January 21 / 12.55 Fakenham

12.55

Good To Soft

Sky Bet Build A Bet Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £5281
  • 2m 5f 44y
  • Class 5
  • 8 runners
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Sky Bet Build A Bet Handicap Chase

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

OUR TIP

Abandoned

Form: -1R351 D

Last run: 34 days

W: 12st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 96

Form & Verdict
Won over hurdles at start of this season and battled well to score on last month's chasing debut at Plumpton (2m3f, good to soft); recent 3lb rise ought to be manageable, and he's open to improvement if more fluent over the fences here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

4th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 5y

Class 5

15:50 Warwick

Sir Rock

11st 4lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Toby Lawes

A three-time winner over fences and yet has shown nothing in his last three chase starts; has won over hurdles but returns from a break with much to prove.

10/1

2

9th Jun 2025

Good

3m 0f 60y

Class 5

14:40 Southwell

Sir Rock

11st 12lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Toby Lawes

Made it 3-9 over fences with a ready success over 3m2f at Fontwell; up 6lb but has been competitive off higher marks in the past.

11/4

1st

2

7th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 210y

Class 5

19:40 Fontwell

Sir Rock

11st 6lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Toby Lawes

Won back-to-back handicaps two winters ago, over 2m3f at Plumpton and 2m5f here; goes well on softer but the ground was good when not beaten far over 2m5f here last time; there are some stamina reservations over this far.

5/1

Form: 5-4335

Last run: 76 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
Unexposed 5yo who was third over 2m on first two hurdling starts; perhaps a shade disappointing when well-held fifth over 2m3f in November but remains open to improvement on today's chase/handicap debut; shortlisted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

12th Apr 2024

Good

2m 4f 1y

Class 5

15:10 Fakenham

Saint Jaguen

11st 12lb

T: Fergal O’Brien

disputed lead, jumped path before 1st

4/1

1

12th Apr 2024

Good

2m 4f 1y

Class 5

15:10 Fakenham

Saint Jaguen

11st 12lb

T: Fergal O’Brien

disputed lead, jumped path before 1st

4/1

Form: -54311 D

Last run: 45 days

W: 11st 8lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 90

Form & Verdict
Resurgent veteran who ended last year with two clearcut wins at Market Rasen (2m5f/2m3f); hiked up 16lb in total for those and needs to prove he's effective on this track but can't be ruled out in current mood.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

6

5th Dec 2024

Soft

2m 3f 34y

Class 5

14:48 Market Rasen

Caro Des Flos

10st 11lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Julian Smith

raced in second, clear with one other before 3 out, ridden and edged right before 2 out, led final 110yds, stayed on

4/1

Form: 0P46U6

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 86

Form & Verdict
0-4 since joining Peter Bowen but was stalking the leaders before coming to grief at penultimate fence at Sedgefield (2m3f, soft) in November and didn't have the race run to suit his very patient tactics when keeping on for sixth behind Sir Rock at Plumpton (2m3f, good to soft) last month; can pose a threat here if aided by first-time cheekpieces.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

9th Jun 2024

Good

2m 7f 207y

Class 5

17:27 Perth

Methusalar

10st 8lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Peter & Michael Bowen

took keen hold, in touch with leaders

10/1

5th

8

29th May 2024

Good

2m 1f 61y

Class 5

19:50 Cartmel

Methusalar

10st 2lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Peter & Michael Bowen

Became disappointing for Alan King and is yet to be placed for current stable; took step back in right direction and ran well for a long way before fading into sixth over hurdles at Ludlow (2m5f, good; first-time cheekpieces) this month but still makes only limited appeal.

