January 29 / 14.50 Fontwell

14.50

Good To Soft

Vickers.Bet Independent Family Owned Bookmaker Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £9928.28
  • 3m 3f 149y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
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Vickers.Bet Independent Family Owned Bookmaker Handicap Chase

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

13/8 (Won)

  • Win: £3.25
  • Place: £1.20

Form: 15-111 C

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 11lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Improvement has gathered pace with the switch to chasing this term on soft going, with two wins at Fontwell (3m2f) either side of one at Lingfield (2m7f); 19l was his winning margin last time and he's gone up 11lb since; may well find more to remain unbeaten as a chaser.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

12

29th Apr 2023

Good

3m 4f 146y

Class 1

14:15 Sandown

Coolvalla

10st 3lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Chris Gordon

Out of his depth in Grade 2 novice at Cheltenham Festival; 5-5 over rules fences otherwise, most recently beating Revels Hill by 1l at Exeter (3m6f, good to soft; pair well clear); highly progressive in handicaps, no ground worries, stays well and may not have reached his ceiling yet; shortlisted.

14/1

1st

3

26th Mar 2023

Good To Soft

3m 6f 153y

Class 3

14:52 Exeter

Coolvalla

11st 9lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Chris Gordon

Bit off more than he could chew in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham but had been going great guns with four successive wins from 2m7f to 3m3f (three at Fontwell); this is nothing like so demanding as at the Festival but it's still a step up from the grade in which he was winning; respected nonetheless.

8/1

2

14th Mar 2023

Soft

3m 5f 201y

Class 1

17:30 Cheltenham

Coolvalla

11st 7lb

J: Mr Joshua Newman

T: Chris Gordon

Big improvement switched to chasing, with one win at Lingfield and three at Fontwell; 19l and 17l were the last two winning margins, the latest over 3m4f (good to soft) and he goes well in the mud; that handicap form leaves him with a lot to find but he's certainly been impressing at that much lower level.

20/1

20/1

  • Place: £7.00

Form: /1837-

Last run: 315 days

W: 10st 8lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Off the mark under rules when slogging through the mud in a near-3m handicap chase at Lingfield in December 2021 (2lb lower today); not so good since (twice at 3m5f) and had heavy defeats in two of those three starts; had wind surgery since, however, and that win also came first time out last season.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

14th Feb 2023

Good

3m 4f 178y

Class 3

16:10 Lingfield

Colonel Keating

10st 3lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Richard Rowe

held up in rear, niggled along briefly after 13th, not fluent 14th, pushed along before 15th, ridden and became detached before 5 out, pulled up before 3 out

10/1

2nd

8

29th Jan 2023

Good To Soft

3m 3f 149y

Class 4

14:50 Fontwell

Colonel Keating

10st 8lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Richard Rowe

Off the mark under rules when slogging through the mud in a near-3m handicap chase at Lingfield in December 2021 (2lb lower today); not so good since (twice at 3m5f) and had heavy defeats in two of those three starts; had wind surgery since, however, and that win also came first time out last season.

20/1

10/1

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 5-2U24 C

Last run: 39 days

W: 11st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Stays 3m5f; three of four wins were on heavy, the other on soft; latest was in January 2021 and although runner-up in two of his three completions this term, he needs to bounce back from a modest show just before Christmas.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

18th Mar 2023

Soft

2m 5f 135y

Class 5

14:35 Fontwell

Echo Watt

12st 0lb

J: Lilly Pinchin

T: Richard Hobson

led but pestered, not fluent 7th, headed but pressed leader after 10th, soon pushed along and lost position, weakened after 11th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out

9/2

3rd

6

29th Jan 2023

Good To Soft

3m 3f 149y

Class 4

14:50 Fontwell

Echo Watt

11st 0lb

J: Lilly Pinchin

T: Richard Hobson

Stays 3m5f; three of four wins were on heavy, the other on soft; latest was in January 2021 and although runner-up in two of his three completions this term, he needs to bounce back from a modest show just before Christmas.

10/1

OUR TIP

10/1

Form: 2657P3

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 2lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Won twice at Worcester last summer and some good places in a rather mixed record since, including when beaten a neck over 3m2f at this track; respectable, staying-on third over 3m4f on soft at Plumpton on latest outing but needs to step up a bit from that.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

17th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 54y

Class 5

17:13 Exeter

DJango

12st 2lb

J: Mr Lucas Murphy

T: Miss V Collins

Teenager who has gone over two years since his latest win and has been out of form this season (three runs); revival needed.

50/1

5

23rd Jan 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:18 Warwick

DJango

12st 2lb

J: Mr Frederick Philipson-Stow

T: Miss V Collins

Won this race in 2024 (soft ground) but never really got going last season and was very disappointing favourite in a point last month, after a layoff; now a teenager and needs to prove he still has what it takes.

20/1

Form: 0U-7U0

Last run: 34 days

W: 12st 0lb

13 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Fourth off 21lb higher in last season's Welsh Grand National but soundly beaten in all his completed races since; 13yo who is hard to approach with confidence at present.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

7

8th Apr 2023

Good To Soft

3m 1f 125y

Class 4

15:50 Haydock

Achille

11st 6lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

No win since April 2019; placed in last season's Welsh Grand National and is now 29lb lower but looked badly out of sorts this winter; swapped cheekpieces for refitted blinkers at Chepstow 16 days ago and there was an upturn but he was 10l behind the winner Domaine De L'Isle so still has work to do.

