January 06 / 14.40 Wincanton

14.40

Heavy

Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £13730.6
  • 2m 4f 35y
  • Class 3
  • 7 runners
ITV4
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Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Handicap Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

12/1 (Won)

  • Win: £6.50
  • Place: £2.90

Form: 5115-9 D

Last run: 56 days

W: 11st 7lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Back-to-back wins in the new cheekpieces at Huntingdon (2m4f, good/good to soft) early last year; looked rusty when well behind Huelgoat on his return and he was easy to back; better can be expected this time with a tongue-tie added.
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

5/1

  • Place: £4.00

Form: /2534- D

Last run: 257 days

W: 11st 4lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Consistent veteran who finished runner-up on last season's reappearance after an even lengthier absence; returns on a good mark and with his yard having a good time of it.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

6

19th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 3f 48y

Class 3

15:00 Exeter

Iconic Muddle

10st 13lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Gary Moore

Back from absence in good heart this winter, staying on well to be second in his first 3m handicap, a competitive one at Kempton (soft), and he might well have won at Doncaster since but for a late blunder; up 2lb but has solid claims.

3/1

2nd

8

3rd Mar 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 214y

Class 3

15:15 Doncaster

Iconic Muddle

11st 9lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Gary Moore

prominent, disputed lead 3 out, bad mistake last, not recover

3/1

2nd

9

9th Feb 2024

Good To Soft

3m 0f 0y

Class 3

15:40 Kempton

Iconic Muddle

10st 13lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Gary Moore

Close second at Wincanton (2m4f, heavy) last month on seasonal debut, showing he retains a good chunk of ability aged 11; new trip (belated first crack at 3m) is the question mark.

9/1

Form: 35-411 D

Last run: 18 days

W: 11st 7lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Took a while to come good in Britain but he's now on a hat-trick after wins at Ffos Las (2m3f, soft; narrowly) and Fakenham (2m5f, heavy; comfortably); the latter race did fall apart at the seams and a 7lb rise probably asks quite a question of him, but he's still entitled to respect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

23rd Feb 2026

Soft

3m 1f 157y

Class 4

14:35 Plumpton

Georges Saint

11st 11lb

J: Miss Lucy Turner

T: Venetia Williams

Mudlover who has won four times over fences and he's run creditably at Warwick (3m, good to soft) and over C&D (soft) in last two starts; finished behind Lumi Plugin last time but he should give it another good shot and any rain would be a bonus.

9/4

3rd

3

26th Jan 2026

Soft

3m 1f 157y

Class 4

15:50 Plumpton

Georges Saint

11st 4lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Mudlover who was out of sorts in just three runs last winter but ran well for a long way in a better race than this at Bangor (3m, soft) in April and kept on gamely when third at Warwick (3m, good to soft) last month; this more testing ground will suit better; solid claims.

2/1

Form: 4-7762 C

Last run: 11 days

W: 11st 2lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Not as good as he was but ran a solid race in defeat over C&D on Boxing Day (good to soft), albeit in a lower grade; unlikely to be far away with a repeat of that and Bradley Harris again takes away 5lb.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

12th May 2024

Good

3m 1f 152y

Class 4

17:00 Plumpton

Jacamar

11st 2lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Harriet Dickin

raced in last

11/2

4th

5

12th May 2024

Good

3m 1f 152y

Class 4

17:00 Plumpton

Jacamar

11st 2lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Harriet Dickin

raced in last

11/2

3rd

5

2nd Apr 2024

Soft

2m 7f 171y

Class 3

15:30 Ludlow

Jacamar

11st 2lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Harriet Dickin

Raced mainly at around 2m4f and is on the downgrade now; went close off his much-reduced mark in four-runner race at Plumpton (3m1f, soft) in January but safely held twice since; formerly trained by Milton Harris/Anthony Charlton; now with Hariet Dickin; others preferred.

