April 22 / 15.00 Ayr

15.00

Good To Soft

Jordan Electrics Ltd Future Champion Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £25978.5
  • 2m 4f 110y
  • Class 1
  • 7 runners
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Jordan Electrics Ltd Future Champion Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

9/2 (Won)

  • Win: £9.40
  • Place: £3.60

Form: 13422P BF

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 144

Form & Verdict
Favourite for the Plate at Cheltenham last month but ran no sort of race in first-time cheekpieces (now removed); comes into the reckoning on his second of five in Grade 2 Pendil at Kempton (2m4f, good) the time before; serious contender if bouncing back to form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

3

27th Jan 2024

Good To Soft

3m 1f 56y

Class 1

13:50 Cheltenham

Datsalrightgino

11st 8lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Delivered with a well-timed challenge to win major 3m2f handicap at Newbury (good to soft) eight weeks ago, proving suited by the new trip and taking chase record to 3-10; generally progressive and is unexposed beyond 2m4f; possibilities.

11/2

1st

11

2nd Dec 2023

Good To Soft

3m 1f 214y

Class 1

14:50 Newbury

Datsalrightgino

10st 7lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Jamie Snowden

Unraced beyond an extended 2m4f and this is a tough race in which to test his stamina; however, he was strong at the finish when winning a Grade 2 novice at Ayr (2m4f, good) in April and may well have staying potential; might have needed his reappearance in the Old Roan and is not ruled out.

16/1

5/1

  • Place: £1.70

Form: -11336 C

Last run: 38 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 147

Form & Verdict
Started brightly with two wins over fences and highly tried since, beaten nearly 4l by Balco Coastal in the Scilly Isles at Sandown then never a serious threat behind The Real Whacker at the Cheltenham Festival; today's assignment is easier and he's very much in the mix.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

16th

21

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 2

15:30 Aintree

Thunder Rock

12st 0lb

J: Mr James King

T: Olly Murphy

Very talented in his prime; this 10yo isn't the force of old and today's race is much tougher than the hunter chases he's won easily on his last two starts (2m4f, good to soft/good) but if he can tap further into his back-class he may well be in the mix; James King has won this twice.

16/1

1st

1

23rd Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 110y

Class 5

17:15 Kempton

Thunder Rock

12st 6lb

J: Mr James King

T: Olly Murphy

Listed winner in his prime and has made a solid start to hunter chasing, namely a close second and easy success at Wincanton; should follow up.

1/10

1st

2

25th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 4f 35y

Class 5

16:20 Wincanton

Thunder Rock

12st 6lb

J: Mr James King

T: Olly Murphy

Powers were on the decline when confined to hurdling last season but he was a classy chaser back in the day and nearly won his first hunter chase over 3m1f here a month ago (heavy); may need that longer trip now but strong claims otherwise.

Evs

Form: -23235 D

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 142

Form & Verdict
0-5 over fences but he's a smart novice, seeming to excel himself when a never-dangerous fifth of seven in Grade 1 at Cheltenham (2m4f, soft) five weeks ago; finished in front of Balco Coastal that day and has to be considered but the latter has stronger form otherwise.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

1st May 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

20:00 Warwick

Unexpected Party

12st 4lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Bled from the nose when a fading fourth in the Aintree Foxhunters latest (2m5f, good to soft), though still had Fan De Blues comfortably behind for the second time this year; more prolific on easier surfaces but Taunton win in January reaffirmed he's effective on good as well.

2/5

4th

22

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 2

15:30 Aintree

Unexpected Party

12st 0lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Won the Grand Annual at Cheltenham Festival in March 2024 (2m, soft) and runner-up in it last year (good to soft); comfortable wins in hunter chases on last two starts (2m5f/2m6f, good/good to soft); his stamina will be more severely tested in today's hotter company but leading claims if seeing it out.

4/1

1st

2

14th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 6f 54y

Class 3

16:30 Haydock

Unexpected Party

12st 4lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Useful handicapper who won the Grand Annual Chase at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival (2m, soft) and was second in that race last year (good to soft); did not need to be at best to make winning hunter chase debut at Taunton (2m5f, good; main rival disappointed) last month and ought to remain a potent threat at this level.

