October 14 / 15.40 Chepstow

15.40

Good To Soft

John Ayres Memorial Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £20812
  • 2m 3f 98y
  • Class 2
  • 5 runners
SKY
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John Ayres Memorial Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly sunny

6/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.75
  • Place: £1.80

Form: 32/10-

Last run: 183 days

W: 11st 12lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 148

Form & Verdict
Took an instant liking to the Aintree fences when narrowly winning the Grand Sefton last November on his reappearance (4lb lower), racing prominently and jumping well; his only subsequent run was again there in the Topham (fared less well); has a good record fresh and hard to dismiss; fine on soft.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

9th Nov 2024

Good

3m 1f 30y

Class 1

15:30 Wincanton

Al Dancer

12st 0lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Sam Thomas

pressed leaders, led 2nd, left clear 4 out, went clear from 2 out, ridden after last, kept on well

16/1

1st

1

9th Nov 2024

Good

3m 1f 30y

Class 1

15:30 Wincanton

Al Dancer

12st 0lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Sam Thomas

Found to have a wound on his leg when last to finish in a 2m6f Grade 2 at Sandown on final appearance; pretty much as good as ever at times last season and succumbed only to Forward Plan in Kempton's big 3m February handicap (soft; effective on good); not handicapped out of this with Callum Pritchard claiming 7lb and he's usually mustard after a break.

16/1

4

27th Apr 2024

Good

2m 6f 164y

Class 1

14:25 Sandown

Al Dancer

11st 2lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Sam Thomas

More or less as good as ever in handicaps this season, winning at Chepstow and running a blinder when second in valuable event at Kempton (3m, soft) in February; arrives here relatively fresh and doesn't have much to find on the ratings, even though Dylan Johnston cannot claim his usual 5lb.

8/1

7/1

  • Place: £1.80

Form: 26942- D

Last run: 189 days

W: 10st 7lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 129

Form & Verdict
Still 7lb above his highest winning mark (from March 2022) and looked in the grip of the handicapper last season; however, two seconds included his reappearance and he's entitled to run well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

4

14th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 185y

Class 1

15:00 Ascot

Nocte Volatus

10st 11lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

Justified favouritism in the 2025 Stayers' Veterans' Chase Final at Sandown (good) most recently, taking record over 3m to 2-3; in top form aged 11 and still unexposed at this distance.

13/2

Form: 311-42

Last run: 22 days

W: 10st 2lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
Ran well at the weights when beaten in a match last time (novice on heavy); in good form over fences in the spring, notably when winning Grade 2 Cheltenham handicap (2m4f, good) from a long way out of the weights in April; 3lb wrong here but Tristan Durrell's claim takes care of that and she's not without hope.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

7

1st Apr 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 164y

Class 2

14:25 Plumpton

Walk In Clover

10st 12lb

J: Fergus Gillard

T: Dan Skelton

Headstrong mare who settled okay in the first-time hood at Ascot last week (2m1f, good) but found nothing significant for pressure once the chips were down; has the form to feature but she's not one to rely on.

12/1

5th

7

1st Apr 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 164y

Class 2

14:25 Plumpton

Walk In Clover

10st 12lb

J: Fergus Gillard

T: Dan Skelton

Headstrong mare who settled okay in the first-time hood at Ascot last week (2m1f, good) but found nothing significant for pressure once the chips were down; has the form to feature but she's not one to rely on.

12/1

4th

5

24th Mar 2024

Good

2m 0f 167y

Class 2

15:20 Ascot

Walk In Clover

10st 12lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

took keen hold, held up in rear, went third before 4 out

13/2

Form: 15F-01 D

Last run: 45 days

W: 12st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 150

Form & Verdict
Exploited his much lower hurdle mark with a facile success at Bellewstown in August, having also won on the Flat prior to struggling in the Galway Plate; has made giant strides over fences over the past year or so and was only 14-1 to defy this mark in Aintree's Topham in April; not the biggest but loves his jumping and soft ground holds no fears.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

29

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Final Orders

10st 5lb

J: Conor Stone-Walsh

T: Gavin Cromwell

10yo who's had 70 races (only one of today's rivals has managed even half that) and won 11; latest was the 3m5f cross-country at Cheltenham Festival, comfortably holding off Favori De Champdou for career-best form off the same mark as today; having taken so well to that discipline (he also won there in December) and produced his best performances away from soft ground, he has to be considered seriously.

25/1

1st

3

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 5f 56y

Class 2

15:20 Cheltenham

Final Orders

10st 9lb

J: Conor Stone-Walsh

T: Gavin Cromwell

High-mileage 10yo who took very well to this C&D (good) in December, winning quite comfortably by just over 4l; weakened into fifth in soft-ground C&D contest won by Favori De Champdou in January but ran well for a long way and ought to be better suited by the less testing conditions today; each-way claims at least.

7/1

5th

2

24th Jan 2026

Soft

3m 5f 56y

Class 2

13:50 Cheltenham

Final Orders

11st 12lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

High-mileage 10yo who took very well to this C&D (good) last month, leading from the ninth fence and beating J'Arrive De L'Est quite comfortably by over 4l; went up 9lb for that, though, and may not be ideally suited by the slower ground today.

4/1

Form: 21292- D

Last run: 175 days

W: 11st 11lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 147

Form & Verdict
Classy chaser on his day and ran right up to his best when going close in a 2m Class 3 handicap at Ayr's Scottish National meeting in April; handles soft ground but perhaps prefers drier conditions and his record fresh is no great selling point.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

27th Apr 2024

Good

1m 7f 99y

Class 1

15:00 Sandown

Elixir De Nutz

11st 10lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Joe Tizzard

10yo who has been better than ever this season; soft ground was against him in the Champion Chase and prior to that he beat Jonbon by a neck to win the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham (2m, good to soft); however, the runner-up was well below his best; others make greater appeal.

50/1

5

27th Apr 2024

Good

1m 7f 99y

Class 1

15:00 Sandown

Elixir De Nutz

11st 10lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Joe Tizzard

10yo who has been better than ever this season; soft ground was against him in the Champion Chase and prior to that he beat Jonbon by a neck to win the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham (2m, good to soft); however, the runner-up was well below his best; others make greater appeal.

50/1

5

13th Mar 2024

Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

15:30 Cheltenham

Elixir De Nutz

11st 10lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Joe Tizzard

Often a front-runner; has won on soft but seems ideally suited by good/good to soft; rallied gamely to beat odds-on Jonbon in the rescheduled Clarence House here in January, making it three wins from his last four starts; however, looks far from sure to confirm placings with that otherwise superior rival who blew his chance with a dodgy round of jumping; in great form this term but needs better still to land a Champion Chase.

25/1

Non-runners

Datsalrightgino, Flic Ou Voyou, Nothin To Ask, Our Jet, Garincha

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £9.30
Straight Forecast £10.57
Trifecta £28.20

Selections

LAMBOURN:

Datsalrightgino

D Express:

Nocte Volatus

WEST COUNTRY:

Nothin To Ask

TOPSPEED:

Flic Ou Voyou

Daily Mirror:

Elixir De Nutz

Daily Mail:

Our Jet

The Guardian:

Garincha

Daily Record:

Final Orders

SPOTLIGHT:

Al Dancer

Telegraph:

Datsalrightgino

The Star:

Nocte Volatus

The Times:

Nothin To Ask

POSTDATA:

Flic Ou Voyou

The Sun:

Elixir De Nutz