December 27 / 12.25 Wetherby

12.25

Soft

William Hill NRMB Cheltenham From January 1st Mares’ Handicap Chase (Challenger Mares’ Chase Qual’)

  • Prize money: £4224.8
  • 3m 0f 45y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
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William Hill NRMB Cheltenham From January 1st Mares’ Handicap Chase (Challenger Mares’ Chase Qual’)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

OUR TIP

Form: 13-F55

Last run: 32 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Hasn't threatened the last twice against males (3m2f/3m1f, soft) but those weren't bad performances and she's on a lower mark now eased in grade and taking on fellow mares; could be thereabouts.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

7th Feb 2025

Soft

3m 5f 142y

Class 4

14:12 Bangor-on-Dee

Haute Estime

11st 6lb

J: Patrick Wadge

T: Lucinda Russell

Only beaten 4l in this last year when 5lb higher and best run since was her latest when runner-up at Kelso (3m2f); although some 14l off the winner, she was on the back foot after early interference and ran well all things considered; respected.

8/1

10

7th Feb 2025

Soft

3m 5f 142y

Class 4

14:12 Bangor-on-Dee

Haute Estime

11st 6lb

J: Patrick Wadge

T: Lucinda Russell

Only beaten 4l in this last year when 5lb higher and best run since was her latest when runner-up at Kelso (3m2f); although some 14l off the winner, she was on the back foot after early interference and ran well all things considered; respected.

8/1

3

29th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

3m 2f 39y

Class 4

15:13 Kelso

Haute Estime

11st 8lb

J: Mr Nick Orpwood

T: Lucinda Russell

Placed off 3lb higher in North Wales National at Bangor (3m5f, heavy) in February but has been well beaten on all three starts since, most recently when upped to 4m and fitted with cheekpieces (retained) for Borders National here three weeks ago; needs to turn a corner.

7/1

Form: 22-435 C

Last run: 19 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Consistent sort who won here (2m3f, soft) in January on her sole course visit and was a fair fifth against males in a Sandown Class 3 (3m, soft) last time; drops back down in grade today and could be involved.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

29th Feb 2024

Soft

2m 7f 171y

Class 3

16:15 Ludlow

Midnight Mary

11st 5lb

J: Bryony Frost

T: Lucy Wadham

Likeable mare with a consistent profile but her only chase win came off a 12lb lower mark and she's gone up 5lb for performing above herself in the face of a stiff task in a Listed race for mares last time (2m4f; fine at 3m and on soft); possibly flattered by that and opposable off current mark.

7/1

Form: 2355-2

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Reappeared at Ffos Las (2m5f, heavy) 15 days ago and went very close in a first-time tongue-tie; she should be fine now back up in trip and is a leading contender if repeating that latest form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

6th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 4f 25y

Class 4

16:00 Leicester

Gazette Bourgeoise

11st 3lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Ben Case

Built on November's promising reappearance when a wide-margin winner at Fakenham (2m5f, soft), but has failed to reproduce that level since and was pulled up at Taunton eight days ago; capable off this mark but she isn't the easiest to predict.

14/1

4

26th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 3y

Class 4

16:01 Taunton

Gazette Bourgeoise

11st 10lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Ben Case

Overall record of 4-35 but her last win was a dominant display at Fakenham (2m5f, soft) in December; still looks feasibly treated on that form but she's not easy to predict and was last of eight back at Fakenham last month; risks attached.

12/1

8th

2

18th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 44y

Class 2

14:40 Fakenham

Gazette Bourgeoise

11st 1lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Ben Case

Not the force of old but exploited favourable mark when beating Jacks Touch by 21l in two-finisher C&D (soft) contest last month, her second C&D success; also suited by much faster ground but has gone back up 7lb.

4/1

Form: P33-33 BF

Last run: 33 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
Creditable third on chase debut at Carlisle (3m2f, soft) in October and filled the same position at Catterick (3m1f, good to soft) last month, in what looks a warm race; lightly raced and holds solid claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

8th Mar 2025

Soft

2m 5f 91y

Class 4

14:50 Ayr

Anti Bridgie

10st 10lb

J: Henry Brooke

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

A fairly useful winning hurdler/chaser but she has been pulled up all three starts over fences this season, latest at Huntingdon (3m) in January; has lots to prove back in this sphere.