8/1

Form: 2133-3

Last run: 66 days

W: 11st 3lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
Plugged on for remote third behind Caro Des Flos at Market Rasen (2m5f, good to soft) in November, after a long layoff, but needs to build on that performance here and younger rivals have much more appealing profiles.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

7

2nd Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 129y

Class 5

14:45 Huntingdon

Mackie Dee

10st 8lb

J: Philip Armson

T: Richard Armson

towards rear, in touch with leaders 15th

6/1

14

19th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 84y

Class 5

15:20 Doncaster

Mackie Dee

10st 7lb

J: Philip Armson

T: Richard Armson

13yo who has a poor 2-39 strike-rate under rules and is without a win since June 2022; however, he's finished in the first three on two of his last three starts and holds each-way possibilities once more.

12/1

Abandoned

Form: F377P2 C

Last run: 33 days

W: 11st 3lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
Made all here (2m, good) in June and followed up at Stratford (2m1f, good) soon afterwards; has rather mixed record since but kept on for second (albeit well held) behind revitalised rival over hurdles here (2m, soft) last month and is probably worth another crack at this sort of trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13

19th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 44y

Class 5

13:40 Fakenham

Go Fox

10st 2lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Neil King

midfield, jumped right 6th

20/1

13

19th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 44y

Class 5

13:40 Fakenham

Go Fox

10st 2lb

J: Freddie Gingell

T: Neil King

midfield, jumped right 6th

20/1

9

22nd Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 95y

Class 5

12:13 Fakenham

Go Fox

10st 2lb

J: Jack Quinlan

T: Neil King

Won over fences here (2m, good) in June 2023 but was well beaten here on both starts this autumn (2m4f hurdle/3m chase); still has stamina to prove over this sort of trip and is 3lb wrong today; others preferred.

14/1

Form: 4-5137 CD

Last run: 9 days

W: 10st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
Won over C&D (good) just under a year ago and added to his tally at Huntingdon (2m4f, good) last May; returned from layoff with encouraging hurdle run last week and now reverts to chasing with usual cheekpieces refitted; on a workable mark; high on the list.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

25th May 2026

Good To Firm

2m 7f 129y

Class 5

13:00 Huntingdon

Cloudy Wednesday

11st 3lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Caroline Fryer

Multiple chase winner with plenty of form here, including a runner-up finish in first-time blinkers last week over 2m4f (good); has won over this far.

7/4

2nd

1

19th May 2026

Good To Firm

2m 3f 189y

Class 5

18:30 Huntingdon

Cloudy Wednesday

12st 0lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Caroline Fryer

Five chase wins, including 2023 edition of this race; pulled up at Fakenham two starts ago but his other three runs this year were very respectable; swaps usual cheekpieces for first-time blinkers; likely to give this a good shot from the front.

3/1

3rd

6

8th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 5

15:15 Market Rasen

Cloudy Wednesday

10st 13lb

J: Lewis Stones

T: Caroline Fryer

A win and (in this race) a half-length second, each off 2lb lower, to show from two C&D visits (good) last summer; plenty in his favour again once more, though a Fakenham flop latest needs forgiving.

9/2

Form: 17253- C

Last run: 268 days

W: 10st 6lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
Lightly raced 12yo who won here (3m, good) after a layoff in November 2022; placed at Chepstow (3m2f, good to soft) on latest outing in April and should be fine over today's trip; could have a say.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

6

25th May 2024

Soft

3m 1f 107y

Class 5

18:50 Cartmel

Vetoncall

10st 3lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Alan Jones

raced in third, lost third after 12th, lost ground before 13th, dropped to last and struggling 14th

7/1

6th

6

25th May 2024

Soft

3m 1f 107y

Class 5

18:50 Cartmel

Vetoncall

10st 3lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Alan Jones

raced in third

7/1

Verdict

Chase/handicap debutant Saint Jaguen is open to significant improvement if he takes well to fences but SIR ROCK did pretty well to make a winning chasing debut last month, given that his jumping wasn’t always fluent, and he might kick on from that success. C&D winner Cloudy Wednesday is next on the list, while the veteran Caro Des Flos ended last year in excellent form and is also considered.[Chris Wilson]