December 23 / 13.05 Newcastle

13.05

Good To Soft

bet365 Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £4858.52
  • 2m 7f 91y
  • Class 4
  • 7 runners
SKY
View Course
bet365 Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £4.34
  • Place: £1.90

Form: 211-44 D BF

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 4lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Ended last season with two hurdle wins (3m/3m2f) and made a very encouraging chasing debut when fourth of 15 at Carlisle (2m4f, good to soft) in October; didn't have race run to suit his patient tactics when filling same position at Wetherby (3m, soft) last month and remains very much of interest.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

2

9th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

16:30 Hexham

Jet Legs

12st 0lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Martin Todhunter

Has won three times over fences, the latest over 2m4f here in March last year (good to soft; visored first time); hasn't done quite as well since; stays 3m and on a good mark now.

8/1

4th

4

20th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 133y

Class 4

15:00 Kelso

Jet Legs

11st 7lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Martin Todhunter

Won off today's mark at Hexham (2m4f, good to soft; first-time visor) towards end of last season but is yet to build upon his pleasing reappearance run in October and needs to up his game.

16/1

6th

4

15th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 138y

Class 4

16:20 Musselburgh

Jet Legs

11st 7lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Martin Todhunter

Not totally solid on form this season, having failed to back up reappearance effort; however, has slipped back to last winning mark and may prove resurgent.

7/1

7/1

  • Place: £3.50

Form: 5P25-2 C

Last run: 76 days

W: 12st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Creditable second in good-quality handicap hurdle in March but last season's two chasing attempts were disappointing and he was no match for easy winner when back over fences for seasonal return in October; may yet get his act together in this sphere but others in this field have already done so.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

29th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 20y

Class 3

14:13 Ayr

Donny Boy

11st 4lb

J: Bruce Lynn

T: N W Alexander

Point, bumper and maiden hurdle winner who ran well in two handicap chases here in 2024; however, this 10yo has been absent since being pulled up at Newbury that November and faces a very tough assignment on his return.

25/1

10

30th Nov 2024

Good

2m 7f 91y

Class 1

15:20 Newcastle

Donny Boy

10st 9lb

J: Bruce Lynn

T: N W Alexander

0-8 over rules fences but knocking at the door for a while, finishing a highly creditable third at the Scottish National meeting at Ayr (3m, soft) in April and reappearing with a good second there (2m4f, good) four weeks ago; effective here and there's every chance he'll be thereabouts.

8/1

10

30th Nov 2024

Good

2m 7f 91y

Class 1

15:20 Newcastle

Donny Boy

10st 9lb

J: Bruce Lynn

T: N W Alexander

0-8 over rules fences but knocking at the door for a while, finishing a highly creditable third at the Scottish National meeting at Ayr (3m, soft) in April and reappearing with a good second there (2m4f, good) four weeks ago; effective here and there's every chance he'll be thereabouts.

8/1

OUR TIP

Form: 654-11 D

Last run: 39 days

W: 11st 6lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Began chasing career with two very convincing wins on good ground at Huntingdon (2m7f/2m4f) in the autumn; treated sternly by the handicapper for latter success and moves up in grade here but it's hard to tell when his progress will level off.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

6

15th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 210y

Class 3

18:55 Aintree

Regarde

11st 7lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Has had three wind operations and tends to go well when fresh, so might not improve markedly on his latest second at Haydock (3m4f, good) after 144 days away; still ran well though and assured stamina will come in handy.

12/1

2nd

6

15th Apr 2026

Good

3m 4f 97y

Class 3

15:50 Haydock

Regarde

11st 10lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Has had three wind operations, two of them last year; won four-runner race over C&D (good) when upped in trip last March and ran creditably on next two starts; not disgraced at Ascot in November when last seen; has a good record when returning from a break, so goes on the shortlist.

8/1

8

24th Oct 2025

Good

3m 1f 0y

Class 3

16:45 Cheltenham

Regarde

11st 9lb

J: Mr B O’Neill

T: Jamie Snowden

Won twice (3m/3m4f) during fairly light campaign last season and signed off with creditable second of 14 on New course here (3m4f, good) in April, form that was recently boosted by the winner; had another wind op (his third) during the summer; likely contender.

