13.35

T: Philip Hobbs

12/1

Form: 8P-621

Last run: 30 days

W: 10st 13lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 144

Form & Verdict

Having struggled for the majority of this year he has returned to form with blinkers added the last twice, winning by 12l at Newbury most recently (2m6f, good); handles good to soft and may be okay on soft; on his past exploits he remains on a competitive mark now back up 10lb; a contender.

Place / No / Draw	Date / Going / Distance / Class	Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer	Verdict	Starting price
12th 6	2nd Dec 2023 Good To Soft 3m 1f 214y Class 1	14:50 Newbury Zanza 10st 13lb J: Micheal Nolan T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White	Tailed off over hurdles here on final run last season and same story on last month's return; something to prove regarding current form but chasing is his game nowadays and he has an excellent record here, including a convincing win in the Grade 2 Denman Chase in February (2m7f, good); on a handy mark on that form and could go well at his favourite track now back over fences.	16/1
10th 3	9th Nov 2023 Good To Soft 3m 0f 52y Class 2	14:25 Newbury Zanza 11st 9lb J: Micheal Nolan T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White	His last five wins have been here, in two handicap hurdles and three chases (the latest a Grade 2); soft ground was an excuse when disappointing on his return to hurdling (now rated 16lb higher over fences) here in March and he's a feasible contender.	12/1
7th 1	24th Mar 2023 Good To Soft 3m 0f 52y Class 3	15:10 Newbury Zanza 12st 0lb J: Micheal Nolan T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White	His last five wins have been here, in two handicap hurdles and three chases (the latest a Grade 2 over nearly 3m in February; beat Ryanair third Hitman off level weights); struggled off his new/harsh mark back here over 2m4f but perhaps this is more his trip these days and he returns to hurdling off 16lb lower.	11/2

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

12th

6

2nd Dec 2023

Good To Soft

3m 1f 214y

Class 1

14:50 Newbury

10st 13lb

Tailed off over hurdles here on final run last season and same story on last month's return; something to prove regarding current form but chasing is his game nowadays and he has an excellent record here, including a convincing win in the Grade 2 Denman Chase in February (2m7f, good); on a handy mark on that form and could go well at his favourite track now back over fences.

16/1

10th

3

9th Nov 2023

Good To Soft

3m 0f 52y

Class 2

14:25 Newbury

11st 9lb

His last five wins have been here, in two handicap hurdles and three chases (the latest a Grade 2); soft ground was an excuse when disappointing on his return to hurdling (now rated 16lb higher over fences) here in March and he's a feasible contender.

12/1

7th

1

24th Mar 2023

Good To Soft

3m 0f 52y

Class 3

15:10 Newbury

12st 0lb

His last five wins have been here, in two handicap hurdles and three chases (the latest a Grade 2 over nearly 3m in February; beat Ryanair third Hitman off level weights); struggled off his new/harsh mark back here over 2m4f but perhaps this is more his trip these days and he returns to hurdling off 16lb lower.

11/2

2

Chantry House

J: Robert Dunne

T: Nicky Henderson

7/1

Form: 1P1P-U C

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 13lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 158

Form & Verdict

Won Grade 2 Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham (3m1f, good) in January and he's also effective on soft/good to soft; is capable of a bold show but was inconsistent last season so it's hard to know what to expect and he made a bad mistake and unseated at the fourth on reappearance at Aintree.

Place / No / Draw	Date / Going / Distance / Class	Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer	Verdict	Starting price
16th 14	5th Apr 2025 Good To Soft 4m 2f 74y Class 1	16:00 Aintree Chantry House 10st 13lb J: James Bowen T: Nicky Henderson	Very smart in his heyday; returned to chasing at Cheltenham (extended 3m1f, soft) on New Year's Day and looked much more like his old self, asserting late on in a five-runner handicap; however, he singularly failed to back that up in a Grade 2 over that same C&D over three weeks later.	80/1
16th 14	5th Apr 2025 Good To Soft 4m 2f 74y Class 1	16:00 Aintree Chantry House 10st 13lb J: James Bowen T: Nicky Henderson	Very smart in his heyday; returned to chasing at Cheltenham (extended 3m1f, soft) on New Year's Day and looked much more like his old self, asserting late on in a five-runner handicap; however, he singularly failed to back that up in a Grade 2 over that same C&D over three weeks later.	80/1
5th 3	25th Jan 2025 Good 3m 1f 56y Class 1	14:25 Cheltenham Chantry House 11st 4lb J: Nico de Boinville T: Nicky Henderson	towards rear, in touch with leaders 7th, weakened before 2 out, lost fourth run-in	7/1

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

16th

14

5th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

10st 13lb

Very smart in his heyday; returned to chasing at Cheltenham (extended 3m1f, soft) on New Year's Day and looked much more like his old self, asserting late on in a five-runner handicap; however, he singularly failed to back that up in a Grade 2 over that same C&D over three weeks later.

80/1

16th

14

5th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

10st 13lb

Very smart in his heyday; returned to chasing at Cheltenham (extended 3m1f, soft) on New Year's Day and looked much more like his old self, asserting late on in a five-runner handicap; however, he singularly failed to back that up in a Grade 2 over that same C&D over three weeks later.

80/1

5th

3

25th Jan 2025

Good

3m 1f 56y

Class 1

11st 4lb

towards rear, in touch with leaders 7th, weakened before 2 out, lost fourth run-in

7/1

6

J: Richie McLernon

T: Philip Hobbs

10/1

Form: /141-4 D BF

Last run: 58 days

W: 11st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 151

Form & Verdict

Won Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown (2m4f, heavy) in February 2021 and he won off this mark over hurdles at Warwick (3m1f, soft) in January; he's capable of having a say but he'll need to jump much better than on his last two chase starts in spring 2021 (fell/pulled up).

Place / No / Draw	Date / Going / Distance / Class	Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer	Verdict	Starting price
7th 2	20th May 2023 Good 2m 7f 70y Class 2	19:05 Uttoxeter Sporting John 11st 13lb J: Aidan Coleman T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White	in touch with leaders, headway after 8th, ridden after 3 out, weakened after 2 out	12/1
8th 4	1st May 2023 Good 3m 0f 0y Class 3	15:40 Kempton Sporting John 11st 9lb J: Aidan Coleman T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White	Grade 1 novices' chase winner in his prime; no trip/ground issues, but 21lb descent since pulling up in the Rowland Meyrick says plenty about a pretty poor 2022-23 season, including dropped to Class 3 latest.	14/1
4th 2	10th Apr 2023 Good To Soft 2m 7f 131y Class 3	14:35 Chepstow Sporting John 11st 10lb J: Aidan Coleman T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White	Smart in his prime but has become disappointing this season; will find this much easier than Cheltenham Festival handicap hurdle he contested last month but he was never competitive there and now switches back to chasing with some questions to answer.	12/1

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

7th

2

20th May 2023

Good

2m 7f 70y

Class 2

19:05 Uttoxeter

11st 13lb

J: Aidan Coleman

in touch with leaders, headway after 8th, ridden after 3 out, weakened after 2 out

12/1

8th

4

1st May 2023

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 3

15:40 Kempton

11st 9lb

J: Aidan Coleman

Grade 1 novices' chase winner in his prime; no trip/ground issues, but 21lb descent since pulling up in the Rowland Meyrick says plenty about a pretty poor 2022-23 season, including dropped to Class 3 latest.

14/1

4th

2

10th Apr 2023

Good To Soft

2m 7f 131y

Class 3

14:35 Chepstow

11st 10lb

J: Aidan Coleman