March 03 / 16.20 Doncaster

16.20

Good

Virgin Bet Cheltenham Festival Money Back Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £7393.4
  • 2m 3f 31y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
SKY
View Course
Virgin Bet Cheltenham Festival Money Back Handicap Chase

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

11/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.20
  • Place: £1.40

Form: -74434

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 8lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
Much better could have been expected at Wincanton last month and he's now 0-5 over fences, but he produced some fair efforts in chases previously and has dropped to an enticing mark; he's a player if bouncing back.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

5th Apr 2023

Good To Soft

2m 4f 35y

Class 4

17:05 Wincanton

Mongol Emperor

12st 1lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Neil Mulholland

Took a while to get his act together over fences but came good with comfortable win at Doncaster (2m3f, good) last month and is still quite well handicapped if judged on best hurdling form; likely contender.

5/1

1st

4

3rd Mar 2023

Good

2m 3f 31y

Class 4

16:20 Doncaster

Mongol Emperor

11st 8lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Neil Mulholland

travelled strongly, midfield, headway 4 out, pressed leader going easily 3 out, led 2 out, pushed along and went clear approaching last, kept on strongly run-in, comfortably

11/4

4th

3

2nd Feb 2023

Good To Soft

1m 7f 149y

Class 4

14:30 Wincanton

Mongol Emperor

11st 12lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Neil Mulholland

Made more of an impact over hurdles but he's not been discredited in recent chase starts; hooded on last 11 starts but now has cheekpieces.

4/1

9/2

  • Place: £2.40

Form: 243-P4 D

Last run: 26 days

W: 10st 12lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
10yo who is not the force of old but didn't run badly when 15l fourth of seven at Hereford four weeks ago on second stable start and he's had wind surgery since; continues to drop down the weights; not ruled out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

8

22nd Apr 2023

Good To Soft

2m 1f 77y

Class 4

13:40 Bangor-on-Dee

Twotwothree

11st 2lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Sam Allwood

Regressive 10yo; suggested he might be ready to exploit his much reduced mark when second at Doncaster (2m3f, good) last month but was pulled up over C&D three weeks later and is not an easy one to predict today.

16/1

8

25th Mar 2023

Good To Soft

2m 1f 77y

Class 4

14:33 Bangor-on-Dee

Twotwothree

11st 8lb

J: Alan Johns

T: Sam Allwood

No longer the force of old but, following another wind op, he posted a good effort when second at Doncaster (2m3f, good) three weeks ago, despite racing a bit too freely; drops back in trip here; one to consider.

7/2

2nd

5

3rd Mar 2023

Good

2m 3f 31y

Class 4

16:20 Doncaster

Twotwothree

10st 12lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Sam Allwood

10yo who is not the force of old but didn't run badly when 15l fourth of seven at Hereford four weeks ago on second stable start and he's had wind surgery since; continues to drop down the weights; not ruled out.

9/2

OUR TIP

Form: 24-194 C

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 12lb

10 yo Mare

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
10yo who can be inconsistent but she easily made all at Warwick (2m4f, good to soft) last November and bounced back from her Cheltenham flop with a fair fourth here (3m, good) in January; could benefit from this drop back in distance and she's one to consider.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

20th Apr 2023

Good

2m 0f 62y

Class 3

16:25 Cheltenham

Hawthorn Cottage

10st 6lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Amy Murphy

Two wins this season, by a distance at Warwick in November (2m4f, good to soft) and last time when making all for a much narrower verdict at Market Rasen (2m4f, soft); long time since she raced over this short a distance but she's a front-runner who jumps well.

9/2

1st

3

21st Mar 2023

Soft

2m 5f 89y

Class 4

15:15 Market Rasen

Hawthorn Cottage

11st 4lb

J: Luca Morgan

T: Amy Murphy

Easy winner at Warwick in November (2m4f, good to soft) and fair third at Doncaster last time (2m3f, good); a possible.

7/2

3rd

3

3rd Mar 2023

Good

2m 3f 31y

Class 4

16:20 Doncaster

Hawthorn Cottage

11st 12lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Amy Murphy

10yo who can be inconsistent but she easily made all at Warwick (2m4f, good to soft) last November and bounced back from her Cheltenham flop with a fair fourth here (3m, good) in January; could benefit from this drop back in distance and she's one to consider.

