December 14 / 15.15 Taunton

15.15

Soft

Dave Criddle Travel Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £8898.48
  • 2m 2f 40y
  • Class 3
  • 7 runners
RTV
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Dave Criddle Travel Handicap Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

6/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.10
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 225-41 CD

Last run: 28 days

W: 10st 10lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Bumper/hurdle winner who made a promising winning start to his chase career over C&D (good to soft) four weeks ago, not looking all out; the third gave the form a boost when scoring at Ludlow last week and a 6lb rise doesn't look enough to stop this 6yo with further progress on the cards.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

20th Apr 2025

Good

2m 3f 164y

Class 4

16:40 Plumpton

Heros

11st 10lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

disputed lead

12/1

2

20th Apr 2025

Good

2m 3f 164y

Class 4

16:40 Plumpton

Heros

11st 10lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

disputed lead, lost position and squeezed out 5th, dropped to rear 7th, struggling 9th, jockey looked down to see if something was amiss after 10th, soon eased and pulled up

12/1

4th

2

27th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 5f 150y

Class 4

15:00 Taunton

Heros

11st 7lb

J: Ned Fox

T: Venetia Williams

Dual 2m2f course winner last season; not at best on either outing this term but ran well to a point in stronger race than this at Sandown (2m4f, good to soft) a fortnight ago and is sure to be suited by the return to this track; might be the answer.

11/2

OUR TIP

10/1

  • Place: £3.40

Form: 31-1F6

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 13lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 129

Form & Verdict
Won at Huntingdon (2m4f, good to soft) in January on second chase start and followed up at Worcester (2m, good) in May; making headway when falling three out at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good) in May but well beaten at Newbury last month back from a break.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

25th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 214y

Class 1

15:15 Doncaster

Raffle Ticket

12st 0lb

J: Shane Quinlan

T: Mel Rowley

raced wide, midfield, bad mistake and lost ground 13th

20/1

1

25th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 214y

Class 1

15:15 Doncaster

Raffle Ticket

12st 0lb

J: Shane Quinlan

T: Mel Rowley

raced wide, midfield, bad mistake and lost ground 13th

20/1

6

13th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 2

14:25 Cheltenham

Raffle Ticket

11st 9lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Mel Rowley

in rear, mistake 2nd, detached after 11th

12/1

Form: 2194-2

Last run: 44 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
Clearcut winner over fences at Catterick (2m3f, soft) in February 2022; also successful in handicap at Uttoxeter (2m4f, heavy) in an all-hurdle campaign last season and made a good return to chasing when going down by only a neck at Chepstow (2m3f, good to soft) 44 days ago; that form looks solid and a 5lb rise is unlikely to prevent another prominent showing.
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: 2-1155 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 9lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Buoyed by his return to winning ways over hurdles in May, he was back from his summer break with a comfortable chase win at Fontwell (2m2f, good) in October; the handicapper has looked in charge on his two outings since, though.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

3

19th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

16:50 Ludlow

Guy

12st 6lb

J: Mr Samuel Scott

T: Mrs Mary Cookson

Used to like it here, not out of the first three in five starts including over fences and when winning a novice hurdle in 2023; first start for this yard when far from disgraced in Taunton hunter chase (about 2m5f, good) in January but his 20l defeat at Cocklebarrow (3m) later that month was disappointing; still not ruled out.

8/1

1

10th Apr 2025

Good

3m 2f 105y

Class 4

15:55 Newton Abbot

Guy

12st 1lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel Twiston-Davies

Better known as a chaser and he hasn't been able to exploit his lower hurdle mark in two starts this year, tailed off last time at Doncaster (2m5f, good); has never run over this far either so has plenty to prove.

20/1

5th

1

10th Apr 2025

Good

3m 2f 105y

Class 4

15:55 Newton Abbot

Guy

12st 1lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel Twiston-Davies

always behind

20/1

Form: /9213/ D BF

Last run: 675 days

W: 11st 11lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Absent since below-par run at Carlisle in February 2022 but he was an easy winner at Market Rasen (2m1f, soft) the time before and this lightly raced 9yo is still unexposed over fences; represents leading yard and needs a close look on his comeback.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

5

13th Jan 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 3

15:15 Kempton

Tokay Dokey

11st 2lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: Dan Skelton

Lightly raced but he was an up-and-coming chaser two years ago, looking a big improver when winning at Market Rasen (2m1f, soft; off 5lb lower) but seen just once more that season; off for 22 months after; travelled well for a long way at Taunton (2m2f, good to soft) before Christmas and although this trip is new territory he's not a tearaway type; interesting.

6/1

5th

3

14th Dec 2023

Soft

2m 2f 40y

Class 3

15:15 Taunton

Tokay Dokey

11st 11lb

J: Fergus Gillard

T: Dan Skelton

Absent since below-par run at Carlisle in February 2022 but he was an easy winner at Market Rasen (2m1f, soft) the time before and this lightly raced 9yo is still unexposed over fences; represents leading yard and needs a close look on his comeback.

6/1

Form: 854-77 D

Last run: 200 days

W: 11st 6lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Won at Leicester (2m4f, good) in February but was largely below par for Milton Harris last season and, although he lurks on a dangerous mark, others are more persuasive on his first outing since May; now under the care of Anthony Charlton.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

12th May 2024

Good

3m 1f 152y

Class 4

17:00 Plumpton

Jacamar

11st 2lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Harriet Dickin

raced in last

11/2

4th

5

12th May 2024

Good

3m 1f 152y

Class 4

17:00 Plumpton

Jacamar

11st 2lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Harriet Dickin

raced in last

11/2

3rd

5

2nd Apr 2024

Soft

2m 7f 171y

Class 3

15:30 Ludlow

Jacamar

11st 2lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Harriet Dickin

Raced mainly at around 2m4f and is on the downgrade now; went close off his much-reduced mark in four-runner race at Plumpton (3m1f, soft) in January but safely held twice since; formerly trained by Milton Harris/Anthony Charlton; now with Hariet Dickin; others preferred.

7/1

Form: /3114-

Last run: 243 days

W: 10st 11lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
11yo who was in career-best form in refitted cheekpieces at the start of 2023, winning twice at Chepstow; remote fourth when bidding for the hat-trick there in April, though, and off since.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

5

24th Jan 2024

Soft

2m 3f 98y

Class 4

15:45 Chepstow

Skinflint

11st 4lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Henry Oliver

held up in rear, outpaced before 5 out

14/1

7th

6

14th Dec 2023

Soft

2m 2f 40y

Class 3

15:15 Taunton

Skinflint

10st 11lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Henry Oliver

11yo who was in career-best form in refitted cheekpieces at the start of 2023, winning twice at Chepstow; remote fourth when bidding for the hat-trick there in April, though, and off since.

12/1

4th

6

15th Apr 2023

Soft

2m 7f 131y

Class 4

13:55 Chepstow

Skinflint

11st 8lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Henry Oliver

11yo who has been in career-best form in refitted cheekpieces this year, winning twice here (2m3f/2m7f); moves up in grade today but is pretty versatile regarding ground and must be considered in current mood.

3/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £11.00
Straight Forecast £10.50
Trifecta £33.30

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Heros

WEST COUNTRY:

Guy

The Star:

Can You Call

RP RATINGS:

Heros

TOPSPEED:

Heros

POSTDATA:

Heros

The Times:

Heros

The Guardian:

Heros

Daily Mail:

Heros

D Express:

Heros

Daily Mirror:

Heros

The Sun:

Heros

Daily Record:

Heros

Telegraph:

Guy