6/1

3rd

3

23rd Mar 2023

Soft

3m 6f 130y

Class 4

15:10 Chepstow

Achille

11st 9lb

J: Shane Quinlan

T: Venetia Williams

Teenager who hasn't won since April 2019; placed over C&D (soft) in last season's Welsh Grand National and is now 26lb lower but has looked badly out of sorts this winter and it's hard to predict whether he'll warm to the task today; swaps cheekpieces for refitted blinkers.

7/1

5th

1

29th Jan 2023

Good To Soft

3m 3f 149y

Class 4

14:50 Fontwell

Achille

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Fourth off 21lb higher in last season's Welsh Grand National but soundly beaten in all his completed races since; 13yo who is hard to approach with confidence at present.

12/1

Form: 541-11 C

Last run: 33 days

W: 11st 9lb

9 yo Mare

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Big improver last year to win five-runner handicaps at Warwick (3m chase) in March, Fontwell (3m2f hurdle race) in May and Wetherby (3m chase) at Christmas; the first two of those were on good ground, the latest on good to soft but she was also runner-up once on soft in 2021; refused to line up once last April but she now looks a serious rising force and the 7lb higher mark since latest start (made all, went well clear in the back straight) probably underestimates her as she won by a street.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

9

28th Jul 2024

Good

3m 2f 13y

Class 2

14:55 Uttoxeter

Juniper

10st 2lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Anthony Honeyball

Comfortable winner of two soft-ground handicaps (2m6f/3m1f) before creditable third when favourite at Cheltenham (3m1f, good) in April; flopped when tried in cheekpieces at Newton Abbot two months ago and they are now removed; position 10lb out of the handicap here demands a big career best.

20/1

2

29th May 2024

Soft

3m 1f 170y

Class 3

14:58 Newton Abbot

Juniper

11st 6lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Anthony Honeyball

Comfortable winner of two soft-ground handicaps (2m5f/3m1f) before creditable third when favourite at Cheltenham last month (3m1f, good); hard to fault and cheekpieces are now added.

13/8

Form: 1F-333 C

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 9lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Stays 3m2f (tried 4m once); not quite at his best over hurdles this season and his 2m5f win over fences here last February came when cheekpieces were first enlisted (they've been kept since); needs a career best.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

5

4th Apr 2024

Soft

3m 0f 60y

Class 4

14:05 Southwell

Alkopop

11st 2lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Toby Lawes

soon raced in second

10/1

3rd

5

4th Apr 2024

Soft

3m 0f 60y

Class 4

14:05 Southwell

Alkopop

11st 2lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Toby Lawes

soon raced in second

10/1

5th

2

25th Apr 2023

Good To Soft

3m 1f 60y

Class 4

15:25 Ffos Las

Alkopop

12st 0lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Toby Lawes

Won over fences off today's mark last season and has been placed over hurdles this term but has completed only three of his seven chases, and looked out of sorts when pulled up at Uttoxeter this month; risky.

16/1

Form: 82P-9P

Last run: 28 days

W: 10st 10lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Point and novice hurdle winner who appeared to enter handicaps three years ago on a very tough mark and also had 691 days off before last season; runner-up at Lingfield (3m5f, heavy) last February and 8lb lower today but he's not done much in his three starts since; headgear on six of his last seven starts but not today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

29th Jan 2023

Good To Soft

3m 3f 149y

Class 4

14:50 Fontwell

Vinnie Dev

10st 10lb

J: Tom O’Brien

T: Noel Williams

Point and novice hurdle winner who appeared to enter handicaps three years ago on a very tough mark and also had 691 days off before last season; runner-up at Lingfield (3m5f, heavy) last February and 8lb lower today but he's not done much in his three starts since; headgear on six of his last seven starts but not today.

25/1

1

1st Jan 2023

Good To Soft

3m 5f 24y

Class 5

12:35 Fakenham

Vinnie Dev

12st 0lb

J: Mr Freddie Gordon

T: Noel Williams

Point/hurdle winner who stays this trip on testing ground; below par on his last two starts; cheekpieces (worn on last four starts) now swapped for first-time visor; on a competitive mark but does have a bit to prove.

9/2

9th

6

23rd Nov 2022

Good To Soft

3m 1f 44y

Class 4

14:50 Hereford

Vinnie Dev

11st 12lb

J: Tom O’Brien

T: Noel Williams

Point/hurdle winner who finished second in a 3m5f handicap chase at Lingfield in February (heavy); has gone well fresh in the past and rain would help; still capable of better.

14/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £82.90
Straight Forecast £63.88
Tricast £385.77
Trifecta £307.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Coolvalla

RP Ratings:

Juniper

TOPSPEED:

Echo Watt

The Times:

Coolvalla

Telegraph:

Coolvalla

Daily Mirror:

Coolvalla

The Sun:

Coolvalla

The Star:

Coolvalla

POSTDATA:

Juniper

LAMBOURN:

Juniper

D Express:

Juniper

Daily Record:

Juniper

WEST COUNTRY:

Echo Watt