February 27 / 14.15 Ayr

14.15

Good To Soft

Virgin Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £7921.5
  • 2m 0f 110y
  • Class 3
  • 4 runners
RTV
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Virgin Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

8/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.75

Form: /14-21 D

Last run: 21 days

W: 10st 5lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Improved form when winning a 2m6f Cartmel novice hurdle in 2021; has run well in two handicap chases back from an absence, giving a likeable show to win at Carlisle 21 days ago (2m, soft) but this sharp test is a different matter from 5lb out of the weights.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

9th May 2024

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 4

15:25 Huntingdon

One Fine Man

11st 11lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Declan Carroll

20l behind Force De Frap at Stratford in March, but significant return to form at Bangor since, just failing to get up in time (2m1f, soft); still well treated on 2023's winning form despite a 3lb re-raise, and just a matter of whether a sharp 2m on good is too much of a speed test now.

7/2

4th

3

9th May 2024

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 4

15:25 Huntingdon

One Fine Man

11st 11lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Declan Carroll

20l behind Force De Frap at Stratford in March, but significant return to form at Bangor since, just failing to get up in time (2m1f, soft); still well treated on 2023's winning form despite a 3lb re-raise, and just a matter of whether a sharp 2m on good is too much of a speed test now.

7/2

2nd

6

20th Apr 2024

Soft

2m 1f 77y

Class 4

14:15 Bangor-on-Dee

One Fine Man

11st 8lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Declan Carroll

took keen hold, prominent, not fluent 3rd, outpaced after 3 out, rallied after 2 out, kept on and went second run-in

14/1

OUR TIP

Form: 2F0-61 D

Last run: 44 days

W: 11st 3lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 134

Form & Verdict
Often leads; versatile and useful novice hurdler of a similar standard to Bass Rock; finished well behind that one on chase debut at Carlisle but he came on a ton when winning at Wetherby in January (1m7f, soft); should be tight between them.
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: -PUU09 D

Last run: 23 days

W: 10st 5lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Maiden hurdle winner at Fairyhouse last February but has had a torrid time since, over hurdles and fences (unseated early in both attempts); can only watch back chasing in first-time cheekpieces.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

2nd Oct 2023

Soft

2m 2f 110y

Class 5

14:45 Newton Abbot

Peaceful Sunday

10st 9lb

J: Dylan Whelan

T: Jennie Candlish

held up in rear, no impression from 3 out

5/1

7th

5

18th Sep 2023

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

18:10 Worcester

Peaceful Sunday

11st 4lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Jennie Candlish

held up in rear, no impression from 3 out

20/1

4th

2

9th Sep 2023

Good

2m 2f 148y

Class 5

14:30 Stratford

Peaceful Sunday

11st 7lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Jennie Candlish

Ex-Irish 7yo who has some fairly useful form on his CV but started off for Jennie Candlish with two very underwhelming chase runs this summer; not an easy horse to weigh up at present but drops in grade for today's hurdling return and enters calculations; refitted cheekpieces replace visor.

11/2

Form: 351-12 C BF

Last run: 62 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 141

Form & Verdict
Three hurdle wins at about 2m5f, twice here, on ground ranging from good to soft; exemplary start to chase career over 2m at Carlisle and lost nothing in defeat when attempting to concede weight to a promising one at Wetherby in December (2m3f, soft); return to 2m on an easy track is an interesting move but his sound jumping can continue to stand him in good stead.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

4th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 16y

Class 4

15:10 Market Rasen

Bass Rock

11st 9lb

J: Miss Olive Nicholls

T: Georgina Nicholls

Better handicapped now and signs of a revival when third in a Ludlow handicap chase in December, only to then pull-up at Kempton; difficult to know what to expect on this return to hurdles with cheekpieces added.

14/1

2nd

4

4th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 16y

Class 4

15:10 Market Rasen

Bass Rock

11st 9lb

J: Miss Olive Nicholls

T: Georgina Nicholls

Better handicapped now and signs of a revival when third in a Ludlow handicap chase in December, only to then pull-up at Kempton; difficult to know what to expect on this return to hurdles with cheekpieces added.

14/1

17

27th Dec 2024

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 3

15:08 Kempton

Bass Rock

11st 1lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Georgina Nicholls

Had a long spell of mediocre results but he's much better handicapped now and his recent run behind Dreaming Blue at Ludlow (3m1f, good to soft) showed he was turning a corner for his new yard; needs more but he could be just at the start of a comeback; not dismissed.

12/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £6.50
Straight Forecast £7.99
Trifecta £24.10

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Bass Rock

RP Ratings:

Richmond Lake

POSTDATA:

One Fine Man

TOPSPEED:

Richmond Lake

Daily Mail:

Richmond Lake

The Sun:

Richmond Lake

The Times:

Bass Rock

The Guardian:

Bass Rock

D Express:

Bass Rock

Daily Record:

Bass Rock

Telegraph:

One Fine Man

Daily Mirror:

One Fine Man

The Star:

One Fine Man