
9yo who is lightly raced for his age; he needs to produce more than he managed at Leopardstown and Downpatrick last month on his first two chase starts but he wears first-time headgear today and Gordon Elliott's horses are always well worth a second look at Perth; could have a big say.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

22nd Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 20y

Class 3

14:10 Perth

Find A Fortune

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Gordon Elliott

9yo who is lightly raced for his age; he needs to produce more than he managed at Leopardstown and Downpatrick last month on his first two chase starts but he wears first-time headgear today and Gordon Elliott's horses are always well worth a second look at Perth; could have a big say.

9/2

5th

2

29th Mar 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 3f 100y

17:00 Downpatrick

Find A Fortune

11st 12lb

J: Josh Williamson

T: Gordon Elliott

Consistent if frustrating in maiden hurdles before winning a 2m4f rated event at Fairyhouse early last year (soft); a latecomer in chasing; faded late in the Leopardstown event in which the much shorter-priced Strutter flopped.

11/2

4th

2

3rd Mar 2026

Soft To Heavy

2m 5f 120y

16:25 Leopardstown

Find A Fortune

11st 12lb

J: Sam Ewing

T: Gordon Elliott

Consistent in maiden hurdles before winning a 2m4f rated event at Fairyhouse early last year (soft); disappointed on handicap debut at Gowran; made no impact over 3m at Fairyhouse on his belated seasonal debut; latecomer to chasing now at the age of nine; can run well fresh.

12/1

Form: -PU62P D

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Lightly raced 8yo who was runner-up at Ayr (2m, soft) in January when dropped back in trip on his second chase start; however, pulled up at Carlisle (2m, good to soft) since, which severely dents confidence in his claims today, and the step up in distance may not be ideal.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

7

22nd Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 20y

Class 3

14:10 Perth

Great Pepper

11st 2lb

J: Charlotte Jones

T: James Moffatt

Lightly raced 8yo who was runner-up at Ayr (2m, soft) in January when dropped back in trip on his second chase start; however, pulled up at Carlisle (2m, good to soft) since, which severely dents confidence in his claims today, and the step up in distance may not be ideal.

12/1

2

22nd Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 207y

Class 2

15:17 Carlisle

Great Pepper

11st 9lb

J: Charlotte Jones

T: James Moffatt

Won over 2m6f as a hurdler but effective at this trip, as he showed when runner-up (in his fifth chase start) at Ayr last time out (soft); however, this is tougher and the drier ground is a cause for concern.

10/1

Form: P41214 CD BF

Last run: 193 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Made a good start to his chasing career last year, winning three times between May and September (2m3f/2m4f, good), with two of them over C&D; also effective on good to soft, unproven on softer; he has a very solid record here and could play a leading role if fully tuned up after a break.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

31st Aug 2026

Good

2m 5f 34y

Class 3

16:55 Cartmel

King Roly

11st 13lb

J: James Bowen

T: Mickey Bowen

Back in prime form when keeping on strongly for clearcut success in first-time blinkers at Worcester (2m7f, good) 12 days ago, and now 4-11 over fences; on the downside, he's never run here before and will have something to prove if the ground is slower than good to soft.

5/1

1st

4

19th Aug 2026

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

17:02 Worcester

King Roly

11st 11lb

J: James Bowen

T: Mickey Bowen

Back to form with 9l second to well-handicapped winner at Market Rasen (extended 2m5f, good) in June and it was the competitive Summer Plate there in which he was soundly beaten last time (hampered four out and wasn't disgraced); could be in the mix back down in grade, provided the step back up in trip isn't an issue; wears first-time blinkers.

5/1

9th

13

18th Jul 2026

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 1

14:45 Market Rasen

King Roly

10st 5lb

J: Shane Fenelon

T: Mickey Bowen

Three wins at around 2m4f last season, all in small fields on good ground; after some blips he got himself back on track when second to a well-handicapped horse over C&D a month ago on first visit here; likely to run well with Shane Fenelon now taking off 5lb; one of three runners for a yard that's captured this eight times.

10/1

Form: 1160-4 D

Last run: 137 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Point (3m, soft to heavy) and two-time novice hurdle (2m3f/2m4f, good/good to soft) winner; he's run just once this season, when 14l fourth of six on chase debut at Aintree (2m4f, soft) in December; however, he remains very lightly raced and is certainly not written off today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

22nd Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 20y

Class 3

14:10 Perth

Its Hard To Know

11st 8lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Point (3m, soft to heavy) and two-time novice hurdle (2m3f/2m4f, good/good to soft) winner; he's run just once this season, when 14l fourth of six on chase debut at Aintree (2m4f, soft) in December; however, he remains very lightly raced and is certainly not written off today.

5/1

10th

8

8th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 173y

Class 1

13:50 Sandown

Its Hard To Know

11st 9lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Absent since a heavy defeat in the Challow ten weeks ago, losing his unbeaten record; not particularly well treated on earlier form but represents last year's winning stable and could go well.

14/1

6th

4

28th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 118y

Class 1

14:55 Newbury

Its Hard To Know

11st 7lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Irish point winner who has made all in both attempts under rules, latest at Market Rasen (2m4f, good to soft); plenty to find on bare form but remains unbeaten and unexposed.

14/1

Non-runners

Wolfburg

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £11.80
Straight Forecast £11.26
Tricast £68.39
Trifecta £60.60

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Walking On A Dream

TOPSPEED:

Barlovento

SPOTLIGHT:

Find A Fortune

The Star:

It's Hard To Know

Daily Mail:

King Roly

Telegraph:

Wolfburg

Daily Mirror:

Barlovento

The Sun:

Barlovento

POSTDATA:

Walking On A Dream

The Times:

Walking On A Dream

The Guardian:

Walking On A Dream

Daily Record:

Walking On A Dream

D Express:

Find A Fortune