9/4

Form: P46P-7 C

Last run: 39 days

W: 10st 12lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Won two in a row in late 2020 and is very well handicapped on that form; however, he's struggled to get competitive since and was tailed off at Ffos Las in January when back from an absence; plenty to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

6

26th Jun 2026

Good

3m 0f 30y

Class 5

18:33 Bangor-on-Dee

Est Illic

10st 11lb

J: James Best

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Won three-runner point in April but struggled when back in a handicap chase three weeks ago, and this veteran needs to respond very positively to a change of headgear (usually wears cheekpieces).

33/1

10th

10

6th Jun 2026

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 5

14:20 Worcester

Est Illic

10st 7lb

J: Miss Jess Stewart

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Point winner in April but his rules form is modest; although placed under Jess Stewart on both recent runs in hunter chases, he's been well held; needs to find plenty more back in handicap company.

100/1

3rd

2

13th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

20:00 Newton Abbot

Est Illic

12st 0lb

J: Miss Jess Stewart

T: Ryan Bradford

Recent point winner but a modest performer under rules these days and his Ludlow third was remote.

40/1

Form: P/14-P D

Last run: 115 days

W: 11st 13lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Ex-French 9yo; defied a long absence to win on British debut at Wetherby (2m3f, good to soft) last March, and he was a fair fourth at Bangor (2m1f, good) next time; pulled up on return at Hereford (2m5f, good to soft) in November and something to prove after that but not written off.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

2

3rd Mar 2023

Good

2m 3f 31y

Class 4

16:20 Doncaster

Ecume Atlantique

11st 13lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Richard J Bandey

Ex-French 9yo; defied a long absence to win on British debut at Wetherby (2m3f, good to soft) last March, and he was a fair fourth at Bangor (2m1f, good) next time; pulled up on return at Hereford (2m5f, good to soft) in November and something to prove after that but not written off.

9/2

2

8th Nov 2022

Good

2m 4f 194y

Class 4

16:15 Hereford

Ecume Atlantique

12st 0lb

J: David Bass

T: Richard J Bandey

disputed lead, prominent after 1st, lost position but in touch with leaders after 3rd, going okay but towards rear after 7th, pushed along and got behind after 10th

8/1

Form: 33259P C

Last run: 33 days

W: 12st 0lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Course hurdles winner who is well treated on chase form as recent as last summer and he's one to watch in the betting, but this 12yo has struggled on both starts this winter and a major turnaround is required.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

12

22nd Jul 2023

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 1

15:15 Market Rasen

And The New

10st 13lb

J: Adam Wedge

T: L J Morgan

Back in very good form since fitted with cheekpieces this spring, most recently when ready winner of C&D trial for this race last month; went up another 10lb for that but remains well handicapped on some of last summer's form; can't be ruled out.

10/1

1st

10

23rd Jun 2023

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 3

15:55 Market Rasen

And The New

10st 3lb

J: Adam Wedge

T: L J Morgan

Dropped a long way down the weights before making all for wide-margin course win (2m3f, good) in first-time cheekpieces last month and ran well under a penalty at Cartmel a week later (effectively on same mark today), despite jumping right throughout; sure to be suited by the return to this right-handed track and evidently back in good nick now.

4/1

3rd

4

29th May 2023

Good

2m 1f 61y

Class 3

16:05 Cartmel

And The New

10st 8lb

J: Adam Wedge

T: L J Morgan

Plummeted down the weights last season but was seemingly revitalised by first-time cheekpieces when making all to win by 18l at Market Rasen (2m3f, good) a week ago; faces stronger opposition and has 7lb penalty to shoulder here but remains very well handicapped on form as recent as last summer.

7/4

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £9.10
Straight Forecast £8.12
Trifecta £23.40

Selections

RP Ratings:

Mongol Emperor

SPOTLIGHT:

Hawthorn Cottage

The Guardian:

Twotwothree

TOPSPEED:

Mongol Emperor

POSTDATA:

Mongol Emperor

The Times:

Mongol Emperor

Daily Mail:

Mongol Emperor

D Express:

Mongol Emperor

The Sun:

Mongol Emperor

Daily Mirror:

Twotwothree

Telegraph:

Hawthorn Cottage

The Star:

Hawthorn Cottage

Daily Record:

Hawthorn Cottage