October 31 / 14.05 Stratford

14.05

Good To Soft

Blaze A Trail Stratford Hat-trick Hero Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £7208.56
  • 2m 3f 98y
  • Class 3
  • 5 runners
RTV
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Blaze A Trail Stratford Hat-trick Hero Handicap Chase

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

8/15 (Won)

  • Win: £1.54
  • Place: £1.10

Form: /P225- BF

Last run: 194 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 138

Form & Verdict
Dual French winner; yet to win in Britain but he ran really well in seriously competitive handicap hurdles last season (2m-2m1f); may prefer softer going but should have a big part to play if jumping well on this switch to fences; should stay.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

15:30 Aintree

LEau Du Sud

11st 10lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Third of five in Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase here (2m, good) 12 months ago and reappeared with a win in the Grade 2 Shloer at Cheltenham (2m, soft) in November; ran well when 12l third in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham (2m, good to soft) last month but doesn't appear to be crying out for this step up in trip, and Harry Skelton rides Grey Dawning.

11/1

3rd

6

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

LEau Du Sud

11st 10lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Progressive in the main; smart novice chaser last term and ties in closely with Majborough on Arkle bare form (good to soft; finished a close fourth); below par in the 2025 Tingle Creek when last seen but this looks the day to catch him; successful the last three times he has returned from a break of two months or bigger, most recently in this season's Shloer over C&D (soft) when easily beating his rivals and registering a fourth Graded win, as well as cementing his Champion Chase claims; favourably fresh and rightly respected.

4/1

2

1st Nov 2025

Good

2m 0f 172y

Class 1

14:05 Ascot

LEau Du Sud

11st 12lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

One of Britain's best 2m novice chasers last season and held his own in the Grade 1s at Cheltenham and Aintree; didn't jump as well as he can on the latter occasion when tried in cheekpieces and those aids are now left off; high in the weights for a reason but he may prefer softer ground and will have new handling, having only been ridden by Harry Skelton in Britain.

5/1

  • Place: £1.90

Form: 3445-9 D

Last run: 166 days

W: 11st 3lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Goes particularly well at Wetherby, the scene for his last four wins; had wind surgery since latest start; 2-11 as a chaser and can be up and down, but he returns on a dangerous mark and dropping back from 3m won't harm his chances.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

23rd Jan 2025

Soft

2m 3f 85y

Class 3

13:30 Wetherby

No Risk Des Flos

11st 3lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Olly Murphy

towards rear, not fluent 5 out, brief headway 4 out, soon no impression

11/4

5th

5

23rd Jan 2025

Soft

2m 3f 85y

Class 3

13:30 Wetherby

No Risk Des Flos

11st 3lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Olly Murphy

towards rear, not fluent 5 out, brief headway 4 out, soon no impression

11/4

4

16th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 88y

Class 3

12:22 Southwell

No Risk Des Flos

11st 10lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

0-6 during his last campaign but he dropped down the weights and returned with encouraging second to a handicap blot at Stratford (2m3f, good to soft); could build on that latest run and he's one to consider.

7/2

Form: -15225 C

Last run: 15 days

W: 10st 6lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Won a point and a handicap hunter chase (here) in May; has been running okay without looking ahead of his mark and might be vulnerable again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

2

26th Jun 2026

Good

2m 1f 46y

Class 4

16:58 Cartmel

Envious Editor

11st 13lb

J: Mr Daniel Cherriman

T: Belinda Clarke

Useful hunter chase form was a long time ago, and he was unable to win any of his last six points; very opposable returned to hurdles, especially at this trip.

25/1

5th

3

2nd May 2025

Good

2m 0f 62y

Class 5

16:35 Cheltenham

Envious Editor

12st 1lb

J: Mr Henry Crow

T: Mrs Rhiannon Lodge

prominent, pressed leaders briefly 2nd, weakened after 2 out

14/1

5th

3

2nd May 2025

Good

2m 0f 62y

Class 5

16:35 Cheltenham

Envious Editor

12st 1lb

J: Mr Henry Crow

T: Mrs Rhiannon Lodge

Placed in the 2022 and 2023 renewals of this race and ran well on occasions in handicaps last year for Gary Hanmer; has changed trainers again but clearly won't be fazed by the demands of this assignment.

14/1

Form: 4/PPP5 D

Last run: 28 days

W: 10st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 92

Form & Verdict
Won a maiden hurdle for Olly Murphy but completed for the first time as a chaser when beaten under 9l in a 2m4f handicap at Warwick four weeks ago, which was commendable for a 200-1 chance; again a long way out of the weights here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

13th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 4f 25y

Class 5

13:30 Leicester

Storm Of Light

11st 11lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Rob Summers

2m4f hurdle winner (good); well treated on his hurdles form with Olly Murphy but has plenty to prove on the majority of his chase efforts.

33/1

10th

9

18th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

15:10 Ludlow

Storm Of Light

10st 10lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: Rob Summers

Stringing together some chasing completions now, and this would be miles easier than the class 3s he's contested the last twice (70l behind L'Eau Du Sud in a 0-140 latest); could still jump more tidily.

20/1

10th

9

18th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

15:10 Ludlow

Storm Of Light

10st 10lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: Rob Summers

Stringing together some chasing completions now, and this would be miles easier than the class 3s he's contested the last twice (70l behind L'Eau Du Sud in a 0-140 latest); could still jump more tidily.

20/1

OUR TIP

Form: 59/2P-

Last run: 250 days

W: 11st 13lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Dual hurdle winner for Nicky Henderson and fifth in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham in March 2023; had a close call on his chase debut last Christmas (2m6f) and heavy ground likely to blame for his no-show back over hurdles; still lightly raced and didn't come cheap at the sales (£44,000); ideally wants further, however.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

7

23rd May 2026

Good

3m 0f 30y

Class 2

16:10 Bangor-on-Dee

Walking On Air

10st 5lb

J: Harry Kimber

T: Faye Bramley

Back over hurdles with respectable fifth of 15 in Class 2 event at Haydock (3m, good) two weeks ago; 5lb lower back over fences but he's 0-12 in this sphere and he fell at Ayr on his penultimate run; down the list.

9/1

5th

8

9th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 58y

Class 2

12:45 Haydock

Walking On Air

10st 10lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Faye Bramley

Sparked just once in each of the last two seasons, at Doncaster; visored on latest start, after three runs in cheekpieces; often tongue tied as well but goes without any equipment today; his last hurdle race was in February 2024 and other options look a lot more solid.

25/1

9

18th Apr 2026

Soft

3m 0f 20y

Class 2

13:45 Ayr

Walking On Air

10st 11lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Faye Bramley

Good third off 4lb higher in first-time cheekpieces at Doncaster (3m, soft) in January; however, his form away from Doncaster hasn't been great in the last two seasons and the visor needs to have a positive influence.

20/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £3.20
Straight Forecast £3.99
Trifecta £5.00

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

L'Eau du Sud

TOPSPEED:

Envious Editor

The Sun:

Walking On Air

RP RATINGS:

No Risk Des Flos

The Times:

L'Eau du Sud

Telegraph:

L'Eau du Sud

The Guardian:

L'Eau du Sud

Daily Mail:

L'Eau du Sud

D Express:

L'Eau du Sud

Daily Mirror:

L'Eau du Sud

The Star:

L'Eau du Sud

Daily Record:

L'Eau du Sud

POSTDATA:

Envious Editor