December 28 / 12.49 Leicester

12.49

Soft

My True Love Gave To Me Novices’ Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £6535.2
  • 2m 4f 25y
  • Class 3
  • 4 runners
RTV
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My True Love Gave To Me Novices’ Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

OUR TIP

Abandoned

Form: 5

Last run: 51 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Winner of final two Irish points; daunting task on Warwick chase debut (2m5f, soft) for new yard in November but he jumped boldly up with the pace until fading quite badly in the straight; fitting a tongue-tie could help and trainer provided the winner last year (beat higher-rated rivals).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

10th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 4

14:05 Ayr

Ballymackie

11st 11lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Ex-Laura Morgan; dual point winner (one on yielding to soft) who got off the mark under rules on stable debut last time when winning at Leicester (2m4f, good); up 8lb; the one to beat.

8/13

4th

1

31st Dec 2024

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

13:50 Warwick

Ballymackie

12st 0lb

J: Adam Wedge

T: L J Morgan

in touch with leaders, prominent on outer before 11th, weakened before 2 out

4/1

Form: 3014-9 D

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 144

Form & Verdict
Very well served by strongly run staying handicap hurdles, such as when winning the 3m Pertemps at Cheltenham in March; hasn't approached his best hurdle form in three chase runs and of more interest when he's gained further chasing experience and is back up in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Form: 142P-4 D BF

Last run: 46 days

W: 11st 4lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Won Grade 2 hurdle at Sandown last winter (2m4f, soft) but had some letdowns, too; experimented at a few fences when well adrift on chase debut back at Sandown (2m4f, good to soft) following wind surgery but doubtless will have been well schooled since; trainer 3-7 with chasers here in the last five seasons.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

14th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 58y

Class 1

14:05 Haydock

Henri The Second

11st 6lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Paul Nicholls

Easily won a handicap at Sandown (2m7f, heavy) a fortnight ago; his three hurdle wins have come there and he needs to prove he can reproduce his best form at a different track, but today's trip and forecast soft ground will be right up his street and he's not ruled out on his first run here.

8/1

1st

4

31st Jan 2026

Heavy

2m 7f 103y

Class 1

15:10 Sandown

Henri The Second

11st 4lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Won by 18l over C&D in December 2024 and runner-up to Red Dirt Road in this race (off 2lb higher than today) next time, both on heavy going; well beaten last March and November (given wind surgery in between) but surged back to some form when short-headed here four weeks ago; that was over just 2m4f on good ground and today's conditions are more likely to see him back to his best; big shout if he is.

3/1

Form: 119- D

Last run: 258 days

W: 11st 4lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Unbeaten winner of first three starts, in Irish point, a Carlisle bumper, and when showing pluck to regain the lead in 2m3f maiden hurdle at Chepstow last December; ran well to two out in a Grade 1 at Aintree (3m, soft) when last seen in April and a likely type for fences; interesting.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

2nd May 2026

Yielding

3m 7f 68y

15:05 Punchestown

Saint Davy

10st 11lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Three-time hurdles winner is 0-7 chasing, pick of this season's form when placed in 3m1f Carlisle handicap in February; didn't get home on softer ground at Uttoxeter on latest; tough task here upped in trip.

16/1

4th

1

14th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 10y

Class 2

15:35 Uttoxeter

Saint Davy

12st 0lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Point/bumper/hurdles winner who remains without the full set, being 0-6 since switched to chasing; couple of creditable efforts in cheekpieces this term but needs progress to defy top weight in this field.

7/1

3rd

1

16th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 110y

Class 3

14:40 Carlisle

Saint Davy

12st 2lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Having ended last season in the doldrums he returned to form when third of five in first-time cheekpieces (retained) on last month's reappearance at Windsor (3m, soft); he goes well fresh so it remains to be seen if he'll improve for that latest outing, but he's respected nevertheless.

3/1

Verdict

All four runners are talented but it would be bold to have a confident bet. If this was only about jumping then Ballymackie would score highly as he looked a natural at Warwick but it was worrying that he was so tired in the straight. Good Time Jonny has returned to fences quite late in his career and will do better with more of a test while Saint Davy has not blotted his copybook as yet and is a likely type for fences but has been off since the spring so HENRI THE SECOND is a token choice.[Emily Weber]