June 16 / 16.35 Chepstow

16.35

Good To Firm

Grey Slate – Neil Phillips Memorial Handicap

  • Prize money: £3873.16
  • 0m 7f 16y
  • Class 5
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Grey Slate – Neil Phillips Memorial Handicap

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly sunny

6/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.50
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 691-81 D

Last run: 8 days

W: 9st 9lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 70

Form & Verdict
Formerly with Tim Easterby; bought for 25,000gns last October, but made a low-key debut for Ben Pauling and quickly changed stables thereafter; resumed winning ways in a first-time visor at Yarmouth (7f, good to firm; 9-2) last week; tough to beat under a 5lb penalty, with Billy Loughnane a positive booking.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

9

(8)

17th Aug 2024

Good To Firm

0m 7f 6y

Class 5

15:42 Doncaster

Matty Too

9st 1lb

J: Harry Burns

T: Ian McInnes

Has won six races over 6f/7f on good/good to firm; well below form on his four starts for current yard.

40/1

8th

1

(2)

30th Jul 2024

Good To Firm

0m 7f 96y

Class 5

17:00 Beverley

Matty Too

10st 2lb

J: David Nolan

T: Ian McInnes

Arrives out of sorts, beating only one in handicap over C&D 35 days ago; others are much preferred.

33/1

9th

3

(11)

25th Jun 2024

Good To Firm

0m 7f 96y

Class 5

14:47 Beverley

Matty Too

10st 1lb

J: David Nolan

T: Ian McInnes

Has tended to come to the boil around this time in previous years but was in no form for his new yard on the AW when last seen; has landed the outside stall (is a free-goer who tends to race on the pace) back from ten weeks off.

50/1

4/1

  • Place: £2.60

Form: 114-11 D

Last run: 35 days

W: 8st 11lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 63

Form & Verdict
In a rich vein of form on the AW at Wolverhampton, winning four of his last five (7f, Class 6; OR's ranging from 48-59); raised a further 4lb since beating Fieldsman (by 0.75l) there five weeks ago; has run well twice previously at this track; on the shortlist.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

5

(6)

2nd May 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 6y

Class 5

20:02 Doncaster

Chifa

9st 7lb

J: Ashley Lewis

T: Ed de Giles

Dual 7f Wolverhampton winner over the winter; not discredited, given he was set a lot to do, when sixth of 11 in 7f Lingfield handicap 18 days ago; considered from an easing mark.

16/1

6th

4

(3)

14th Apr 2026

Standard

0m 7f 1y

Class 5

19:30 Lingfield (AW)

Chifa

9st 8lb

J: William Cox

T: Ed de Giles

Kickstarted 2026 with success at Wolverhampton (7f) in January and got back on track when seventh of 12 in another 7f handicap there two weeks ago given he was impeded early in the straight.

16/1

7th

5

(10)

31st Mar 2026

Standard

0m 7f 36y

Class 5

18:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Chifa

9st 5lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Ed de Giles

Seven of his nine wins have come over C&D, the latest in January off a 2lb lower mark; down the field twice since (met early trouble on both occasions) and he has a tricky draw today.

16/1

OUR TIP

Form: 70-526 CD

Last run: 6 days

W: 9st 9lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 75

Form & Verdict
Dual C&D winner (good) in 2022; second-best over 6f here penultimate start, but a fraction underwhelming on quicker ground (C&D) subsequently; high enough in the weights but Taylor Fisher's claim can help.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

(7)

3rd Sep 2025

Good

0m 5f 160y

Class 6

15:20 Bath

Macs Dilemma

9st 8lb

J: William Carson

T: John O’Shea

C&D winner; losing run stretches back over two years and he hasn't fired yet this year; dropped 10lb as a result but perhaps not ready to capitalise just yet.

33/1

3

(3)

22nd Jul 2025

Standard

0m 6f 20y

Class 6

21:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Macs Dilemma

9st 13lb

J: James Turner

T: John O’Shea

Not run on the AW since 2022 and has regressed on turf in recent times, having been rated a stone higher at the start of last season; well held in three runs round his beloved Chepstow this year.

16/1

Form: -61361 CD

Last run: 24 days

W: 8st 9lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 61

Form & Verdict
Won twice here last summer (6f-7f) and latterly defied a joint career-high mark to notch a second Brighton win (7f, good to firm); seems to appreciate this headgear, so holds a realistic chance from this 2lb higher mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

(6)

23rd Jun 2025

Good To Firm

0m 6f 16y

Class 6

15:15 Chepstow

Diamond Cottage

9st 6lb

J: Gina Mangan

T: Malcolm Saunders

Course regular who led close home to score over C&D (good) last month; reportedly unsuited by the soft ground when well beaten here 16 days ago; current mark is workable if she's back on song.