7/1

Form: PP-231

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 11lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Placed in first two chases, despite some rather sketchy jumping, and looked much more assured over the fences before pulling 19l clear to open account at Doncaster (3m2f, good) three weeks ago; subsequent 7lb rise could have been worse; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

7

22nd May 2026

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

19:41 Worcester

Snowy Evening

11st 11lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Dual winner over fences at Doncaster on good; yet to win over hurdles and this is his first run in this sphere since March 2023; possibly better for this race before a summer campaign over fences.

12/1

3rd

1

21st Feb 2024

Soft

2m 3f 31y

Class 4

14:05 Doncaster

Snowy Evening

12st 2lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

led

5/2

1st

4

28th Jan 2024

Good

2m 3f 31y

Class 4

12:50 Doncaster

Snowy Evening

11st 12lb

J: Henry Brooke

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Placed in his first two chases (on soft) and looked much more assured over the fences when drawing 19l clear at Doncaster (3m2f, good) in December to register his first win; not disgraced at Newcastle on latest outing but this is quite a rethink over his trip and he also has cheekpieces (tried on final start last term, pulled up) reinstated.

5/1

Form: 011-12

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 3lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Won three in a row over hurdles for Dan Skelton in spring (2m-2m4f) and, following a break, made fairly encouraging stable/chase debut when second at Doncaster (2m3f, good) this month, albeit no match for winner and in race in which most of the fences were omitted; tries a new trip today; could still have more to offer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

3

24th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 189y

Class 5

15:37 Kelso

William Of York

11st 11lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Rebecca Menzies

Has won three times over hurdles and three times over fences, but was disappointing back over hurdles with a visor (retained) instead of cheekpieces at Hexham last time (2m7f, good; 40-1).

50/1

13th

1

2nd May 2026

Good

2m 7f 63y

Class 5

20:15 Hexham

William Of York

12st 0lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Rebecca Menzies

Won three handicap chases on the trot in 2024; has struggled to finish since; may fare better back over hurdles with visor tried.

16/1

Form: P6-203

Last run: 24 days

W: 10st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Regressive maiden hurdler who was beaten about 19l when third of five in first-time cheekpieces (now removed) at Kelso (2m6f, soft) last month; might be better suited by today's less-testing ground but needs to up his game on this chasing debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

12

14th Jan 2024

Soft

2m 5f 133y

Class 4

13:50 Kelso

Firth Of Forth

10st 9lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Rose Dobbin

He's well handicapped on hurdle form as recent as last May. when second over 2m6f here, but he failed to shine on his last two runs in that sphere and was down the field on his chase debut at Newcastle three weeks ago.

20/1

6th

6

23rd Dec 2023

Good To Soft

2m 7f 91y

Class 4

13:05 Newcastle

Firth Of Forth

10st 8lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Rose Dobbin

held up in rear

12/1

3rd

4

29th Nov 2023

Good To Soft

2m 6f 151y

Class 4

14:45 Kelso

Firth Of Forth

11st 8lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Rose Dobbin

in touch with leaders, hung right and went third before 2 out, weakened before last

8/1

Form: 4931-5 C

Last run: 44 days

W: 10st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 98

Form & Verdict
Dual hurdle winner (once here) with fitted with tongue-tie in early part of this year; didn't jump well enough when safely held on last month's seasonal/chase debut at Sedgefield (3m3f, soft) and others look safer here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

4

5th Jan 2024

Soft

2m 7f 138y

Class 5

12:10 Musselburgh

Fortcanyon

11st 8lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Sandy Forster

Won off this mark over hurdles at Perth (3m, good to soft) last April; the first-time cheekpieces may help him jump better but that's very much necessary following sizeable defeats this season on his first two chase runs.

12/1

7th

7

23rd Dec 2023

Good To Soft

2m 7f 91y

Class 4

13:05 Newcastle

Fortcanyon

10st 6lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Sandy Forster

didn't jump with fluency, in rear throughout

14/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £25.20
Straight Forecast £26.96
Trifecta £109.60

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Snowy Evening

SPOTLIGHT:

Jet Legs

LAMBOURN:

Regarde

POSTDATA:

Snowy Evening

D Express:

Snowy Evening

Daily Mirror:

Snowy Evening

The Sun:

Snowy Evening

TOPSPEED:

Jet Legs

Telegraph:

Jet Legs

The Guardian:

Jet Legs

The Star:

Jet Legs

The Times:

Regarde

Daily Mail:

Regarde

Daily Record:

Regarde