December 08 / 14.40 Exeter

14.40

Soft

Haldon Middle Distance Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £10826.05
  • 2m 3f 48y
  • Class 3
  • 8 runners
RTV
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Haldon Middle Distance Handicap Chase

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

OUR TIP

Form: 1323-8

Last run: 34 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 132

Form & Verdict
Smart hurdler in his prime but just 1-9 over fences; on a good mark now but ran poorly (albeit in hot race) on last month's seasonal debut at Ascot and needs today's headgear switch to perk him up.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

26th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 4f 194y

Class 5

16:00 Hereford

Quel Destin

11st 12lb

J: Miss Olive Nicholls

T: Paul Nicholls

Useful hurdler/chaser in his pomp who is a three-time chase winner, with back-to-back wins coming in December 2023; below that level in limited appearances since, including after a third wind operation; nevertheless, he could still make his presence felt at this lower level.

9/2

4th

6

8th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

15:15 Warwick

Quel Destin

11st 0lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Paul Nicholls

in touch with leaders, not fluent 11th, prominent when jumped right 12th, not fluent 3 out, weakening when mistake last, lost third towards finish

14/1

4th

6

8th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

15:15 Warwick

Quel Destin

11st 0lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Paul Nicholls

in touch with leaders, not fluent 11th, prominent when jumped right 12th, not fluent 3 out, weakening when mistake last, lost third towards finish

14/1

Form: 81P2P- D

Last run: 258 days

W: 12st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 132

Form & Verdict
Inconsistent last season and not seen since pulled up at Newbury in March; on a workable mark and will be suited by today's trip/ground but is not the percentage call; had another wind op (his fourth) in August.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

9

1st Feb 2025

Soft

3m 0f 37y

Class 2

15:42 Sandown

Eden Du Houx

10st 9lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: David Pipe

midfield

11/1

Form: 1U12-P D

Last run: 16 days

W: 11st 13lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 131

Form & Verdict
Very useful handicapper a few years ago but his two wins last season were gained in hunter chases (both under Heidi Palin); creditable second over the big Aintree fences in April but was pulled up when returned to handicap company last month and has become hard to predict; drops back from 3m here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

3rd Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 2

16:05 Aintree

Bennys King

12st 0lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Inconsistency has crept into this 14yo's game but confidence should be buoyed by his win at Leicester in February and he loves it around here, having finished second in the last two editions of this race; probably vulnerable for win purposes but has place aspirations for sure; races prominently.

14/1

11th

5

3rd Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 2

16:05 Aintree

Bennys King

12st 0lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Inconsistency has crept into this 14yo's game but confidence should be buoyed by his win at Leicester in February and he loves it around here, having finished second in the last two editions of this race; probably vulnerable for win purposes but has place aspirations for sure; races prominently.

14/1

1st

2

25th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 6f 151y

Class 3

16:45 Leicester

Bennys King

12st 4lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

14yo who is no longer the force of old and has become unreliable; that said, he won this race on heavy ground a year ago and proved he retains significant ability when keeping on gamely for second in refitted cheekpieces at Warwick (3m, good to soft) last month.

7/1

Form: 2194-2 D

Last run: 38 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
Ended last season with two disappointing hurdle runs but ran big race in defeat when back over fences at Chepstow (2m3f, good to soft) in October; has to take a 5lb rise on the chin but will be suited by the slower ground here; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

7

6th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 48y

Class 3

15:40 Exeter

Can You Call

11st 3lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Evan Williams

All wins have come on left-handed tracks, the latest comfortably at Cheltenham in December (2m4f, good to soft; 7lb lower); does have form going this way around and just appeared to have an off-day last time at Sandown; considered.

5/1

11

26th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 104y

Class 2

14:05 Fontwell

Can You Call

10st 9lb

T: Evan Williams

Just 1-12 over fences but was in good form last winter when last seen, finishing second on consecutive outings at Chepstow (2m3f, soft) and Ludlow (2m4f, good to soft), and Sean Bowen is a good booking here.

5/1

Form: 2P48-1 D

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
Returned to form with game win from the front on seasonal debut at Wetherby (2m3f, soft) last month and is now 2-7 over fences; not one to rely upon too heavily but remains well handicapped on older form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

15th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 3

14:05 Haydock

The Edgar Wallace

11st 9lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls

Front-runner who hasn't been at his best this term and was a 12l third behind two of these at Market Rasen (2m5f, good to soft) last time; however, he deserves credit for that performance having set a strong pace and he continues to drop down the weights; every chance he'll make a bold bid.