5/4

OUR TIP

Form: 1111P1 D

Last run: 168 days

W: 11st 7lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 142

Form & Verdict
Made hay in good-ground novices in 2022, winning on his last five completed starts and taking the Grade 2 Rising Stars at Wincanton (2m4f) when last seen in November; he's impossible to discount but a near six-month absence may have checked his momentum and he'll need to be better than ever to defy a penalty.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

28th Jun 2026

Good

3m 0f 10y

Class 2

15:27 Uttoxeter

Hang In There

12st 0lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Emma Lavelle

Gained most recent success in a veterans' event; two attempts at this prize comprise a success (off 9lb higher) in 2024 and below-par seventh last year; the 12yo's chance of regaining the Cup partly depends on the effects of first-time visor.

14/1

4th

1

4th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 38y

Class 2

16:03 Fakenham

Hang In There

12st 0lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Emma Lavelle

9-28 over fences, the latest win gained at Chepstow (2m7f, good to firm) in October; below that form three times on good to soft ground since but didn't run badly on penultimate appearance and will be better suited by the forecast good ground here; might be the answer.

9/2

4th

1

15th Apr 2026

Good

3m 1f 125y

Class 2

17:00 Haydock

Hang In There

12st 1lb

J: Rian Corcoran

T: Emma Lavelle

Strike-rate of 9-27 over fences and his third in a veterans' chase at Newbury in February (3m2f) was encouraging given he had been absent for three months and good to soft ground would have been slow enough; should run well.

15/2

Form: 3-5127 D

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 150

Form & Verdict
Progressive over fences until coming up short in Grade 1 at Cheltenham in March, finishing two places behind Unexpected Party; had previously chased home high-class Gerri Colombe in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles at Sandown (2m4f, good to soft) and a repeat of that form would make him the one to beat; usually races up with the pace; may well get back on track.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

22nd Apr 2023

Good To Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 1

15:00 Ayr

Balco Coastal

11st 2lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

prominent, led after 2nd, headed 8th, led again 10th, joined 4 out, weakened quickly 3 out, pulled up before 2 out

2/1

7th

2

16th Mar 2023

Soft

2m 3f 168y

Class 1

13:30 Cheltenham

Balco Coastal

11st 7lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

prominent

10/1

2nd

1

4th Feb 2023

Good To Soft

2m 4f 10y

Class 1

14:20 Sandown

Balco Coastal

11st 7lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

jumped left on occasions, led, disputed lead after 6th, prominent from 9th

7/2

Form: 0-6121 D

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Has quickly made into a better chaser than hurdler, notching his second win over fences in handicap at Haydock (2m4f, soft; made all) in March; may have more in the tank but he faces a higher calibre of rival today if turning out again after his handicap win here yesterday.
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: B-F212 D BF

Last run: 58 days

W: 10st 9lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Won Grade 2 Mares Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival two seasons ago; has not hit the same heights in three chases, including when beating the only other finisher in 2m4f Naas mares' race in January; needs to up her game but she comes here fresh, handles all types of ground and would be a big player if belatedly translating the pick of her hurdles form to fences.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

4th May 2024

Yielding

2m 4f 118y

15:42 Punchestown

Telmesomethinggirl

11st 7lb

J: Rachael Blackmore

T: Henry De Bromhead

Right back to her best when putting in a game effort to finish runner-up to Lossiemouth in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham, with the other three rivals in this contest in behind; return to quicker ground is fine but hard to see how she turns the form around with Lossiemouth given how easily she won that contest.

5/1

4th

5

4th May 2024

Yielding

2m 4f 118y

15:42 Punchestown

Telmesomethinggirl

11st 7lb

J: Rachael Blackmore

T: Henry De Bromhead

Right back to her best when putting in a game effort to finish runner-up to Lossiemouth in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham, with the other three rivals in this contest in behind; return to quicker ground is fine but hard to see how she turns the form around with Lossiemouth given how easily she won that contest.

5/1

2nd

9

12th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

16:10 Cheltenham

Telmesomethinggirl

11st 5lb

J: Rachael Blackmore

T: Henry De Bromhead

in touch with leaders

14/1

Non-runners

Richmond Lake

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £29.80
Straight Forecast £28.09
Trifecta £164.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Balco Coastal

POSTDATA:

Datsalrightgino

Telegraph:

Thunder Rock

Daily Record:

Hang In There

RP Ratings:

Balco Coastal

TOPSPEED:

Balco Coastal

LAMBOURN:

Balco Coastal

The Times:

Balco Coastal

The Guardian:

Balco Coastal

D Express:

Balco Coastal

The Sun:

Balco Coastal

The Star:

Balco Coastal

Daily Mirror:

Datsalrightgino

Daily Mail:

Thunder Rock