May 25 / 18.15 Cartmel

18.15

Soft

Armstrong Watson Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £7604.64
  • 2m 1f 61y
  • Class 3
  • 5 runners
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Armstrong Watson Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

2/1 (Won)

  • Win: £4.00
  • Place: £1.60

Form: /260-1 D

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 10lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 136

Form & Verdict
Three-time hurdle winner who recovered from significant jumping error at penultimate fence to make winning chase debut at Hexham (2m4f, good to soft) three weeks ago; can cope with today's drop back in trip and is probably still on a workable mark after recent 4lb rise.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

25th May 2024

Soft

2m 1f 61y

Class 3

18:15 Cartmel

Playful Saint

11st 10lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Three-time hurdle winner who recovered from significant jumping error at penultimate fence to make winning chase debut at Hexham (2m4f, good to soft) three weeks ago; can cope with today's drop back in trip and is probably still on a workable mark after recent 4lb rise.

2/1

1st

1

25th May 2024

Soft

2m 1f 61y

Class 3

18:15 Cartmel

Playful Saint

11st 10lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Three-time hurdle winner who recovered from significant jumping error at penultimate fence to make winning chase debut at Hexham (2m4f, good to soft) three weeks ago; can cope with today's drop back in trip and is probably still on a workable mark after recent 4lb rise.

2/1

OUR TIP

7/2

  • Place: £1.80

Form: 12211- D

Last run: 33 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
3-5 in slow-ground novice hurdles at around 2m last season; drew clear of a useful rival at Hexham last month and connections are evidently keen to switch him to fences for this handicap debut; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

25th May 2024

Soft

2m 1f 61y

Class 3

18:15 Cartmel

Tedtwo

11st 2lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Ben Haslam

3-5 in slow-ground novice hurdles at around 2m last season; drew clear of a useful rival at Hexham last month and connections are evidently keen to switch him to fences for this handicap debut; respected.

7/2

2nd

2

25th May 2024

Soft

2m 1f 61y

Class 3

18:15 Cartmel

Tedtwo

11st 2lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Ben Haslam

3-5 in slow-ground novice hurdles at around 2m last season; drew clear of a useful rival at Hexham last month and connections are evidently keen to switch him to fences for this handicap debut; respected.

7/2

1st

1

22nd Apr 2024

Heavy

2m 0f 48y

Class 4

14:00 Hexham

Tedtwo

12st 0lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Ben Haslam

led at steady pace, clear with one other after 3rd, headed 2 out, pushed along before last, led again run-in, pushed out final 110yds, won going away

2/1

Form: 21148- D

Last run: 36 days

W: 10st 11lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Dual novice hurdle winner last season (2m, soft); disappointing favourite when only fourth of five on chase/handicap debut at Carlisle (2m, soft) in February and safely held when switched back to hurdling last month but the added hood may help him to settle better here, and he could still have a good future over fences.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

28th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 1f 14y

Class 3

13:10 Kelso

Doyen Du Bar

12st 1lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Nicky Richards

Three wins last season (2m, various ground) and ran well to be placed towards the end of last year on first two starts for this yard; faded when upped to 2m5f last month and firmly in calculations now back down in trip.

7/2

3rd

6

16th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 89y

Class 2

14:05 Market Rasen

Doyen Du Bar

11st 1lb

J: Callum Bewley

T: Nicky Richards

Won three small-field chases for Pauline Robson last season and was placed on first two starts for Nicky Richards this term, more recently when second at Wetherby (1m7f, soft) just after Christmas; untested beyond an extended 2m1f but is a major player if this new trip suits.

5/2

1st

1

24th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 0f 110y

Class 3

15:25 Ayr

Doyen Du Bar

11st 10lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Pauline Robson

made all, went clear going easily after 3 out, nudged out run-in, comfortably

4/5

Form: 32312- D

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 1lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Does not help himself by racing far too freely but got his act together over fences towards end of last season, winning easily by 14l at Ayr (2m, good; first-time hood) before a good second over that same C&D on soft; likely to make a bold bid from the front here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

1

13th Jul 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

14:33 Perth

Salamanca Bay

12st 0lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: L J Morgan

Free-goer who was useful in his prime and was in front before last-fence fall over C&D (good) on last month's stable debut; subsequent 2lb rise is manageable and, providing his confidence has not been affected, he's an obvious contender.

11/8

3

8th Jun 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 3

15:22 Perth

Salamanca Bay

10st 9lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: L J Morgan

Back in better form the last twice, then sold for £7,000; gained his sole chase win off 7lb higher and can't be dismissed on debut for another new yard (his fifth).

5/1

2nd

5

13th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 110y

Class 4

14:30 Worcester

Salamanca Bay

11st 7lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Should be well handicapped and he ran well for a long way when a 4l third behind Jet Of Dreams at Chepstow (2m, good); perhaps went off a bit too hot that day and has to be of interest.

15/2

Form: P3313- D BF

Last run: 43 days

W: 10st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Won small-field Plumpton chase (2m1f, good) on last month's stable debut and remains well handicapped on last year's hurdling form but didn't see his race out at Fakenham on latest outing and has become unreliable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

28th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 5

18:30 Market Rasen

El Muchacho

12st 0lb

J: William Maggs

T: Mike Sowersby

Won twice on good ground (2m5f/2m3f) for this new stable last season and has been placed on last three appearances, most recently when second over C&D (good) three weeks ago; 1lb lower today and seems very likely to be in the thick of things again.

7/4

2nd

3

8th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 5

15:15 Market Rasen

El Muchacho

11st 7lb

J: William Maggs

T: Mike Sowersby

Holding form well since January's Catterick success (2m3f, good), actually achieving more on RPRs when a close third at Newcastle latest; still well treated on his 2023-24 peak form, and no ground concerns.

9/2

3rd

1

31st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 19y

Class 5

16:30 Newcastle

El Muchacho

12st 0lb

J: William Maggs

T: Mike Sowersby

Won at Catterick in January (2m3f, good) and best form since when 0.5l second at Sedgefield last time (2m5f, good); conditions suit; chance.

11/2

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £9.60
Straight Forecast £10.55
Trifecta £44.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Salamanca Bay

The Times:

Playful Saint

Telegraph:

Tedtwo

RP RATINGS:

El Muchacho

The Star:

Doyen Du Bar

Daily Record:

Tedtwo

TOPSPEED:

Salamanca Bay

POSTDATA:

Salamanca Bay

The Guardian:

Salamanca Bay

Daily Mail:

Salamanca Bay

D Express:

Playful Saint

Daily Mirror:

Playful Saint

The Sun:

Playful Saint