December 28 / 15.09 Leicester

15.09

Soft

Leicestershire Silver Fox Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £7921.5
  • 2m 4f 25y
  • Class 3
  • 5 runners
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Leicestershire Silver Fox Handicap Chase

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

Form: 5115-9 D

Last run: 47 days

W: 12st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Fitted with cheekpieces, he secured back-to-back wins at Huntingdon (2m4f, good/good to soft) earlier this year; now has to revive after two below-par runs but he's not handicapped out of it.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

15th Mar 2025

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 3

16:32 Kempton

Dibble Decker

11st 9lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

Added to his fine Huntingdon record when runner-up over 2m4f (good to soft) 13 days ago; claims if showing up in similar form.

7/2

2nd

7

2nd Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 189y

Class 3

15:52 Huntingdon

Dibble Decker

10st 12lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

Could so easily have been chasing a hat-trick in this race having won it two years ago and gone down by just a neck to Lounge Lizard last year; returns again on a competitive mark and he wasn't far away last time at Ludlow despite some mistakes; respected.

7/2

5th

1

5th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 3

15:45 Ludlow

Dibble Decker

12st 0lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

prominent

6/1

Form: /6P3-5 D

Last run: 49 days

W: 11st 13lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Back to form when third at Sandown (2m4f, soft) in March but that's probably his favourite track and he was laboured at Newbury on his return.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

1st Jun 2025

Good

2m 5f 44y

Class 3

16:35 Fakenham

Belargus

11st 4lb

J: James Davies

T: Nick Gifford

Runner-up off a reduced mark at Huntingdon (2m7f, good; first-time blinkers) last April and didn't run badly at Stratford (2m5f, heavy; no blinkers) on next start in October; now back from another absence and he's not as good as he was.

7/1

3rd

4

1st Jun 2025

Good

2m 5f 44y

Class 3

16:35 Fakenham

Belargus

11st 4lb

J: James Davies

T: Nick Gifford

Runner-up off a reduced mark at Huntingdon (2m7f, good; first-time blinkers) last April and didn't run badly at Stratford (2m5f, heavy; no blinkers) on next start in October; now back from another absence and he's not as good as he was.

7/1

OUR TIP

Form: /121-4 D

Last run: 15 days

W: 11st 11lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Won a point and two soft-ground hunter chases back in the spring; finished last on his return to handicap company over C&D two weeks ago but wasn't beaten far and heavy ground would have tested his fitness levels; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

15th Mar 2024

Good To Soft

3m 0f 38y

Class 5

17:05 Fakenham

Firak

12st 6lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Hampered but not unlucky when second dropped back to 2m at Leicester latest (soft); work to do with Rebel Dawn Rising and Janika on last Easter's C&D clash, and Hexham win afterwards might not be infallible proof of his effectiveness at 3m under rules (tired and just held on in slowly run race).

4/1

2nd

2

8th Mar 2024

Heavy

1m 7f 201y

Class 5

16:50 Leicester

Firak

12st 6lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Won three times for Nick Pearce last spring, including when value for more than the winning margin at Hexham (3m, soft; 5-2; first-time cheekpieces); yet to fire since returning to Dan Skelton, pulling up in the Walrus at Haydock (2m6f, heavy) three weeks ago; questions to answer, especially at 2m.

9/2

2

17th Feb 2024

Heavy

2m 6f 54y

Class 3

16:55 Haydock

Firak

12st 4lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Won two hunter chases last spring (2m4f/3m, soft) and returned from some time off with fair fourth of five in Leicester handicap (2m4f, heavy) in December; could show the benefit of that outing today; possible contender.

13/2

Form: 21245-

Last run: 246 days

W: 11st 5lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Did well last season following wind surgery and returns from his break on a perfectly fair mark; might just appreciate a longer trip these days.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

7th May 2024

Good

3m 1f 44y

Class 4

20:00 Hereford

Seigneur Des As

12st 0lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Harriet Dickin

Win last February came off this mark but he's offered little in two runs over hurdles back from almost a year off, latterly for his new yard a fortnight ago; the return to fences needs to help.

10/1

2nd

3

7th May 2024

Good

3m 1f 44y

Class 4

20:00 Hereford

Seigneur Des As

12st 0lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Harriet Dickin

Win last February came off this mark but he's offered little in two runs over hurdles back from almost a year off, latterly for his new yard a fortnight ago; the return to fences needs to help.

10/1

5th

8

21st Apr 2024

Good

2m 5f 82y

Class 3

13:57 Wincanton

Seigneur Des As

11st 1lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Harriet Dickin

Sole career win came in a Ludlow handicap chase in February of last year (3m, good); beaten a long way into third on his return from an absence in a 2m4f novice at Huntingdon.

20/1

Form: 33-463

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 1lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Quiet on his chase debut at Kempton but was a lot better when close up over this far at Lingfield (good to soft) and this French hurdle winner should have more to offer; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

7th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 42y

Class 3

15:35 Sandown

Invincible Nao

11st 3lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Versatile sort who won over 2m4f here on reappearance and has performed respectably over marathon trips since; stiff task from 4lb out of handicap last time; not ruled out back off proper mark.

8/1

Verdict

It’s difficult to be overly confident about any of these. Heavy ground perhaps exposed FIRAK’s fitness levels here two weeks ago and he ended last season in good form. Invincible Nao is the one open to improvement, while Seigneur Des As should make his presence felt if on his game after some time out.[Alistair Jones]