July 14 / 18.35 Chepstow

18.35

Good To Soft

Vickers Bet Handicap

  • Prize money: £3245.08
  • 0m 5f 16y
  • Class 6
  • 9 runners
SKY
View Course
Vickers Bet Handicap

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

Abandoned

Form: 514-45 CD

Last run: 27 days

W: 10st 0lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 62

Form & Verdict
Beaten over 12l on both starts for new stable this season but now back on same mark as when winning over C&D (soft) for Mark Usher in September and will warrant consideration if conditions become testing tonight.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

(9)

1st Aug 2025

Standard

0m 6f 0y

Class 6

15:53 Newcastle (AW)

Willingly

9st 9lb

J: Archie Young

T: Mark Usher

8yo who is without a win since October 2023 and has finished soundly beaten in Class 5 handicaps on her last two starts; however, before those she went close in one at Chepstow in May and if rediscovering that form she'll be very tough to beat now dropped into a classified.

7/2

8

(8)

19th Jul 2025

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 5

21:00 Haydock

Willingly

8st 10lb

J: Aidan Keeley

T: Mark Usher

On the downgrade in recent times and no surprise to see her fail to build on her Chepstow second when well held at Hamilton last time; the blinkers come off again tonight.

20/1

OUR TIP

Abandoned

Form: 812731 CD

Last run: 18 days

W: 9st 11lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 59

Form & Verdict
Dual 6f winner this season, more recently when sitting much closer to the pace than usual here (good to firm; also effective on soft ground) 18 days ago; 5lb rise demands more from her but she will presumably be ridden positively again over today's shorter trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

7

(7)

2nd Jun 2026

Standard

1m 1f 104y

Class 6

21:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Port Noir

9st 3lb

J: Rose Dawes

T: Robert Stephens

Has enjoyed a good year with four wins, two of them over C&D; last two efforts leave her with a bit to prove, though.

14/1

12th

2

(11)

23rd May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 2f 0y

Class 6

19:30 Windsor

Port Noir

9st 9lb

J: Rose Dawes

T: Robert Stephens

Hardy mare who landed four races on AW (1m to 9.5f) between February and April; also a previous four-time winner on turf but this is just her second crack at 1m2f on her 111th start; still not discounted.

12/1

7th

4

(5)

6th May 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 0y

Class 6

18:00 Kempton (AW)

Port Noir

9st 9lb

J: Matthew Lloyd Slater

T: Robert Stephens

9yo who has won four times since February including twice over C&D; held in third when unpenalised at Wolverhampton last time but she wasn't beaten far and that was another creditable effort; should be in the mix again off 3lb higher.

4/1

Form: 7-8456 CD

Last run: 8 days

W: 9st 10lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 58

Form & Verdict
Beaten under 2l over C&D (good to soft) in May and posted another very respectable effort when close sixth in higher-grade company at Newbury (5f, good) last week; fine on soft ground (may not want it heavy) and will be dangerous off this mark if first-time cheekpieces have positive effect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

9

(9)

24th Aug 2023

Good

0m 6f 16y

Class 6

13:40 Chepstow

Bluebell Time

9st 6lb

J: William Carson

T: Malcolm Saunders

Infrequent winner; some promise in the spring but she's gone off the boil more recently; down in the weights but with good reason; cheekpieces now reached for.

16/1

10th

15

(15)

9th Aug 2023

Good To Soft

0m 5f 160y

Class 6

14:40 Bath

Bluebell Time

8st 13lb

J: Saffie Osborne

T: Malcolm Saunders

dwelt start, outpaced in rear

10/1

5th

4

(4)

26th Jul 2023

Good

0m 5f 160y

Class 6

16:15 Bath

Bluebell Time

9st 7lb

J: William Carson

T: Malcolm Saunders

Dual course winner; not firing on all cylinders this season but wasn't beaten far in stronger race than this at Newbury (5f, good) two starts ago and arguably ran better than bare form suggests when a fading eighth over C&D last week; could have a say.