9/1

8th

6

(8)

7th Jun 2025

Good To Soft

0m 6f 16y

Class 6

20:30 Chepstow

Diamond Cottage

8st 13lb

J: William Carson

T: Malcolm Saunders

Notched a third course win when ending a losing run over C&D 17 days ago (unlucky Vape not far behind in sixth); got messed about a bit herself and has a fair chance of defying a 3lb rise.

3/1

1st

8

(9)

21st May 2025

Good

0m 6f 16y

Class 6

17:35 Chepstow

Diamond Cottage

8st 10lb

J: Gina Mangan

T: Malcolm Saunders

Suffered lots of defeats since last win nearly two years ago, though went down by a short head at Salisbury (6f) two runs ago; she was entitled to run better here last week over the 7f, though.

16/1

Form: 640-39

Last run: 17 days

W: 9st 0lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 66

Form & Verdict
Maiden (0-10); placed in a Wolverhampton novice (9.5f) in February; weakened at Nottingham (8.5f; ninth of 11) 17-days ago, but it isn't beyond the realms of possibility that he'll progress from that (first run for over three months); drops to 7f from an easing mark in newly applied headgear.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

8

(2)

28th Sep 2024

Standard

1m 0f 0y

Class 6

20:30 Chelmsford (AW)

Marayel

9st 6lb

J: Tom Queally

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Quirky type with a patchy record but he justified favouritism at Lingfield (1m, AW) last month and had an excuse when stepped back up to 1m2f at Brighton (took strong hold) last time; still looks feasibly treated on that penultimate form and has claims if he can bounce back again.

6/1

3rd

1

(9)

9th Aug 2024

Good To Firm

1m 1f 207y

Class 6

15:30 Brighton

Marayel

10st 0lb

J: Tom Queally

T: Gary & Josh Moore

unseated rider in paddock, took keen hold, in rear, headway over 4f out, switched to near side over 3f out, hung left over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong

100/30

1st

7

(1)

5th Aug 2024

Standard

1m 0f 1y

Class 6

15:15 Lingfield (AW)

Marayel

9st 1lb

J: Tom Queally

T: Gary & Josh Moore

17-race maiden who looked a difficult ride when pulling hard here (1m2f classified) last time but he wasn't beaten far in that race, and that was after an eyecatching fourth over C&D two weeks earlier; comes with risks attached but he's not ruled out back in trip.

7/2

Form: 865232 CD

Last run: 17 days

W: 8st 8lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 60

Form & Verdict
Admirable veteran; continues to knock on the door from this reduced mark, running well on each of his last three starts, including behind today's rivals Chifa (Wolverhampton) and Diamond Cottage (Brighton); handled firm ground well at Brighton (1m; runner-up) latest; foolish to dismiss.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

6

(6)

1st Apr 2024

Standard

0m 7f 36y

Class 6

17:13 Wolverhampton (AW)

Fieldsman

9st 5lb

J: Jack Doughty

T: Tony Carroll

led

10/1

6th

6

(6)

1st Apr 2024

Standard

0m 7f 36y

Class 6

17:13 Wolverhampton (AW)

Fieldsman

9st 5lb

J: Jack Doughty

T: Tony Carroll

led

10/1

7th

2

(5)

21st Mar 2024

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 6

19:00 Southwell (AW)

Fieldsman

9st 8lb

J: Molly Gunn

T: Tony Carroll

12yo who was disappointing here (1m) last Tuesday but did too much too soon in that amateurs' race; had previously been running consistently well (including over C&D) and he may well bounce back with a bold bid.

10/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £10.40
Straight Forecast £9.91
Trifecta £21.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Matty Too

TOPSPEED:

Diamond Cottage

RP RATINGS:

Macs Dilemma

Telegraph:

Chifa

POSTDATA:

Fieldsman

NEWMARKET:

Matty Too

The Times:

Matty Too

The Guardian:

Matty Too

Daily Mail:

Matty Too

The Sun:

Matty Too

The Star:

Matty Too

Daily Record:

Matty Too

D Express:

Macs Dilemma

WEST COUNTRY:

Diamond Cottage

Daily Mirror:

Diamond Cottage