17.02
HeavyJumping For Fun Dick Saunders Novices’ Hunters’ Chase
- Prize money: £2980.2
- 2m 6f 151y
- Class 5
- 9 runners
Runners: 9 runners
Type: Hunter Chase
Surface: Turf
Weather: Cloudy
Abandoned
Form: -01P57
Last run: 96 days
W: 12st 1lb
7 yo Mare
OR: 116
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2 |
19th Mar 2024 Soft 3m 0f 54y Class 5 |
11st 13lb |
Won Irish point and 2m5f French chase; useful yard debut in a mixed open in January and more than confirmed that promise with a staying-on third in a competitive 2m7f event at Taunton (soft) where she would have been closer but for losing some momentum three out; good chance. |
9/4 |
|
3rd 5 |
20th Feb 2024 Heavy 2m 7f 3y Class 5 |
11st 13lb |
Irish point winner and also successful over fences in France (handled plenty of give underfoot); beaten by a talented ex-Paul Nicholls horse on debut for this yard in a recent 3m point. |
3/1 |
Abandoned
Form: 535034
Last run: 91 days
W: 12st 0lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: 115
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10 |
11th Apr 2024 Heavy 2m 5f 19y Class 2 |
12st 0lb |
Only an 8yo but his rating has capitulated during the last two years and his recent form is nowhere near good enough for a test of this magnitude. |
100/1 |
|
10 |
11th Apr 2024 Heavy 2m 5f 19y Class 2 |
12st 0lb |
Only an 8yo but his rating has capitulated during the last two years and his recent form is nowhere near good enough for a test of this magnitude. |
100/1 |
|
4 |
19th Mar 2024 Soft 3m 0f 54y Class 5 |
11st 12lb |
Grade 2 hurdle winner in 2020 and bits of form in better races than this in recent times; out of sorts in the autumn but he might well have pegged back Forest Chimes at Stratford (2m5f, heavy) last week with a better jump at the last; this stiffer test can suit; can go well. |
5/2 |
Abandoned
Form: F/878-
Last run: 293 days
W: 12st 0lb
10 yo Gelding
OR: 107
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
7th 7 |
17th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 3m 0f 54y Class 5 |
12st 2lb |
No threat to easy winner when second at Taunton (2m7f, heavy) last month but that was still a pretty good effort and he'll probably be better suited by the less testing ground here; a possible. |
14/1 |
|
2nd 2 |
12th Feb 2026 Heavy 2m 7f 3y Class 5 |
12st 2lb |
Won hunter chase at Southwell (3m, soft) in March 2024 and runner-up in this race last February (good to soft); this 12yo was no match for Golden Son when fourth at Warwick (3m, good to soft) three weeks ago; could improve for that reappearance outing but others still make greater appeal. |
33/1 |
Abandoned
Form: —
Last run: —
W: 12st 0lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2nd 3 |
31st May 2024 Good To Soft 3m 3f 119y Class 2 |
12st 0lb |
Improving 6yo; second in what's always a good hunter chase at Haydock before going on to win his next three, bringing up the hat-trick at Cheltenham (3m2f, soft) despite jumping right late on; won that despite not being at his best and hard to beat here. |
5/4 |
|
1st 3 |
3rd May 2024 Good 3m 2f 0y Class 4 |
11st 12lb |
Creditable second in good-quality Haydock hunter chase (2m6f, heavy) on rules debut in February and a dual 2m4f winner since (heavy/soft); forced to work very hard to justify short odds at Ludlow last month but the front two pulled a long way clear; sets very good standard of rules form and will be hard to beat if today's trip-and-ground combination suits. |
9/4 |
|
1st 3 |
3rd May 2024 Good 3m 2f 0y Class 4 |
11st 12lb |
Creditable second in good-quality Haydock hunter chase (2m6f, heavy) on rules debut in February and a dual 2m4f winner since (heavy/soft); forced to work very hard to justify short odds at Ludlow last month but the front two pulled a long way clear; sets very good standard of rules form and will be hard to beat if today's trip-and-ground combination suits. |
9/4 |
Abandoned
Form: /069/6
Last run: 286 days
W: 12st 0lb
10 yo Gelding
OR: 106
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6th 10 |
5th May 2023 Good 2m 4f 127y Class 5 |
11st 12lb |
Pretty useful over hurdles in 2018 in his early British days, before a long absence and losing his form; won one point in 2021 and another in April 2022, while finishing runner-up twice this year, but this race appears to ask a very stiff question. |
33/1 |
Abandoned
Form: 8P/F8-
Last run: 629 days
W: 12st 0lb
9 yo Gelding
OR: 119
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
7 |
13th Feb 2025 Soft 2m 6f 151y Class 5 |
12st 0lb |
Ten-time point winner but he's been disappointing in last two runs in that sphere including a pulled-up effort last month; has something to prove again back over regulation fences and he's 1-18 under rules; change of headgear. |
25/1 |
Abandoned
Form: /4265/
Last run: 765 days
W: 12st 0lb
10 yo Gelding
OR: 108
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8 |
3rd May 2024 Good 3m 1f 56y Class 4 |
12st 0lb |
Not as good as he was when with the Skeltons a few seasons back; has no form claims on his achievements during the last 12 months. |
50/1 |
|
8 |
3rd May 2024 Good 3m 1f 56y Class 4 |
12st 0lb |
Not as good as he was when with the Skeltons a few seasons back; has no form claims on his achievements during the last 12 months. |
50/1 |
|
6 |
11th Mar 2024 Soft 2m 4f 205y Class 5 |
11st 12lb |
raced in third |
22/1 |
Abandoned
Form: PP-P4
Last run: 268 days
W: 12st 0lb
9 yo Gelding
OR: 75
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5 |
12th May 2025 Good 3m 0f 60y Class 5 |
10st 6lb |
jumped right throughout, led, headed 12th, lost position 15th, weakened 4 out, pulled up before 3 out |
15/2 |
|
5 |
12th May 2025 Good 3m 0f 60y Class 5 |
10st 6lb |
jumped right throughout, led, headed 12th, lost position 15th, weakened 4 out, pulled up before 3 out |
15/2 |
|
4th 4 |
11th Apr 2025 Good 2m 7f 129y Class 5 |
11st 0lb |
Last seen pulling up in a point just under 12 months ago; has won five times in that scene but he's shown modest form in five runs over regulation fences, all of those hunter chases. |
6/1 |
Abandoned
Form: —
Last run: —
W: 12st 0lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2nd 7 |
24th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 7f 136y Class 5 |
11st 12lb |
Track and going types come alike to this former Kelso and Exeter hunter chase winner (soft and good to soft); 11l behind a rival later drubbed by Stumps Or Slips on his most recent hunter chase start, but confidence levels topped up with an easy point win at Eyton-on-Severn (good to firm) since. |
4/1 |
|
2nd 3 |
17th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 3m 0f 54y Class 5 |
12st 6lb |
Won twice under rules (once over C&D) in 2024; slightly disappointing when favourite for his latest point but the form of his first two runs this season reads quite well in this context; no surprise if he features. |
16/1 |
|
30 |
3rd Apr 2025 Good To Soft 2m 5f 19y Class 2 |
12st 0lb |
Won two hunter chases last year but those wins were in much easier races and he doesn't look in the same form now. |
100/1 |
Verdict
Preference is for MY REPRIEVE who can deal with testing ground and the horse who beat him in his recent point has always had talent. Grand Roi should make his presence felt and both Yippee Ki Yay and Iskandar Pecos, closely matched on a point encounter from last year, can also run well.[Alistair Jones]