May 13 / 19.30 Newton Abbot

19.30

Good

St. Austell Brewery Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £7921.5
  • 3m 1f 170y
  • Class 3
  • 3 runners
SKY
View Course
St. Austell Brewery Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 3 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

13/8 (Won)

  • Win: £1.84

Form: 22120-

Last run: 33 days

W: 12st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Has had no trouble in transferring his useful hunter chase form to handicaps, last season winning at Kempton (3m, good) and runner-up there (2m4f, good to soft) in February; his Topham run can be forgiven and, while he might be better going right-handed, he could be tough to catch around here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

13th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 3

19:30 Newton Abbot

Viroflay

12st 0lb

J: Miss Olive Nicholls

T: Paul Nicholls

Has had no trouble in transferring his useful hunter chase form to handicaps, last season winning at Kempton (3m, good) and runner-up there (2m4f, good to soft) in February; his Topham run can be forgiven and, while he might be better going right-handed, he could be tough to catch around here.

13/8

17th

14

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 1

16:05 Aintree

Viroflay

10st 9lb

J: Miss Olive Nicholls

T: Paul Nicholls

Useful hunter chaser last season and he's transferred that form to handicaps, winning at Kempton (3m, good) in December and runner-up there (2m4f, good to soft) in February; he may be better going right-handed but otherwise this front-runner could prove well suited by today's test.

20/1

2nd

3

21st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 2

16:05 Kempton

Viroflay

11st 9lb

J: Miss Olive Nicholls

T: Paul Nicholls

Won a C&D hunter chase last season from the front, as is his way; last two races have also been here over 3m, jumping better than his rivals the last time when 4lb lower; looks sure to go well for a long way back at 2m4f.

9/1

OUR TIP

Form: 33566- BF

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Ran really well in defeat in some strong Cheltenham handicaps (2m4f-3m1f) during the first half of last season and his Kempton effort in February wasn't too shoddy; what needs forgiving is his Ayr run after a wind operation as that was underwhelming; still looks dangerous.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

13th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 3

19:30 Newton Abbot

Hoe Joly Smoke

11st 2lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Ran really well in defeat in some strong Cheltenham handicaps (2m4f-3m1f) during the first half of last season and his Kempton effort in February wasn't too shoddy; what needs forgiving is his Ayr run after a wind operation as that was underwhelming; still looks dangerous.

11/8

6th

7

17th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 2

15:30 Ayr

Hoe Joly Smoke

10st 10lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

He hasn't quite been at the top of his game on his last two starts; however, he's had wind surgery since and is certainly of interest on his two third-place finishes at Cheltenham in the autumn (3m1f/2m4f, good/soft); top trainer has won five of the last eight runnings of this race.

7/2

6th

9

21st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 0y

Class 1

15:35 Kempton

Hoe Joly Smoke

10st 8lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Won twice as a novice chaser over 3m at Sandown (soft/good); has been running well in some strong Cheltenham handicaps this season without looking that well handicapped, but returning to a right-handed track might benefit him, as might the first-time cheekpieces; could also have this run to suit if he's held up as usual; effective from 2m4f to 3m1f, he's a big player.

7/1

Form: 3657-6

Last run: 9 days

W: 10st 10lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Rather lost his way last season after winning at Newbury in October and last week's Fakenham run was an all-time low; tries a visor this time, but blinkers and cheekpieces did nothing for him.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

13th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 3

19:30 Newton Abbot

Lord Baddesley

10st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Rather lost his way last season after winning at Newbury in October and last week's Fakenham run was an all-time low; tries a visor this time, but blinkers and cheekpieces did nothing for him.

8/1

6th

6

4th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 38y

Class 2

16:03 Fakenham

Lord Baddesley

10st 2lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Easily won three-runner race at Newbury (2m4f, good) in October but subsequent form last season was underwhelming; well handicapped now (even from 1lb out of the weights) and will probably be okay back at 3m but needs the new cheekpieces to perk him up.

11/2

7th

15

4th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 2

15:20 Haydock

Lord Baddesley

10st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Easily won three-runner handicap at Newbury (2m4f, good) on reappearance; jumped left when 6l third of four at right-handed Ascot (2m5f, good) next time, and his 13l sixth of nine at Newbury (2m4f, good to soft) came in a race that worked out extremely well; heavy going excuses him being tailed off at Warwick and he could go well now back on better ground.

25/1

Non-runners

Certainly Red

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £2.00
Straight Forecast £2.41
Trifecta £2.00

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Viroflay

RP RATINGS:

Hoe Joly Smoke

TOPSPEED:

Lord Baddesley

POSTDATA:

Hoe Joly Smoke

D Express:

Hoe Joly Smoke

Daily Mirror:

Hoe Joly Smoke

WEST COUNTRY:

Viroflay

The Times:

Viroflay

Telegraph:

Viroflay

The Guardian:

Viroflay

Daily Mail:

Viroflay

The Sun:

Viroflay

The Star:

Viroflay

Daily Record:

Viroflay