July 23 / 15.22 Stratford

15.22

Good

Rosemary Gasson Big Birthday Celebration Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £13070.4
  • 2m 0f 213y
  • Class 2
  • 5 runners
RTV
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Rosemary Gasson Big Birthday Celebration Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

100/30 (Won)

  • Win: £3.75
  • Place: £1.80

Form: 4P4-12 CD

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 4lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 129

Form & Verdict
Looked as good as ever when winning readily by over 6l at Southwell (2m, good) in May and then went close at Uttoxeter; should get a nice lead from Mercian Prince and won't be far away.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

25th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 61y

Class 3

16:36 Cartmel

Sir Tivo

11st 10lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Gary Hanmer

Good-ground specialist with 11 chase wins on his CV, including 2025 edition of this race; shaped well before weakening into fourth at Bangor (2m1f, good) this month, after a layoff, and can make a bold bid from the front under Sean Bowen.

13/8

4th

5

16th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 77y

Class 2

15:55 Bangor-on-Dee

Sir Tivo

10st 2lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Gary Hanmer

Good-ground specialist who made all in small field at Wetherby (1m7f, good) on latest outing in the autumn, his 11th chase success; won when fresh last spring but is slightly out of the weights here and may find younger rivals better handicapped.

5/1

4

15th Oct 2025

Good

1m 7f 36y

Class 3

14:48 Wetherby

Sir Tivo

11st 2lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Gary Hanmer

Ten-time chase winner, mainly on good ground; pulled up soon after mid-race jumping error last time but won at Cartmel (2m1f, good to soft) in the spring and was a creditable second at Uttoxeter (2m, good) two starts ago; can make his presence felt.

7/1

4/1

  • Place: £1.60

Form: 64-341 CD

Last run: 19 days

W: 10st 11lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Made it 2-2 at this track here 19 days ago and that was never in much doubt; back up 5lb but had got himself well handicapped; big player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

30th Oct 2025

Good To Firm

2m 4f 19y

Class 4

15:38 Newcastle

Cracking Destiny

10st 11lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Ewan Whillans

Veteran; has won five chases from 2m-2m4f on good/good to soft; good third at Hexham in August but two heavy defeats since; on last winning mark; could bounce back.

9/2

5

30th Oct 2025

Good To Firm

2m 4f 19y

Class 4

15:38 Newcastle

Cracking Destiny

10st 11lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Ewan Whillans

Veteran; has won five chases from 2m-2m4f on good/good to soft; good third at Hexham in August but two heavy defeats since; on last winning mark; could bounce back.

9/2

6

16th Oct 2025

Good

2m 3f 210y

Class 4

16:15 Carlisle

Cracking Destiny

11st 0lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Ewan Whillans

12yo; won at Hexham (2m4f, good) in June and third there in August (2m4f, good); mistakes may have been costly when tailed off at Kelso (2m5f, good) latest and he's not written off, but others are more compelling.

20/1

Form: 7-6232 CD

Last run: 6 days

W: 10st 2lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Tends to race too freely and is usually seen to best effect when held up off a strong pace; should get that here with Mercian Prince in the field and he's been running well; 1lb out of the weights but Bradley Harris takes off 5lb this time; chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

13th Jul 2025

Good To Firm

2m 3f 98y

Class 5

14:07 Stratford

Romanor

12st 0lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Seamus Mullins

Multiple winner who is usually held up; he's not won for ages and Newton Abbot last time was disappointing, but his previous seconds (including here) bring him firmly into the equation.

7/1

3

24th Jun 2025

Good

2m 4f 216y

Class 5

19:57 Newton Abbot

Romanor

11st 6lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Seamus Mullins

Quirky veteran who is usually ridden very patiently; without a win since September 2022 and not the force of old but has posted three good efforts since returning from a break in April and is very well suited by this track.

7/2

6

31st May 2025

Good

2m 4f 205y

Class 4

20:30 Stratford

Romanor

11st 0lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Seamus Mullins

Lightly raced over last couple of years and no longer the force of old but has made the frame twice on good ground at Fontwell (2m3f/2m2f) this spring and is also suited by this C&D; usually ridden very patiently; no surprise if he features.

5/1

Form: 14-112 D BF

Last run: 25 days

W: 10st 9lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Progressive chaser with an excellent strike-rate and lost little in defeat at Worcester the last time (2m, good); getting high in the weights following a further 2lb nudge but couldn't rule out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

4

31st Oct 2024

Good

2m 0f 190y

Class 5

15:15 Newcastle

Blueberry Wine

11st 10lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald McCain

Has won five chases at up to 2m3f but rather disappointing on last three starts (cheekpieces tried last time, but left off here); well treated on his best form but bit to prove back over hurdles.

20/1

12th

4

31st Oct 2024

Good

2m 0f 190y

Class 5

15:15 Newcastle

Blueberry Wine

11st 10lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald McCain

Has won five chases at up to 2m3f but rather disappointing on last three starts (cheekpieces tried last time, but left off here); well treated on his best form but bit to prove back over hurdles.

20/1

10th

1

11th Sep 2024

Good

2m 0f 110y

Class 5

16:03 Worcester

Blueberry Wine

12st 0lb

J: William Maggs

T: Donald McCain

Five-time chase winner; needs to better his recent efforts but has conditions to suit here and has slipped to a very tempting mark; could be very dangerous if perked up by first-time cheekpieces.

13/2

OUR TIP

Form: 51-158

Last run: 33 days

W: 12st 0lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 139

Form & Verdict
Dangerous front-runner on his day, especially at Kempton where he's won six times; can go left-handed but his last couple of runs weren't his best and he now has to bounce back.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

5

22nd Oct 2023

Good

2m 2f 0y

Class 3

15:30 Kempton

Mercian Prince

11st 9lb

J: Jack Quinlan

T: Amy Murphy

Habitual front-runner who gained six of his 11 chase wins here, most recently when fending off Jay Jay Reilly over today's trip in May (good ground; now 2lb lower); getting long in the tooth now and has questions to answer after some disappointing runs during the summer but it won't be a big surprise if he gives this a good shot.

10/1

0

1

21st Aug 2023

Good

2m 1f 77y

Class 3

17:00 Bangor-on-Dee

Mercian Prince

11st 10lb

J: Jack Quinlan

T: Amy Murphy

Dangerous front-runner on his day, especially at Kempton where he's won six times; can go left-handed but he needs to bounce back from some below-par efforts.

12/1

5th

1

23rd Jul 2023

Good

2m 0f 213y

Class 2

15:22 Stratford

Mercian Prince

12st 0lb

J: Jack Quinlan

T: Amy Murphy

Dangerous front-runner on his day, especially at Kempton where he's won six times; can go left-handed but his last couple of runs weren't his best and he now has to bounce back.

9/2

Non-runners

Feel The Pinch

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £9.60
Straight Forecast £9.71
Trifecta £19.60

Selections

The Times:

Cracking Destiny

POSTDATA:

Sir Tivo

SPOTLIGHT:

Romanor

D Express:

Blueberry Wine

TOPSPEED:

Mercian Prince

Daily Record:

Sir Tivo

Telegraph:

Cracking Destiny

Daily Mirror:

Cracking Destiny

The Sun:

Cracking Destiny

The Star:

Cracking Destiny

RP RATINGS:

Romanor