October 18 / 15.45 Exeter

15.45

Good To Firm

Love Devon Legends Novices’ Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £3866.66
  • 2m 1f 109y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
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Love Devon Legends Novices’ Handicap Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

11/4 (Won)

  • Win: £3.50
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 2205-3 BF

Last run: 18 days

W: 11st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 90

Form & Verdict
Unexposed 6yo who shaped with significant promise when last of three finishers on recent seasonal/chase/handicap debut at Fontwell (2m2f, good); should still have more to offer; likely contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

21st Apr 2023

Good

2m 1f 109y

Class 5

19:05 Exeter

Braveheart

11st 11lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Jamie Snowden

Having only his second run over fences when a clearcut winner over C&D last October; shown nothing since then but he's not on a bad mark if wind surgery has done the trick.

13/2

4

22nd Mar 2023

Good To Soft

2m 0f 54y

Class 5

14:50 Warwick

Braveheart

11st 9lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Built on some promise from his chasing debut to break his duck at the second attempt, at Exeter (2m1f, good to firm) last October, when 5lb lower; well below par in two starts at Ludlow (both 2m, sound surface) since; returns after having had wind surgery for a second time.

8/1

4th

2

7th Dec 2022

Good To Firm

1m 7f 201y

Class 5

13:50 Leicester

Braveheart

11st 6lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Jamie Snowden

Mixed bag in three chasing efforts; lacked fluency on debut but showed the benefit of that when winning in good style at Exeter in October; hot favourite at Ludlow since but jumping let him down again; strong claims on the winning display and perhaps the return to a stiff track can help.

11/4

16/1

  • Place: £6.70

Form: 69553-

Last run: 191 days

W: 10st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
12-race maiden; improved significantly upon disappointing chase debut when third of five at Wincanton (1m7f, good; first-time cheekpieces) in April but hasn't raced again since and is effectively 4lb higher here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

13th Mar 2023

Good To Soft

2m 0f 12y

Class 5

16:35 Taunton

Gaelic Thunder

10st 2lb

J: Finn Lambert

T: Chris Honour

0-9 over fences and 0-19 overall; ran well from the front when second here (2m2f, good) in December, but is effectively 5lb higher from further out of the weights today and returns here after a 63l defeat last month.

14/1

6th

8

8th Feb 2023

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

14:05 Southwell

Gaelic Thunder

10st 2lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Chris Honour

took keen hold, prominent on outer, disputed lead 4th, led clearly after 7th, jumped right 4 out, ridden and headed before 3 out

20/1

11

16th Jan 2023

Soft

2m 0f 8y

Class 5

13:10 Hereford

Gaelic Thunder

10st 3lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Chris Honour

Looks a modest maiden but has proved generally consistent over fences, most recently second at Taunton in the race that Folly Gate would have probably won but for unseating; could go well again.

8/1

Form: 6518P5 D

Last run: 9 days

W: 10st 6lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Reportedly aided by fitting of a tongue-tie when winning off much reduced mark at Stratford (2m1f, good) in August; that form has been franked by the runner-up since but this fellow comes here after three lacklustre efforts and has become very hard to predict.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

4th Nov 2022

Good

2m 0f 161y

Class 5

17:08 Exeter

The Garrison

10st 7lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Alexandra Dunn

Wearing a first-time tongue-tie when winning over fences at Stratford in August but not a lot since (in just cheekpieces last three runs), with his third here last month a remote one; he has at least won over hurdles.

25/1

8

31st Oct 2022

Good

2m 0f 8y

Class 5

16:45 Hereford

The Garrison

10st 7lb

J: Tom Scudamore

T: Alexandra Dunn

Got back in the groove with a tongue-tie added when scoring over fences at Stratford (2m1f, good) in August but he's not come close to that form in four runs since; back on last winning mark now but was beaten 23l at Exeter last time and he needs a major upturn in form.

