March 03 / 16.30 Newbury

16.30

Good

West Berkshire Mencap Handicap Chase (For The Geoffrey Gilbey Trophy)

  • Prize money: £9585.01
  • 2m 0f 92y
  • Class 3
  • 4 runners
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West Berkshire Mencap Handicap Chase (For The Geoffrey Gilbey Trophy)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

2/1 (Won)

  • Win: £2.63

Form: 0495/1 D

Last run: 29 days

W: 10st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Headed to Wincanton a month ago (1m7f, good to soft) as a nine-race maiden with no chasing experience and yet after racing freely he was never headed; could take some reeling in off only 4lb higher if he's as good again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

12th Apr 2026

Good

1m 7f 149y

Class 5

15:27 Wincanton

Calgary Tiger

12st 0lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: William de Best-Turner

Front-runner who hasn't offered a great deal since returning from nearly a year out and it's seldom easy for veterans to rediscover their form; however, this is a much easier race than he's accustomed to.

9/4

5th

2

14th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 75y

Class 4

14:15 Newcastle

Calgary Tiger

11st 9lb

J: Charlie Price

T: William de Best-Turner

Free-going nature; no win since landing a Class 3 at Newbury (2m, 13-8 joint-favourite) in March 2023; fell at Cheltenham (80-1) on penultimate start and was equally out of his depth in the Grade 2 Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over Christmas; this is more realistic.

12/1

3rd

6

6th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

1m 7f 99y

Class 3

13:23 Sandown

Calgary Tiger

10st 9lb

J: James Best

T: William de Best-Turner

led, joined 2 out, headed before last, weakened and lost second final 110yds

12/1

Form: F-4335 D

Last run: 106 days

W: 11st 11lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Well beaten in a snow sprint at St Moritz only 12 days ago but his two previous runs for this yard were also underwhelming, in a 1m7f handicap chase at Wincanton and over 1m2f on the AW; well handicapped on his old form for the Skeltons but easy to have reservations at the minute.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

5

(4)

13th Mar 2024

Standard To Slow

1m 7f 218y

Class 4

20:30 Kempton (AW)

Stepney Causeway

9st 4lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Anthony Charlton

Won twice over fences last summer, but held on his return to the Flat after 193 days off here (1m4f) 11 days ago; may have needed it, but still has enough to prove.

33/1

6th

8

(3)

2nd Mar 2024

Standard To Slow

1m 3f 219y

Class 4

18:45 Kempton (AW)

Stepney Causeway

9st 7lb

J: Callum Hutchinson

T: Anthony Charlton

Useful jumper who won 2m handicap chases at Worcester and Newton Abbot last summer; well beaten in an AW Flat handicap at the start of 2023 but he was quite useful in this sphere at the start of his career, including an AW novice win; possible he'll be using this a prep for a return to jumps but betting perhaps the best guide to expectations.

33/1

2

2nd Sep 2023

Good

2m 0f 75y

Class 2

16:52 Newton Abbot

Stepney Causeway

10st 11lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Milton Harris

Took a while to open his account over fences but has bagged two four-runner chases this summer, latterly over C&D (good) 11 days ago despite almost refusing to race and giving the others a big headstart; not without risk, but a 1lb rise ought to be manageable if he gets away on terms today.

2/1

Form: 24-2F2 CD

Last run: 62 days

W: 10st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
C&D winner in late 2021 and in his defence of the same race this season (latest start) he bumped into a very unexposed chaser from the Venetia Williams stable; clearly capable of coping with this career-high mark and, if handling the ground (all worthwhile form is on good to soft or deeper), he could provide the answer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

5

1st Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 14y

Class 3

13:10 Kelso

Gallic Geordie

10st 7lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Samuel Drinkwater

12yo who doesn't appear to be as good as he was and hasn't really threatened this season, but he's been a fair third on two of his last three starts and continues to edge down the weights; might not be far away.

16/1

3

19th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 78y

Class 4

14:50 Doncaster

Gallic Geordie

11st 6lb

J: Ned Fox

T: Samuel Drinkwater

Now 12 but showed when third of six at Lingfield (2m4f, soft) in December that he retains plenty of spark; effective on good to soft ground earlier in career; mid-race unseat at Wetherby last time; possible player.

9/2

7

1st Feb 2025

Soft

2m 3f 85y

Class 3

14:08 Wetherby

Gallic Geordie

11st 2lb

J: Ned Fox

T: Samuel Drinkwater

Long in the tooth now but was not that far off his career-best form when third of six at Lingfield (2m4f, soft) in December, after a layoff; 2lb lower here and has a fighting chance if aided by combination of refitted tongue-tie and first-time cheekpieces.

7/1

OUR TIP

Form: 623-64

Last run: 72 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Won a Listed chase (2m6f on very soft) when trained in France and was approaching that form when runner-up over 2m6f here last February (soft); had wind surgery following a quiet start to this season but this trip on this ground cast plenty of doubts.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

4th Jun 2026

Good

2m 4f 189y

Class 4

16:30 Uttoxeter

Yes Indeed

11st 9lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Martin Keighley

Respectable efforts on both previous course visits, including a close fourth in this in 2024; weighted to strike, but must prove that the effects of the cheekpieces aren't on the wane after a sub-par latest effort.

5/1

3rd

2

23rd May 2026

Good

2m 1f 77y

Class 4

15:32 Bangor-on-Dee

Yes Indeed

11st 11lb

J: James Best

T: Martin Keighley

Won twice over fences at around this trip last spring; not so good since but is 1lb lower than his last winning mark so cannot be ruled out.

13/2

3rd

2

4th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 54y

Class 4

15:15 Warwick

Yes Indeed

11st 13lb

J: James Best

T: Martin Keighley

Won twice last spring at about this trip but essentially underwhelming since, albeit in better races than this; the drop in class should be welcomed.

10/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £11.00
Straight Forecast £11.99
Trifecta £16.50

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Gallic Geordie

RP Ratings:

Calgary Tiger

WEST COUNTRY:

Yes Indeed

POSTDATA:

Calgary Tiger

The Times:

Calgary Tiger

The Guardian:

Calgary Tiger

The Sun:

Calgary Tiger

The Star:

Calgary Tiger

TOPSPEED:

Gallic Geordie

Telegraph:

Gallic Geordie

Daily Mail:

Gallic Geordie

D Express:

Gallic Geordie

Daily Mirror:

Gallic Geordie

Daily Record:

Gallic Geordie