January 21 / 15.15 Fakenham

15.15

Good To Soft

Sky Bet Veterans’ Handicap Chase (For The David Keith Memorial Cup) (Leg 1 Of The Veterans’ Series)

  • Prize money: £15843
  • 3m 0f 38y
  • Class 2
  • 5 runners
ITV3
View Course
Sky Bet Veterans’ Handicap Chase (For The David Keith Memorial Cup) (Leg 1 Of The Veterans’ Series)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

OUR TIP

Form: 44-21P D

Last run: 25 days

W: 12st 0lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 147

Form & Verdict
Stayed on remorselessly to win Becher Chase over the big fences at Aintree (3m2f, heavy) by 13l last month; subsequent defeat in Welsh National is not viewed harshly and he's in much calmer waters here but, nevertheless, he looks a shade vulnerable off new career-high mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

16

12th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 5f 56y

Class 2

15:20 Cheltenham

Chambard

10st 5lb

J: Miss Lucy Turner

T: Venetia Williams

Won 2022 Kim Muir here (3m2f, soft) and produced career-best performance when scoring by 13l over the big Aintree fences last season (3m2f, heavy); badly out of form this term, though, and this new discipline needs to rekindle his enthusiasm; 6lb out of the handicap.

100/1

7th

1

10th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

3m 4f 102y

Class 3

15:45 Plumpton

Chambard

12st 2lb

J: Miss Lucy Turner

T: Venetia Williams

towards rear, headway on outer after 10th, lost ground after 15th

25/1

7th

1

10th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

3m 4f 102y

Class 3

15:45 Plumpton

Chambard

12st 2lb

J: Miss Lucy Turner

T: Venetia Williams

towards rear, headway on outer after 10th, lost ground after 15th

25/1

Form: 408-14 D

Last run: 43 days

W: 11st 7lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Looked in excellent nick on seasonal debut at Aintree (3m1f, good to soft) in October, coming from a long way off the pace to win readily by 16l under Elizabeth Gale; finished tired when well-held fourth behind Chambard in Becher Chase over the big fences there (3m2f, heavy) last month but still ran very well, and the reduced emphasis on stamina here is in his favour.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

31

5th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Celebre DAllen

10st 6lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Completed on all three attempts over these fences, easily best of those efforts when close fourth in last season's Topham (2m5f, soft); has twice won well over about 3m/3m1f, including in November on sole start this term, but today's trip is a leap in the dark and this 13yo has easily his highest mark.

100/1

31

5th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Celebre DAllen

10st 6lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Completed on all three attempts over these fences, easily best of those efforts when close fourth in last season's Topham (2m5f, soft); has twice won well over about 3m/3m1f, including in November on sole start this term, but today's trip is a leap in the dark and this 13yo has easily his highest mark.

100/1

Form: 523842 D

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 2lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 135

Form & Verdict
Below form on latest start over regulation fences in September but ended last year with two very creditable runs in cross-country chases at Cheltenham (3m5f, good to soft/soft); still on a workable mark and must be considered.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

11th Oct 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 131y

Class 2

15:50 Chepstow

Francky Du Berlais

11st 9lb

J: James Bowen

T: Peter & Michael Bowen

Seemingly on the downgrade now but enjoyed the chance to dominate small field from the front at Market Rasen (2m5f, good) a fortnight ago; contests a much deeper race here but recent 4lb rise ought to be manageable and he's evidently in good heart.

11/2

1st

2

28th Sep 2024

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 3

17:10 Market Rasen

Francky Du Berlais

11st 7lb

J: James Bowen

T: Peter & Michael Bowen

made all, went clear from 1st, reduced lead 3 out, kept on well, unchallenged

4/1

13th

9

24th Aug 2024

Good

2m 4f 180y

17:25 Killarney

Francky Du Berlais

10st 12lb

J: Mr J L Gleeson

T: Peter & Michael Bowen

midfield

11/2

Form: U61/14

Last run: 51 days

W: 10st 9lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Ex-Irish 12yo who returned from mammoth absence with easy win in selling hurdle on stable debut in November and was very respectable fourth in competitive handicap chase at Newbury (2m4f, good to soft) last month; today's longer trip will also suit; a possible.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

1st Jul 2024

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

14:55 Worcester

Goose Man

11st 13lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

prominent, lost position 5 out, rallied after 4 out, kept on

6/1

4th

4

2nd Jun 2024

Good

2m 5f 44y

Class 3

16:15 Fakenham

Goose Man

11st 9lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Returned from mammoth absence with easy win in selling hurdle for new stable in November and good fourth in Newbury handicap chase (2m4f, good to soft) the following month; not at same level when third in two hunter chases this year, though, and will need to up his game a bit.

12/1

3rd

5

24th Apr 2024

Good

2m 7f 171y

Class 4

17:10 Ludlow

Goose Man

11st 12lb

J: Mr Zac Baker

T: Jamie Snowden

jumped left on occasions, took keen hold, soon led, headed after 5 out, weakened 2 out

7/2

Form: 67P-15 D

Last run: 29 days

W: 10st 6lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Not one to rely upon nowadays but dug deep for narrow win at Warwick (3m1f, soft) on seasonal debut in November and didn't run badly in competitive Haydock handicap (3m1f, heavy) last month; contender if addition of cheekpieces has positive effect here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 2

15:30 Aintree

Enqarde

12st 0lb

J: Miss Molly Armytage

T: Mrs David Plunkett

Career highlight was the Tommy Whittle at Haydock in 2021; 50-1 winner of four-runner hunter chase at Leicester (2m6f, soft) this February but pulled up at Exeter (3m, good to soft) since; this 12yo is probably vulnerable.

100/1

1

17th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 54y

Class 5

17:13 Exeter

Enqarde

12st 6lb

J: Miss Molly Armytage

T: Mrs David Plunkett

Useful in his prime; 0-6 in points this season but drew 14l clear to cause 50-1 shock in four-runner Leicester hunter chase (2m6f, soft) three weeks ago; it's tricky to gauge what that form is worth or whether his revival will gather momentum but, nevertheless, he enters calculations.

7/1

1st

5

24th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 6f 151y

Class 3

16:50 Leicester

Enqarde

11st 12lb

J: Miss Molly Armytage

T: Mrs David Plunkett

Landed the Tommy Whittle at Haydock in his younger days but is a shadow of his former self; 0-6 switched to points last term; unlikely to regain the winning thread on reappearance.

33/1

Verdict

Peter Bowen’s FRANCKY DU BERLAIS (nap) was a very creditable second in a cross-country chase at Cheltenham last month and is still on a good mark for today’s return to regulation fences. He ought to handle the tight turns here very well and gets the vote ahead of Celebre D’Allen, who was outstayed by Chambard in a gruelling edition of the Becher Chase at Aintree last month but can turn the tables with that rival today.[Chris Wilson]