14/1

3rd

5

18th Oct 2022

Good To Firm

2m 1f 109y

Class 5

15:45 Exeter

The Garrison

10st 6lb

J: James Davies

T: Alexandra Dunn

led, 5 lengths ahead 6th, not fluent 7th, much reduced lead 4 out, soon ridden, lost second after 2 out, weakened approaching last

12/1

Form: 213272

Last run: 34 days

W: 10st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 76

Form & Verdict
Belatedly came good under rules at Huntingdon (2m, good) in June and has posted some good efforts in defeat since, most recently when second at Kelso (2m1f, good) last month; 2lb out of the weights here but probably won't be far away.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

10th May 2024

Good

2m 4f 139y

Class 5

17:00 Market Rasen

Begoodtoyourself

10st 3lb

J: Philip Armson

T: Christopher Kellett

Hurdle and chase winner at up to 2m3f; well below par in two starts since the latest at Carlisle in December (2m3f, good to soft).

20/1

5th

8

10th May 2024

Good

2m 4f 139y

Class 5

17:00 Market Rasen

Begoodtoyourself

10st 3lb

J: Philip Armson

T: Christopher Kellett

Hurdle and chase winner at up to 2m3f; well below par in two starts since the latest at Carlisle in December (2m3f, good to soft).

20/1

Form: PP3-56

Last run: 138 days

W: 11st 1lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 91

Form & Verdict
Not seen since beaten 40l+ on consecutive outings in early part of this season but made quite promising chasing debut when keeping-on third of four behind two next-time-out winners at Fontwell (2m2f, good) in March and is now 11lb below that mark; interesting.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

13

8th Nov 2022

Good

2m 0f 53y

Class 5

17:15 Hereford

Blueberg

10st 9lb

J: Adam Wedge

T: Evan Williams

Placed on first start over hurdles at Stratford (2m2f, good to soft) in October 2021 but generally poor since, including when beaten 45l (fifth of seven) on seasonal reappearance at Exeter; 5lb lower in first-time blinkers.

10/1

5th

3

18th Oct 2022

Good To Firm

2m 1f 109y

Class 5

15:45 Exeter

Blueberg

11st 1lb

J: Adam Wedge

T: Evan Williams

midfield, bumped 1st, mistake 4th, ridden after 5 out, lost fourth 4 out, soon weakened

8/1

Form: 67/9/2

Last run: 20 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
No match for easy winner but still outran 66-1 when second on return to racing under rules at Bangor (2m1f, good) three weeks ago; player if able to build on that performance here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

6

30th Nov 2022

Good To Soft

1m 7f 169y

Class 4

12:45 Ludlow

Evron

10st 10lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Matt Sheppard

Point winner but 0-15 under rules; ran well when second over fences in September but little since; hard to have great faith but drop in trip probably a good move; stable also runs Baliyad.

14/1

4

21st Nov 2022

Good

2m 7f 174y

Class 5

14:10 Ludlow

Evron

11st 1lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Matt Sheppard

Won a point but he's 0-7 over hurdles and 0-6 as a chaser; ran quite well in a Bangor handicap chase in September but has not shown a lot since, latterly on his return to hurdles.

20/1

8th

7

2nd Nov 2022

Good To Soft

2m 3f 100y

Class 5

16:52 Chepstow

Evron

11st 6lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Matt Sheppard

Plenty of form in points; hard to know what he achieved when behind an easy winner in a Bangor handicap chase and he then pulled up at Exeter after jumping moderately; 0-6 as a hurdler and never placed.

20/1

OUR TIP

Form: 63442-

Last run: 202 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 92

Form & Verdict
0-6 over fences and 0-14 overall but lost out only by a short head at Wincanton (2m4f, good) in March and can cope with today's 2lb higher mark if fully tuned up after his break.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

18th Oct 2022

Good To Firm

2m 1f 109y

Class 5

15:45 Exeter

Majestic Merlin

11st 2lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Philip Hobbs

took keen hold, midfield, jumped left and bumped rival 1st, not fluent 5 out, soon pulled up

9/4

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £35.80
Straight Forecast £35.98
Trifecta £321.50

Selections

POSTDATA:

Braveheart

TOPSPEED:

Majestic Merlin

SPOTLIGHT:

Blueberg

The Sun:

Begoodtoyourself

The Times:

Evron

LAMBOURN:

Braveheart

Telegraph:

Braveheart

Daily Mail:

Braveheart

The Star:

Braveheart

RP Ratings:

Blueberg

WEST COUNTRY:

Majestic Merlin

The Guardian:

Majestic Merlin

Daily Express:

Majestic Merlin

Daily Record:

Begoodtoyourself

Daily Mirror:

Evron