May 27 / 15.53 Newton Abbot

15.53

Good

Hugh Michelmore Memorial Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £7921.5
  • 3m 1f 170y
  • Class 3
  • 5 runners
SKY
View Course
Hugh Michelmore Memorial Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly sunny

6/4 (Won)

  • Win: £1.99

Form: P/04-1 CD

Last run: 21 days

W: 10st 13lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
Point winner who was 1-8 over hurdles but he made a smooth transition to chasing when scoring over C&D (good; 13-2) three weeks ago; up 3lb but he travelled well for a long way last time and hit a personal best with that convincing success; interesting contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

12th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 170y

Class 3

19:35 Newton Abbot

Rickety Bridge

10st 12lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Paul Nicholls

Point and hurdle winner on soft ground; has improved for the switch to fences, making it 2-2 with a strong staying performance over C&D last month, both wins coming under Freddie Gingell; up another 4lb, but he remains open to further progress and may well complete the hat-trick.

5/4

1st

5

27th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 3

15:53 Newton Abbot

Rickety Bridge

10st 13lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Paul Nicholls

Point winner who was 1-8 over hurdles but he made a smooth transition to chasing when scoring over C&D (good; 13-2) three weeks ago; up 3lb but he travelled well for a long way last time and hit a personal best with that convincing success; interesting contender.

6/4

1st

3

6th May 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 170y

Class 4

14:45 Newton Abbot

Rickety Bridge

11st 5lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Paul Nicholls

Landed a Southwell maiden hurdle (2m4f, soft) in March 2024; largely out of form in limited starts since but there were signs of a revival here (3m2f, good) last month in first-time cheekpieces; needs to back that up but could improve for this switch to fences.

6/1

Form: 71416- D

Last run: 48 days

W: 12st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Record of 2-4 since switched to hunter chases in January and he ran well to finish six of 24 in the Foxhunters' at Aintree (2m5f) last month; on career-high mark back in a handicap but he hasn't been far off his best this year and he has won over 3m1f in the past; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

27th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 3

15:53 Newton Abbot

Snipe

12st 0lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Record of 2-4 since switched to hunter chases in January and he ran well to finish six of 24 in the Foxhunters' at Aintree (2m5f) last month; on career-high mark back in a handicap but he hasn't been far off his best this year and he has won over 3m1f in the past; respected.

7/2

6th

19

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 2

15:30 Aintree

Snipe

12st 0lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Won on his first hunter chase start at Hereford (2m5f, soft) in January and bounced back from a heavy defeat behind Golden Son at Taunton (2m7f, heavy) to win at Leicester (2m, good to soft) last month; however, he needs a clear career best if he's to win this.

25/1

1st

3

6th Mar 2026

Soft

1m 7f 201y

Class 5

17:03 Leicester

Snipe

12st 2lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Made a bright start to hunter chases when beating Stattler (subsequent winner) at Hereford (2m5f, soft) in January and, although well beaten at Taunton (2m7f) when trying to match strides with Golden Son last month, he likely continues in form; leading contender dropped back to 2m for the first time, with fewer questions to answer than most.

11/10

Form: 4132-1 C

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 13lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Admirable veteran who recorded his ninth chase win when making all to score from 2lb out of the weights at Fakenham (3m, good) this month; this is tougher off 4lb higher but he seems as good as ever as an 11yo and three of his wins have come at this track; key player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

9

28th Jun 2026

Good

3m 0f 10y

Class 2

15:27 Uttoxeter

Time To Bite

10st 8lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Chris Honour

Chase record is 9-35, the most recent win in veterans' event at Fakenham (3m, good) on penultimate start; consistent sort but faces a stiffer task off current mark in this valuable and competitive affair; similar type to Hold Your Fort.

20/1

3rd

2

27th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 3

15:53 Newton Abbot

Time To Bite

11st 13lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Chris Honour

Admirable veteran who recorded his ninth chase win when making all to score from 2lb out of the weights at Fakenham (3m, good) this month; this is tougher off 4lb higher but he seems as good as ever as an 11yo and three of his wins have come at this track; key player.

9/4

1st

7

4th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 38y

Class 2

16:03 Fakenham

Time To Bite

10st 2lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Chris Honour

Eight-time chase winner who often makes the running and is very well suited by good or faster ground; went close off his lower hurdle mark last month; on career-high mark from just out of the weights here and usually runs over slightly shorter trips but still features prominently in calculations.

7/2

OUR TIP

Form: P/544- D

Last run: 80 days

W: 11st 11lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Well treated on old form but his last win was in November 2023 and he's generally struggled since then; has something to prove and all of his wins have come on good to soft or slower.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

27th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 3

15:53 Newton Abbot

Blackjack Magic

11st 11lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Well treated on old form but his last win was in November 2023 and he's generally struggled since then; has something to prove and all of his wins have come on good to soft or slower.

12/1

4th

4

8th Mar 2026

Soft

3m 0f 110y

Class 2

14:50 Carlisle

Blackjack Magic

11st 2lb

J: Ben Godfrey

T: Anthony Honeyball

Ran quite well when fifth in valuable final of this veterans' series at Sandown (3m, good) in January but was well beaten there later that month and has become far too inconsistent to support with any confidence; tried in a visor for the first time.

11/2

4th

4

31st Jan 2026

Soft

3m 0f 42y

Class 2

15:42 Sandown

Blackjack Magic

10st 3lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Proved somewhat resurgent, following several non-completions, in the Veterans' Final over C&D on seasonal debut; however, needs to build on that effort and prove that he's still capable of peak form, on which he's admittedly well treated.

14/1

Form: P3P42- D

Last run: 48 days

W: 11st 7lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
Six-time chase winner who returned to form with a rallying second at Taunton (3m4f, good) last month; only 1lb higher here and has claims if he can build on that back in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

27th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 3

15:53 Newton Abbot

Moroder

11st 7lb

J: James Best

T: Seamus Mullins

Six-time chase winner who returned to form with a rallying second at Taunton (3m4f, good) last month; only 1lb higher here and has claims if he can build on that back in trip.

13/2

2nd

1

9th Apr 2026

Good

3m 4f 85y

Class 4

16:15 Taunton

Moroder

12st 0lb

J: James Best

T: Seamus Mullins

Six-time chase winner but now appears to be on the downgrade; pulled up when bidding to win the Grimthorpe at Doncaster for the third time in February and was tailed off at Ascot (2m5f, good) 11 days ago; can only be watched at present.

12/1

4th

1

29th Mar 2026

Good

2m 5f 13y

Class 4

14:30 Ascot

Moroder

12st 0lb

J: James Best

T: Seamus Mullins

Ran no race in Doncaster's Grimthorpe last month (3m2f, soft; blinkers returned) and he had a good record in that race; did run quite well there the time before; unwise to focus too much on his reduced mark when clearly not the force of old, but he has returned to winning ways from out of the blue in the past, and he'll enjoy getting back on forecast good ground; earns respect.

12/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £4.00
Straight Forecast £5.17
Trifecta £7.10

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Rickety Bridge

The Times:

Time To Bite

TOPSPEED:

Moroder

Daily Mirror:

Snipe

RP RATINGS:

Rickety Bridge

WEST COUNTRY:

Rickety Bridge

The Guardian:

Rickety Bridge

Daily Mail:

Rickety Bridge

D Express:

Rickety Bridge

The Star:

Rickety Bridge

Daily Record:

Rickety Bridge

Telegraph:

Time To Bite

The Sun:

Time To Bite

POSTDATA:

Moroder