December 09 / 13.15 Cheltenham

13.15

Good

Cheltenham & South-West Racing Club Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £8169
  • 3m 1f 56y
  • Class 3
  • 4 runners
RTV
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Cheltenham & South-West Racing Club Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly sunny

9/4 (Won)

  • Win: £1.91

Form: 12-1P1

Last run: 25 days

W: 10st 13lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Won two novice hurdles last season; after a quiet reappearance he was fitted in cheekpieces for his chase debut at Exeter (3m, good) and he came clear to collect by 23l, albeit in a race that fell apart; has a 9lb higher mark to deal with and he did jump a little to his right last time, which wouldn't be ideal around here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

3

5th Sep 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

17:00 Worcester

Hidden Heroics

11st 5lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Four-time chase winner (3m-3m3f), on ground ranging from good to soft; lurks on a dangerous mark but has not been firing on all cylinders this year and has a lot more to prove than some of these.

14/1

7th

4

8th Jul 2025

Good

3m 2f 13y

Class 4

19:00 Uttoxeter

Hidden Heroics

11st 12lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

3m3f Stratford winner last June but recent struggles continued when well beaten in that same race last month, finishing behind Ajp Kingdom and My Gift To You; did run well for a long way though and the return of cheekpieces didn't harm.

7/1

4

31st May 2025

Good

3m 3f 119y

Class 3

20:00 Stratford

Hidden Heroics

11st 7lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Not firing on all cylinders since returning from a break in March (four runs) but now 5lb lower than when making all for clearcut success in this race last year and the cheekpieces (worn for that success) are now refitted for the first time this year.

5/1

Form: 30-833 C

Last run: 47 days

W: 10st 13lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Won three over hurdles from 2m1f to 2m5f; ran okay in the face of a tough task when last of the three finishers on his chase debut at Chepstow (2m7f) and again in a 3m1f handicap at Aintree, where nine of the 19 fences were omitted in a slowly-run race; from 6lb out of the weights here he'll need to step up on both those runs, but he will enjoy this ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

13

16th Sep 2024

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

17:00 Worcester

Art Approval

11st 4lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Joe Tickle

Placed twice (once over C&D) for Ralph Smith when cheekpieces were refitted this summer and has claims if judged on those efforts, but needs to rebound from last month's underwhelming stable debut.

20/1

8th

1

28th Aug 2024

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

18:40 Worcester

Art Approval

12st 1lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Joe Tickle

Hasn't won for ages but twice placed this summer (2m7f/2m6f) for Ralph Smith and can go well again off this mark provided another change of stable doesn't rock the boat.

7/1

2nd

7

2nd Jul 2024

Good To Firm

2m 6f 7y

Class 4

19:40 Stratford

Art Approval

11st 8lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Ralph J Smith

Returned from break with two fairly respectable runs towards the end of last season (2m3f/2m4f) and another when third over 2m7f in the refitted cheekpieces at Worcester one month ago; not the force of old and has not won since 2021 but has place claims.

7/1

OUR TIP

Form: 32220- BF

Last run: 245 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Still a maiden over fences but he chased home L'Homme Presse (won easily) in a Grade 1 last season before finishing second in the 20-runner Kim Muir here in March (3m2f; 3lb lower); ran no race over the National fences in the Topham but he's a stapping 7yo with more to offer no doubt; unraced on good ground since winning a bumper.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

8

20th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 91y

Class 5

17:16 Newbury

Mister Coffey

11st 12lb

J: Mr Daniel Williams

T: Nicky Henderson

A classy chaser who has famously gone 0-19 in this discipline, running numerous good races in smart company and finishing runner-up nine times; did run well for a long way in a veterans' chase at Cheltenham last month (3m2f, good to soft) and this might just be the day it happens for him.

11/10

5th

5

28th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 214y

Class 2

15:15 Newbury

Mister Coffey

11st 4lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

Let down by his jumping when returned to the cross-country course at Cheltenham last time; has lots of useful form otherwise and ties in with Eldorado Allen on reappearance running; well capable of being involved but is famously frustrating and still a maiden over fences (0-18).

13/2

Form: 115-11

Last run: 30 days

W: 10st 13lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Dual hurdle winner and has made a solid start over fences this season in winning two 3m northern handicaps on soft ground, both fairly decisively; being 4lb wrong here means he's 12lb higher than at Ayr, but he's very much going the right way; all his improvement has come on soft/heavy ground; stable won this last year with their Cheltenham Festival hero Corach Rambler.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

9th Dec 2022

Good

3m 1f 56y

Class 3

13:15 Cheltenham

Green Vault

10st 13lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Lucinda Russell

Dual hurdle winner and has made a solid start over fences this season in winning two 3m northern handicaps on soft ground, both fairly decisively; being 4lb wrong here means he's 12lb higher than at Ayr, but he's very much going the right way; all his improvement has come on soft/heavy ground; stable won this last year with their Cheltenham Festival hero Corach Rambler.

7/2

1st

3

9th Nov 2022

Soft

3m 0f 20y

Class 3

15:25 Ayr

Green Vault

11st 1lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Lucinda Russell

held up in rear, not fluent 5 out, niggled along briefly before 4 out, good jump 4 out, headway after 3 out, pushed along and went second before 2 out, ridden to lead approaching last, went clear run-in

13/8

Non-runners

Mister Coffey

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £3.30
Straight Forecast £3.62
Trifecta £3.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Mister Coffey

POSTDATA:

Hidden Heroics

WEST COUNTRY:

Art Approval

D Express:

Green Vault

The Times:

Hidden Heroics

The Guardian:

Hidden Heroics

Daily Mail:

Hidden Heroics

The Sun:

Hidden Heroics

The Star:

Hidden Heroics

RP Ratings:

Mister Coffey

TOPSPEED:

Mister Coffey

LAMBOURN:

Mister Coffey

Telegraph:

Mister Coffey

Daily Mirror:

Mister Coffey

Daily Record:

Mister Coffey