7/1

Form: 640915 CD

Last run: 4 days

W: 9st 7lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 55

Form & Verdict
Led close home to open account over C&D (good to firm; also has form on soft) last month, her 17th start; still very well handicapped on older form but managed only fifth in 6f event won by Bama Lama here on Monday and is not one to rely upon heavily.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

10

(1)

9th Jul 2026

Good

0m 5f 182y

Class 6

15:45 Carlisle

Kyber Crystal

9st 2lb

J: Kaiya Fraser

T: Rebecca Menzies

Ran okay on her seasonal return in April but she hasn't built on it in four runs since; had 17 runs at 6f+ and she has been unplaced in all of them.

12/1

5th

4

(1)

29th Jun 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 6

17:00 Pontefract

Kyber Crystal

9st 7lb

J: David Allan

T: Rebecca Menzies

Has done her winning over 5f, most recently off 4lb higher at Pontefract last September (inconsistent since); attractively treated but has something to prove back up in trip.

10/1

11th

10

(4)

5th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

0m 5f 0y

Class 6

14:50 Thirsk

Kyber Crystal

9st 3lb

J: Kaiya Fraser

T: Rebecca Menzies

5-55; outran her double-figure odds when third to Beerwah and Zuffolo on seasonal reappearance at Redcar (5f, good); she's failed to build on that since, only fifth (runner-up a winner since) back there ten days ago; is due to ease a further 2lb in the weights.

12/1

Abandoned

Form: 34-70

Last run: 17 days

W: 9st 7lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 60

Form & Verdict
Unexposed after only four starts (all on good to firm) but was last of 11 when 22-1 for recent handicap debut at Newbury (6f) and could be considered only if much stronger in the betting here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

10

(1)

9th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

0m 5f 160y

Class 5

16:47 Bath

Papabella

8st 13lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Stuart Kittow

Denied Connie's Rose close home off 2lb higher at Chepstow in June (6f, good to firm), but behind that rival the last twice (softer ground not to blame) and her season is starting to trail off; others persuade more.

20/1

11

(12)

22nd Sep 2025

Good To Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 5

17:38 Leicester

Papabella

9st 6lb

J: Hector Crouch

T: Stuart Kittow

Again inclined to hang left behind Connie's Rose last time, when well below market expectations; won over C&D this time last year but that was off a 7lb lower mark and she's weighted to her best.

10/1

2

(8)

2nd Sep 2025

Good To Soft

0m 6f 16y

Class 5

16:20 Chepstow

Papabella

9st 7lb

J: Callum Hutchinson

T: Stuart Kittow

Added a C&D win (a little to find with the runner-up Connie's Rose) in June to two over 6f (good to firm and soft) in 2024; shade below best at Ffos Las four weeks ago but can't rule out back on this course.

8/1

Form: 459-83

Last run: 25 days

W: 9st 6lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 59

Form & Verdict
Lightly raced filly who bettered disappointing seasonal/handicap/stable debut when third at Lingfield (5f, AW; hood/tongue-tie added) last month; still needs to prove herself on grass but open to further progress.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

7

(4)

25th Jul 2023

Standard To Slow

0m 6f 0y

Class 5

19:20 Chelmsford (AW)

Sabah Al Ward

8st 12lb

J: William Buick

T: George Boughey

Didn't go on for Richard Hughes last year before undergoing wind surgery; showed more in the hood/tongue-tie last time, though, and should be happier back up from 5f.

7/1

11

(10)

11th Jul 2023

Standard

0m 5f 21y

Class 6

15:40 Wolverhampton (AW)

Sabah Al Ward

9st 3lb

J: William Buick

T: George Boughey

Form: 58-796 CD

Last run: 2 days

W: 9st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 53

Form & Verdict
Seven-time winner at around 5f (once here); current mark is workable and he took a good step back in the right direction when respectable sixth at Bath (good; denied clear run) on Wednesday but he seems best on good/good to firm ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

9

(5)

26th Jul 2023

Good

0m 5f 160y

Class 6

15:40 Bath

Glamorous Force

9st 1lb

J: Adam Farragher

T: Ronald Harris

Won twice off higher marks last year and hinted at possible return to form when sixth here (5f, good) this month; never really looked dangerous when midfield over C&D a week ago and needs to up his game.