7/1

Form: 12-724 D

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 5lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
Rare hurdle start these days when beaten a neck at Uttoxeter (2m4f, soft) before returning to fences with a respectable fourth at Cheltenham (2m4f, soft; beaten 12l); a late mistake didn't help matters last time and yet he finished his race out nicely; major player now down a grade.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

4th Mar 2024

Soft

3m 0f 60y

Class 5

15:05 Southwell

Go Steady

12st 2lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: I P Popham

held up in rear

14/1

5th

2

27th Jan 2024

Heavy

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

14:33 Uttoxeter

Go Steady

11st 12lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

held up in rear, headway after 7th, disputing third after 3 out, weakened final 110yds

6/1

5th

5

6th Jan 2024

Heavy

2m 4f 35y

Class 3

14:40 Wincanton

Go Steady

11st 5lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Rare hurdle start these days when beaten a neck at Uttoxeter (2m4f, soft) before returning to fences with a respectable fourth at Cheltenham (2m4f, soft; beaten 12l); a late mistake didn't help matters last time and yet he finished his race out nicely; major player now down a grade.

6/1

Form: 4-2418 CD

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 13lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 129

Form & Verdict
Stayed on best to collect by 3l over C&D (good to soft) in November but he was beaten a long way out when tailed off at Sandown; that was over 3m but soft ground could have been another factor in that below-par run and it will be even deeper here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

1

24th Sep 2024

Good

2m 5f 164y

Class 4

13:20 Fontwell

Huelgoat

11st 12lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Paul Nicholls

A five-time chase winner, he has adapted well since returning to hurdles in cheekpieces, making all at Newton Abbot (2m5f, good) in June and Stratford (2m6f, good to firm) last month (fell when holding a clear advantage in between); has a big penalty but will be difficult to keep tabs on.

9/4

1st

1

27th Aug 2024

Good To Firm

2m 6f 7y

Class 4

15:55 Stratford

Huelgoat

11st 7lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Paul Nicholls

made all, kept on well, unchallenged

6/4

1

25th Jun 2024

Good

2m 5f 122y

Class 4

15:00 Newton Abbot

Huelgoat

11st 8lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Five-time chase winner who faced a simple task when opening his account in this discipline over C&D (good; first-time cheekpieces) this month; has more on his plate under a penalty in this deeper race but he's respected nonetheless.

5/4

OUR TIP

Form: 1PF-P3 C

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 7lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Capable on his day as he showed when winning on soft ground at Hereford (2m5f) a year ago; however, it's been a rocky road since and the cheekpieces did nothing for him at Exeter last time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

31st Aug 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 5

14:40 Worcester

Honneur DAjonc

12st 0lb

J: James Turner

T: Alexander Gibbons

Some good runs in plating hurdles in the spring but soundly beaten back in handicaps on his last four starts, most recently when reverting to fences; lots to prove.

20/1

6th

5

24th Jul 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

13:10 Worcester

Honneur DAjonc

11st 12lb

J: James Turner

T: Alexander Gibbons

Won a selling hurdle for James Owen in March but was safely held in two handicap hurdles for new stable last month (2m/2m4f) and needs to raise his game on this first chasing start since January 2024.

25/1

7

29th Jun 2025

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 4

15:40 Uttoxeter

Honneur DAjonc

11st 10lb

J: James Turner

T: Alexander Gibbons

Last win for James Owen came in a seller and was sold on for £5,500; 66-1 and tailed off on stable debut at Worcester.

50/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £46.60
Straight Forecast £45.52
Trifecta £161.50

Selections

Telegraph:

Georges Saint

POSTDATA:

Huelgoat

RP RATINGS:

Jacamar

SPOTLIGHT:

Go Steady

The Guardian:

Georges Saint

Daily Mail:

Georges Saint

D Express:

Georges Saint

Daily Mirror:

Georges Saint

The Star:

Georges Saint

Daily Record:

Georges Saint

WEST COUNTRY:

Huelgoat

The Times:

Huelgoat

The Sun:

Huelgoat

TOPSPEED:

Jacamar