January 01 / 12.29 Southwell

12.29

Heavy

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  • Prize money: £7393.4
  • 3m 0f 60y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Download The Racing App App Now Handicap Chase

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

OUR TIP

Form: /121-4 D

Last run: 19 days

W: 12st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

15th Mar 2024

Good To Soft

3m 0f 38y

Class 5

17:05 Fakenham

Firak

12st 6lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Hampered but not unlucky when second dropped back to 2m at Leicester latest (soft); work to do with Rebel Dawn Rising and Janika on last Easter's C&D clash, and Hexham win afterwards might not be infallible proof of his effectiveness at 3m under rules (tired and just held on in slowly run race).

4/1

2nd

2

8th Mar 2024

Heavy

1m 7f 201y

Class 5

16:50 Leicester

Firak

12st 6lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Won three times for Nick Pearce last spring, including when value for more than the winning margin at Hexham (3m, soft; 5-2; first-time cheekpieces); yet to fire since returning to Dan Skelton, pulling up in the Walrus at Haydock (2m6f, heavy) three weeks ago; questions to answer, especially at 2m.

9/2

2

17th Feb 2024

Heavy

2m 6f 54y

Class 3

16:55 Haydock

Firak

12st 4lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Won two hunter chases last spring (2m4f/3m, soft) and returned from some time off with fair fourth of five in Leicester handicap (2m4f, heavy) in December; could show the benefit of that outing today; possible contender.

13/2

Form: 112-P3 BF

Last run: 10 days

W: 11st 10lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

19th Apr 2025

Soft

2m 4f 216y

Class 3

16:19 Newton Abbot

Eaton Collina

11st 1lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Kerry Lee

headed after 3rd, led, not fluent 4th, soon lost ground, in rear when weakened after 10th

8/1

11

19th Apr 2025

Soft

2m 4f 216y

Class 3

16:19 Newton Abbot

Eaton Collina

11st 1lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Kerry Lee

headed after 3rd, led, not fluent 4th, soon lost ground, in rear when weakened after 10th

8/1

5th

5

15th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 3

14:05 Haydock

Eaton Collina

11st 4lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: Kerry Lee

Completed a Wetherby double (2m3f, soft) last February and he's back down to his last winning mark; hasn't hit the same heights this season but ran okay when third at Wetherby (2m3f, soft) last month and he now contests his first veterans' chase; could be involved.

7/2

Abandoned

Form: 446-31

Last run: 19 days

W: 11st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 30y

Class 3

14:15 Bangor-on-Dee

Val Dancer

11st 12lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Mel Rowley

Last season was one to remember, winning the Welsh National and later second in the Grand National Trial at Haydock; 0-4 this campaign but it's been anything but a washout and he should be dangerous off this mark, for all that he's made his name over further.

4/1

4th

4

21st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

4m 1f 56y

Class 2

14:43 Newcastle

Val Dancer

10st 3lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Mel Rowley

Won last season's Welsh National (extended 3m6f, soft) off 3lb lower and second in the Grand National Trial at Haydock; near that form on second start this term, before a lesser show (weak in the market) in the Surrey National at Lingfield; needs to be back at his peak and there are mixed messages.

8/1

4th

4

19th Jan 2026

Soft

3m 4f 178y

Class 3

13:50 Lingfield

Val Dancer

11st 10lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Mel Rowley

Bettered underwhelming seasonal debut when placed over the big Aintree fences (3m2f, soft) last month and remains only 4lb higher than when winning last season's Welsh National (3m6f, soft); high on the list.

6/1

Form: P5P-12 D BF

Last run: 39 days

W: 11st 5lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

26th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 171y

Class 5

15:17 Ludlow

Haut Folin

11st 10lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Bettered poor seasonal debut when third over C&D (good to soft; 8l behind Anytrixwilldo) in refitted blinkers in January, but he ought to have been suited by the heavy ground when pulled up at Ffos Las on Friday and has become far too unreliable.

10/1

2

20th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 177y

Class 5

13:52 Ffos Las

Haut Folin

11st 10lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Has become well handicapped and finally completed again when a 12l third at Ludlow (3m, good to soft); could build on that with yard having winners again.

4/1

3rd

4

15th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 171y

Class 5

12:32 Ludlow

Haut Folin

11st 10lb

J: Murray Dodd

T: Venetia Williams

No better for the 279-day break when registering yet another pulling up last month, despite having his preferred 3m on slow ground; 9lb below his one British winning mark now but hard to warm to; blinkers return.

14/1

Form: 435/3- BF

Last run: 451 days

W: 10st 13lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

5

20th May 2024

Soft

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

16:43 Newton Abbot

Len Brennan

12st 0lb

J: Mr Billy Broomfield

T: Miss A Procter

Out of sorts in two run-of-the-mill handicap chases for Anthony Charlton in January; rediscovered some form to win five-runner conditions point (good ground) for new stable this month but has more on his plate here.

7/1

2nd

5

20th May 2024

Soft

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

16:43 Newton Abbot

Len Brennan

12st 0lb

J: Mr Billy Broomfield

T: Miss A Procter

Out of sorts in two run-of-the-mill handicap chases for Anthony Charlton in January; rediscovered some form to win five-runner conditions point (good ground) for new stable this month but has more on his plate here.

7/1

0

6

28th Jan 2024

Soft

3m 3f 149y

Class 4

15:55 Fontwell

Len Brennan

10st 10lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Anthony Charlton

held up in rear but in touch with leaders

20/1

Form: 2P3612 CD

Last run: 15 days

W: 10st 6lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 98

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

27th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 7f 136y

Class 4

15:47 Chepstow

Ali Star Bert

11st 9lb

J: Jack Quinlan

T: Shaun Harris

Ended 2025 with two wins at Southwell (3m, soft/good to soft), looking in particularly good nick on latter occasion; struggled from just out of the weights in last week's Surrey National at Lingfield but enters calculations in this easier race.

14/1

15

19th Jan 2026

Soft

3m 4f 178y

Class 3

13:50 Lingfield

Ali Star Bert

10st 2lb

J: Murray Dodd

T: Shaun Harris

Ended 2025 with two wins at Southwell (3m, soft/good to soft); contests this much stronger race from 3lb out of the weights but he looked in particularly good nick on his latest outing and this trip should be fine.

16/1

4th

9

11th Sep 2025

Good

3m 0f 10y

Class 4

17:35 Uttoxeter

Ali Star Bert

11st 5lb

J: Jack Quinlan

T: Shaun Harris

The last of six chase wins was at Southwell (3m2f, good to soft) in March; very mixed since then and wouldn't be the percentage call.

25/1

Verdict

Len Brennan will do well to defy a long absence but the other five all have claims. The suggestion is FIRAK who ran as though his Leicester race would bring him on and yet he wasn’t beaten far. Eaton Collina is given another go at 3m and he’s second choice ahead of Ali Star Bert.[Alistair Jones]