20/1

7th

9

(11)

19th Jul 2023

Good To Soft

0m 5f 160y

Class 6

15:00 Bath

Glamorous Force

9st 5lb

J: Dougie Costello

T: Ronald Harris

towards rear

12/1

Abandoned

Form: 545331 C

Last run: 4 days

W: 9st 3lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 46

Form & Verdict
Ended a losing streak with 6f course win (good to soft) off her basement mark on Monday; can cope with today's drop back in trip and is evidently in good nick but 5lb penalty may leave her vulnerable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

(4)

3rd Jul 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 16y

Class 6

18:45 Chepstow

Bama Lama

9st 9lb

J: Oliver Searle

T: Rod Millman

Seven wins include two at this track over 6f (good to soft/good to firm) but her last success came in October 2024; beat only one rival home on her reappearance here over 6f last month and now drops back in trip on her return to classified company.

10/1

6th

6

(2)

15th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

0m 6f 16y

Class 6

16:33 Chepstow

Bama Lama

8st 9lb

J: Oliver Searle

T: Rod Millman

Mudlark who starts her campaign off a lowly mark; she has a nine-month absence to overcome, however, and that hasn't been the time to catch her in previous seasons.

14/1

6th

6

(8)

14th Sep 2025

Heavy

0m 5f 10y

Class 6

16:50 Bath

Bama Lama

9st 0lb

J: Oliver Searle

T: Rod Millman

Effectively 11lb lower than when winning on heavy ground at Windsor (5f) last October but placed on only one of her nine appearances this year and evidently not as good as she was.

8/1

Abandoned

Form: -60466 CD

Last run: 18 days

W: 8st 13lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 47

Form & Verdict
Triple C&D winner last year (good/soft); yet to hit top gear this season and has developed a tendency to start slowly but has slipped to a good mark and can't be ruled out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

7

(4)

2nd Sep 2025

Good To Soft

0m 5f 16y

Class 6

17:25 Chepstow

Fossos

9st 0lb

J: Zoe Lewis

T: Thomas Faulkner

Has won four times over C&D but has shown little in four starts since returning from a 685-day absence last month.

25/1

7

(7)

25th Aug 2025

Good

0m 5f 16y

Class 6

16:13 Chepstow

Fossos

8st 9lb

J: Zoe Lewis

T: Thomas Faulkner

Four-time C&D winner who finished second in this race in 2022; came back from a 685-day absence at the start of this month and that run, alongside the two that followed, don't suggest he's retained that old ability; risky at present.

33/1

7

(7)

19th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

0m 5f 16y

Class 6

18:30 Chepstow

Fossos

8st 12lb

J: Callum Shepherd

T: Thomas Faulkner

Four-time C&D winner; well handicapped on old form but returned from long absence with two low-key runs this summer, more recently when last of seven over 6f here on Thursday; visor refitted; revival needed.

25/1

Verdict

This can go to BLUEBELL TIME (nap), who drops in grade after a very respectable sixth at Newbury eight days ago and remains on a good mark. Sabah Al Ward (second choice) is not yet proven on turf but she ran well on Polytrack last time and may still have potential. A change of tactics paid dividends for Port Noir over 6f here last month and it will be interesting to see whether she’s able to take a prominent early position over today’s shorter trip.[Chris Wilson]

Selections

WEST COUNTRY:

Bama Lama

POSTDATA:

Port Noir

RP RATINGS:

Sabah Al Ward

D Express:

Glamorous Force

SPOTLIGHT:

Bluebell Time

NEWMARKET:

Sabah Al Ward

Telegraph:

Sabah Al Ward

The Times:

Bama Lama

Daily Mirror:

Bama Lama

The Sun:

Bama Lama

The Star:

Glamorous Force

The Guardian:

Port Noir

Daily Mail:

Port Noir

Daily Record:

Port Noir