25/1

7

23rd Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 129y

Class 4

15:40 Huntingdon

Anti Bridgie

11st 5lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

raced in second behind clear leader, reminders and lost position with one circuit to go, dropped to rear 14th, struggling when eased and pulled up after 15th

20/1

7

23rd Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 129y

Class 4

15:40 Huntingdon

Anti Bridgie

11st 5lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

raced in second behind clear leader, reminders and lost position with one circuit to go, dropped to rear 14th, struggling when eased and pulled up after 15th

20/1

Form: 11P-36 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 6lb

9 yo Mare

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

3rd Feb 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 138y

Class 3

16:00 Musselburgh

Methodtothemadness

10st 12lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Lucinda Russell

Finished with a flourish to win lower-grade version of this race a year ago and followed up in C&D match race a fortnight later; back down to a similar mark now but posed no threat behind Half Shot here in November, after a break, and has been off for another 65 days since.

11/1

6th

7

30th Nov 2023

Good To Soft

2m 7f 138y

Class 3

14:45 Musselburgh

Methodtothemadness

11st 3lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Lucinda Russell

Dual C&D winner in two small-field events last season; acts on good or slower; absent since may and has had wind surgery; goes well when fresh and should be competitive from this mark.

15/2

Form: 143-4P C

Last run: 41 days

W: 11st 1lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Won twice over hurdles last season and not disgraced in the face of a very tough task on chase debut in October; however, she didn't jump well when pulled up at Market Rasen last month and has something to prove after that.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

19th May 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 63y

Class 5

17:50 Hexham

Shighness

12st 0lb

J: Joshua Thompson

T: Micky Hammond

Hasn't won for a couple of years and that was over fences, but she shaped encouragingly reverting to hurdles when third at Sedgefield (3m3f, soft) in February, albeit beaten nearly 19l, and has fallen back over fences since; however, she's on a handy mark and is hard to dismiss.

15/2

7

25th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 7f 199y

Class 4

15:41 Hexham

Shighness

11st 3lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Micky Hammond

She's struggled to get competitive since finishing a close second in this last year (good to soft) but is 7lb lower this time around and didn't run badly over hurdles at Sedgefield (3m3f, soft) last month; not written off.

10/1

Abandoned

Form: 5423-P

Last run: 221 days

W: 10st 8lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

1st Feb 2024

Heavy

2m 3f 83y

Class 5

15:30 Ffos Las

Lady Tremaine

11st 9lb

J: Peter Kavanagh

T: Donald McCain

Given break after a lacklustre performance last May and again looked out of sorts when reappearing last month; can't be supported with any confidence at present but she's now 7lb lower than when going close over C&D (heavy) on chasing debut last March.

7/1

7th

2

11th Jan 2024

Soft

3m 1f 54y

Class 5

13:20 Catterick

Lady Tremaine

12st 0lb

J: Peter Kavanagh

T: Donald McCain

Jumping lacked fluency last spring on first three chase starts and pulled up when last seen; however, she showed promise on her first two runs over fences and could have a part to play if back on song after a break.

10/1

Form: 26-414 BF

Last run: 29 days

W: 10st 8lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Won three times at Sedgefield (3m3f, soft/good to soft) this year, most recently last month; however, she's away from her favourite course today and wasn't at her best there last time out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

7th Feb 2024

Soft

3m 3f 9y

Class 5

16:40 Sedgefield

Onestepatatime

11st 6lb

J: Mr Thomas Easterby

T: John Wainwright

Three-time course winner over today's trip over fences, and ran much better than eventual 21l defeat might suggest when third in recent soft-ground chase here; switches back to hurdling on a lower mark; contender.

6/1

3rd

5

26th Jan 2024

Soft

3m 2f 202y

Class 5

15:55 Sedgefield

Onestepatatime

11st 7lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: John Wainwright

prominent behind clear leaders

9/2

Verdict

The lightly raced 6yo ANTI BRIDGIE (nap) has been a promising third on her two chase starts and can get off the mark over fences here. Gazette Bourgeoise is second choice following her reappearance near-miss, with Midnight Mary next on the list now back down in grade.[Ben Hutton]

Selections

TOPSPEED:

Gazette Bourgeoise

SPOTLIGHT:

Anti Bridgie

RP RATINGS:

Midnight Mary

The Sun:

Onestepatatime

POSTDATA:

Anti Bridgie

The Times:

Anti Bridgie

D Express:

Anti Bridgie

Telegraph:

Gazette Bourgeoise

The Guardian:

Gazette Bourgeoise

Daily Mail:

Gazette Bourgeoise

Daily Mirror:

Gazette Bourgeoise

Daily Record:

Gazette Bourgeoise

The Star:

Midnight Mary