7/1

3rd

7

17th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 89y

Class 2

13:25 Market Rasen

The Edgar Wallace

11st 1lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls

Front-runner; well handicapped on some of last season's form but failed to build upon his satisfactory reappearance run when well held at Newbury last month; needs to get back in the groove.

10/1

3rd

7

17th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 89y

Class 2

13:25 Market Rasen

The Edgar Wallace

11st 1lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls

set good pace, led, hit 7th, headed 3 out, soon lost second, kept on

10/1

Form: 21PF-P C

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Kept on well to open chasing account off today's mark at Hereford (2m5f, soft) in January but failed to complete his final two races last season and was pulled up when switched back to hurdling a fortnight ago; cheekpieces added today; needs to get career back on track.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

31st Aug 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 5

14:40 Worcester

Honneur DAjonc

12st 0lb

J: James Turner

T: Alexander Gibbons

Some good runs in plating hurdles in the spring but soundly beaten back in handicaps on his last four starts, most recently when reverting to fences; lots to prove.

20/1

6th

5

24th Jul 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

13:10 Worcester

Honneur DAjonc

11st 12lb

J: James Turner

T: Alexander Gibbons

Won a selling hurdle for James Owen in March but was safely held in two handicap hurdles for new stable last month (2m/2m4f) and needs to raise his game on this first chasing start since January 2024.

25/1

7

29th Jun 2025

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

15:40 Uttoxeter

Honneur DAjonc

11st 10lb

J: James Turner

T: Alexander Gibbons

Last win for James Owen came in a seller and was sold on for £5,500; 66-1 and tailed off on stable debut at Worcester.

50/1

Form: 5665-1 D

Last run: 24 days

W: 10st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Ex-French 5yo; unplaced all four British hurdling starts last season but won pretty cosily off much-reduced mark on last month's British chasing debut at Lingfield (2m4f, good to soft); 8lb higher in a stronger race here but could easily have more to offer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

6

31st Jan 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 25y

Class 3

15:55 Leicester

Oxygen

11st 2lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Looked an exciting prospect (on the back of a wind op) when landing 2m4f handicap chases at Lingfield and Plumpton this winter but he beat only one at Plumpton last time; he remains with potential though and shouldn't be written off by any means.

3/1

4th

5

7th Jan 2024

Soft

2m 3f 164y

Class 3

13:15 Plumpton

Oxygen

10st 6lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Ex-French 6yo; unplaced all four hurdling starts for Venetia Williams last season but, following a wind op, is 2-2 since switched back to chasing this term, the latter win over C&D (good to soft) three weeks ago; should be fine on today's slower ground and has plenty of scope for further progress.

9/4

Form: 65-434 D BF

Last run: 15 days

W: 10st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Regressive 8yo who was just a respectable fourth at favourite track Wincanton (2m4f, soft) a fortnight ago; remains very well handicapped on older form (even though 1lb wrong here) but is back up in grade today and will need to up his game.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

1st Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 110y

Class 5

17:05 Kempton

Flagrant Delitiep

11st 12lb

J: Mr Robbie David

T: Miss A Lewis

in touch with leaders

100/1

5

1st Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 110y

Class 5

17:05 Kempton

Flagrant Delitiep

11st 12lb

J: Mr Robbie David

T: Miss A Lewis

Regressive 10yo who has been pulled up in a Taunton hunter chase and three subsequent points this year; can't be recommended.

100/1

8

8th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 5f 150y

Class 5

14:45 Taunton

Flagrant Delitiep

11st 12lb

J: Mr William Biddick

T: Miss A Lewis

didn't always jump with fluency, prominent, not fluent and lost ground 6th, soon in rear, struggling when pulled up after 8th

40/1

Verdict

This is stronger than the Lingfield race OXYGEN (nap) won on last month’s British chasing debut at Lingfield but he appeared to have quite a bit left in the tank there and could still be well treated after an 8lb rise. Can You Call went down fighting when second to an unexposed rival at Chepstow on his seasonal debut and is feared most, ahead of The Edgar Wallace.[Chris Wilson]