December 26 / 15.25 Aintree

15.25

Soft

William Hill Stories Open National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (Series Qualifier) (GBB)

  • Prize money: £4084.5
  • 2m 0f 209y
  • Class 4
  • 7 runners
RTV
View Course
William Hill Stories Open National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (Series Qualifier) (GBB)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: NH Flat

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

12/1 (Won)

  • Win: £7.40
  • Place: £3.00

Form: 1 D

Last run: 45 days

W: 11st 9lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Placed in two Irish points (soft/good) in April and made a winning start for his in-form new stable in a Kelso bumper (2m, good to soft) 45 days ago; that form isn't anything out of the ordinary but he battled well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

23rd Feb 2026

Soft

2m 3f 110y

Class 4

14:25 Ayr

Union Avenue

11st 9lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: James Moffatt

Two bumpers wins in late 2023 (good to soft/soft) and mid-division in the Champion Bumper later that season; then absent until December 2025, when pulled up on hurdle debut; however, he was sent off favourite and may have needed that outing; wears first-time cheekpieces; not written off.

11/1

9th

19

13th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 0f 87y

Class 1

17:30 Cheltenham

Union Avenue

11st 7lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: James Moffatt

Edged home at Kelso (good to soft) and Aintree (soft) before coming up short in a Listed race won by Royal Infantry on heavy ground at Newbury; perhaps a future flagbearer for the yard but an unlikely winner of this.

100/1

6/5

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 4- BF

Last run: 245 days

W: 11st 2lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Half-brother to bumper and Grade 1 novice winner Minella Cocooner; made debut for Sean Doyle in a valuable bumper at the Punchestown festival (2m, yielding to soft) in April and shaped well to finish fourth of 16; raced quite freely and sports a hood on return for Paul Nicholls; likely hard to beat.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

24th Nov 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

12:15 Uttoxeter

Farland

11st 4lb

J: Jay Tidball

T: Paul Nicholls

prominent, hung left throughout, outpaced after 3 out, kept on run-in, went second towards finish

3/1

2nd

2

24th Nov 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

12:15 Uttoxeter

Farland

11st 4lb

J: Jay Tidball

T: Paul Nicholls

prominent, hung left throughout, outpaced after 3 out, kept on run-in, went second towards finish

3/1

3rd

4

10th Nov 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

13:50 Ffos Las

Farland

11st 4lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Plenty of ability in his three bumpers, winning one at Fakenham; hooded last three outings; favourite for novice hurdle at Chepstow (2m, again soft) one month ago when his never-nearer third of 12 attracted the attention of the stewards but he made things hard by persistently hanging left; settling and hanging have therefore both been issues but he does look capable of better.

9/2

Form: 1

Last run: 38 days

W: 11st 9lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Black Sam Bellamy 4yo who dug deep to shade a close finish on his Uttoxeter bumper debut (2m, heavy) 38 days ago; the fourth has finished a good second since so the form might have a bit of substance; has to give weight to some promising sorts here, though.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

18th Apr 2026

Soft

3m 0f 20y

Class 2

13:45 Ayr

Gamesters Guy

11st 7lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Good form when winning a two-runner novice chase at Doncaster (3m, good to soft) in December on his second run over fences; however, he hasn't kicked on since and needs to raise his game if he's to win this.

20/1

2nd

1

5th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 3

13:45 Haydock

Gamesters Guy

11st 10lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Not fully exposed over fences and has winning form in a match, downing a 1-3 shot at Doncaster (3m, good to soft) in December; has jumping frailties, however, which again came to the fore when an 18l second of two finishers over this sort of trip at Chepstow (soft) three weeks ago; tongue-tie added and maybe this race won't be a stern examination of his jumping technique.

10/11

2nd

2

13th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 3f 98y

Class 3

14:40 Chepstow

Gamesters Guy

11st 1lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Won a match race at Doncaster (3m, good to soft) in December, his second chase, and certainly didn't run badly when last of five in Windsor handicap (3m, soft) last month, where a last-fence error magnified his margin of defeat; not sure to benefit from this drop back in trip but still enters calculations.

6/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 2lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Cost 50,000euros as a 3yo and is a half-brother to winners Hourvari (2m2f/2m3f hurdle) and Desir Du Sud (French 2m1f hurdle); stable has a very good 21% strike-rate in bumpers in the last five seasons; interesting to see what the betting makes of him.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

21st Apr 2026

Soft

2m 3f 83y

Class 4

17:42 Ffos Las

Jaccours

11st 9lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

1-5 over hurdles, the win gained in course maiden (2m4f, heavy) in January; flopped when warm favourite for chase/handicap debut the following month but could still have a good future over fences.

3/1

3

23rd Feb 2026

Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 4

15:00 Ayr

Jaccours

11st 9lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Got off the mark at the seventh attempt in a maiden hurdle at Ffos Las (2m4f, heavy) last month; his respected trainer sends him straight over fences for his handicap debut and this unexposed 7yo could have a part to play.

7/2

1st

3

30th Jan 2026

Heavy

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

13:20 Ffos Las

Jaccours

11st 6lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Yet to finish out of the frame; below-par fourth at Windsor on reappearance but gave impression the outing was needed; one of the main players on peak form, which includes a C&D effort.

4/1

Form: 77-

Last run: 244 days

W: 11st 2lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Only seventh in two bumpers in April, although there was strength behind him in the betting on the first occasion; has undergone wind surgery ahead of this return to action; significant improvement will be needed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

18th Jun 2024

Good

2m 2f 148y

Class 4

14:05 Stratford

Boundary Jack

11st 3lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Mel Rowley

midfield, some headway 3 out, weakened quickly 2 out, pulled up approaching last

20/1

Form: 2

Last run: 52 days

W: 11st 2lb

4 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Out of a French Grade 1 hurdle winner and stayed on for creditable second on his Ascot debut (soft) last month; the winner was third in a Listed bumper back at Ascot on Friday; should play a prominent role.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

15th Oct 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

16:28 Worcester

Monty Bodkin

11st 0lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Won soft-ground bumper for Ben Pauling in February 2024; failed to complete on his last two runs over hurdles last term so it will be like starting over again on this first run back; still has potential and cannot dismiss.

11/2

5

20th Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 139y

Class 4

15:45 Market Rasen

Monty Bodkin

11st 6lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

prominent, went second before 6th

Evs

5

20th Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 139y

Class 4

15:45 Market Rasen

Monty Bodkin

11st 6lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

prominent, went second before 6th

Evs

Form:

Last run:

W: 10st 9lb

5 yo Mare

OR:

Form & Verdict
Bought for £58,000 a few weeks after finishing second on her completed start in Irish points in November 2022; it's taken a while for new connections to get her back to the track and a watching brief is advised unless the betting strongly suggests otherwise.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

3

6th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 189y

Class 5

15:25 Kelso

Disco Annie

11st 12lb

J: Nathan Moscrop

T: Rebecca Menzies

Two wins at Carlisle in November 2024 (2m1f, soft/good to soft); mixed form since, including over fences; sound run back hurdling at Carlisle in March (2m1f, soft), but poor next time and has since had wind surgery; bit to prove.

8/1

Non-runners

The New Lion

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £11.70
Straight Forecast £17.01
Trifecta £138.20

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Farland

WEST COUNTRY:

Monty Bodkin

The Times:

The New Lion

D Express:

Jaccours

Daily Record:

Union Avenue

RP RATINGS:

Farland

POSTDATA:

Farland

Telegraph:

Farland

The Guardian:

Farland

Daily Mail:

Farland

Daily Mirror:

Farland

The Sun:

Farland

The Star:

Monty Bodkin