March 11 / 16.20 Stratford

16.20

Soft

Service With A Smile Oncourse Bookmakers Novices’ Hunters’ Chase

  • Prize money: £2361.18
  • 2m 4f 205y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
RTV
View Course
Service With A Smile Oncourse Bookmakers Novices’ Hunters’ Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hunter Chase

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

4/1 (Won)

  • Win: £5.50
  • Place: £2.60

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 12lb

10 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Has won six of his 16 starts in points, all over 3m on ground ranging from good to soft, the latest in May last year (good); well-beaten last of four finishers in a mixed open point after a break in December (3m, soft); rules debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

31st May 2024

Good To Soft

3m 3f 119y

Class 2

19:05 Stratford

Forest Chimes

12st 0lb

J: Mr Darren Andrews

T: Philip Rowley

Won't mind rain as the ground was heavy when winning over 2m5f here in March, since when he's comfortably won a good-ground point over 2m4f; stays 3m but the extra 3f today will be unknown territory; fair chance should he get home.

4/1

1st

3

11th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 4f 205y

Class 5

16:20 Stratford

Forest Chimes

11st 12lb

J: Mr Darren Andrews

T: Philip Rowley

midfield

4/1

11/4

  • Place: £2.00

Form: 350342

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Has won three times over hurdles, twice for Nicky Henderson and the latest a Grade 2 at Limerick in December 2020 (2m, heavy) when with Gordon Elliott; not as good these days but creditable second of three at Fakenham on hunter chase debut last month (3m, soft).
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

16:05 Aintree

Grand Roi

12st 0lb

J: Mr Tommie M O’Brien

T: Mrs J Owen

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

16:05 Aintree

Grand Roi

12st 0lb

J: Mr Tommie M O’Brien

T: Mrs J Owen

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

16:30 Exeter

Grand Roi

11st 12lb

J: Mr Alex Chadwick

T: Mrs J Owen

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

Form: 2/442-

Last run: 359 days

W: 11st 12lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Fair chaser/hurdler for Harry Whittington; beaten a nose in a Uttoxeter handicap chase on final start for him last March (2m4f, soft); hasn't done as well points this season, but this drop in trip and return to regulation fences should suit; contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

1st May 2026

Good

2m 0f 54y

Class 5

16:30 Warwick

Franigane

11st 12lb

J: Mr George Edgedale

T: S Loxton

33-1 into 18-1, flattered slightly by near-1l margin behind an idling Barton Snow in this race last year (good), but that was still a mighty run after 418 days out; absent again since, but his comparatively moderate RPRs around sharpish tracks probably concerns more.

4/1

2nd

5

2nd May 2025

Good

2m 0f 62y

Class 5

16:35 Cheltenham

Franigane

11st 12lb

J: Mr George Edgedale

T: Harry Whittington

Fair chaser/hurdler for Harry Whittington but six defeats in points include a remote third behind A Jet Of Our Own; blinkers replace cheekpieces after a lengthy absence; probably up against it.

13/2

OUR TIP

Form: 33P/3F

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 12lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Winning hurdler/pointer; front-runner who was a creditable third in an amateur riders' event at Sandown in January (3m, soft) and was running well until stumbling and falling two out in similar event over same C&D last time; down in grade/trip; a contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

20th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 91y

Class 5

17:16 Newbury

Fil DAriane

12st 6lb

J: Mr Douglas White

T: Douglas White

Quite closely matched with Java Point on their Ludlow form in January (3m, good to soft) and this 11yo has held his form in points; he still looks vulnerable from a win perspective.

12/1

2nd

1

15th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 171y

Class 5

15:27 Ludlow

Fil DAriane

12st 6lb

J: Mr Douglas White

T: Douglas White

First and second in Sandown's military races last term (soft, good to soft) before converting an easy task in his members race at Didmarton; all rules and point wins have been gained around more testing tracks than Ludlow, and it's five years since his one winning seasonal reappearance.

20/1

2

13th Feb 2025

Soft

3m 0f 37y

Class 3

15:05 Sandown

Fil DAriane

12st 5lb

J: Capt Douglas White

T: Douglas White

Inconsistent but ran well in the military races over C&D early last year and he beat Farceur Du Large by just over 1l in the Grand Military Gold Cup over C&D (soft) three weeks ago; now 5lb worse off with the runner-up but can give another good account under regular rider Captain Douglas White.

4/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 11st 12lb

10 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Has won five of his 21 points, the latest a three-runner event over 3m6f at Garthorpe last May (soft); an interesting contender on rules debut from a top yard, but only second at 2-5 in a three-runner point when last seen out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

11th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 4f 205y

Class 5

16:20 Stratford

Bawnmore

11st 12lb

J: Miss Gina Andrews

T: T Ellis

towards rear

3/1

Form: /4265/

Last run: 790 days

W: 11st 12lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Winning hurdler for Dan Skelton in 2019 (3m, soft); easy winner of a two-finisher point last April (3m, good) but well beaten in both points since a summer break; others appeal more.
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

17:45 Cheltenham

Terrierman

12st 0lb

J: Mr Nicholas Romain

T: Mrs R A Romain

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

17:45 Cheltenham

Terrierman

12st 0lb

J: Mr Nicholas Romain

T: Mrs R A Romain

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

16:20 Stratford

Terrierman

11st 12lb

J: Mr Nicholas Romain

T: Mrs R A Romain

raced in third

22/1

Form: 18-44P

Last run: 66 days

W: 11st 5lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Dual hurdle winner at up to 2m3f for Dan Skelton; sound efforts in two of her three runs in handicap chases after wind surgery in the autumn; interesting on stable/hunter chase debut but can pull hard so may not be the easiest of rides for an amateur.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

5

1st May 2026

Good

3m 1f 100y

Class 4

18:50 Warwick

Missed Tee

11st 8lb

J: Mr Harry O’Dwyer

T: Miss V Collins

Third and sixth in the last two renewals of the 2m race on this card, and still appeals more over shorter despite a win over the full 3m trip at Chaddesley Corbett last May; 0-14 over rules fences.

12/1

4th

5

30th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

16:57 Ludlow

Missed Tee

11st 5lb

J: Mr Harry O’Dwyer

T: Miss V Collins

0-13 over regulation fences and she needs to improve on her recent seconds in hunter chases at Stratford and here.

13/2

2nd

9

19th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

16:50 Ludlow

Missed Tee

11st 5lb

J: Mr Lucas Murphy

T: Miss V Collins

Third in this race in 2024 and she easily won a ladies open at Chaddesley Corbett (3m, good) in May; had wind surgery (her third) before an encouraging second in novice hunter chase at Stratford (2m5f, soft) despite having the door slammed in her face on the home turn ten days ago; should go well again.

8/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £20.00
Straight Forecast £20.36
Trifecta £112.60

Selections

POSTDATA:

Grand Roi

SPOTLIGHT:

Franigane

Telegraph:

Forest Chimes

TOPSPEED:

Missed Tee

The Star:

Bawnmore

RP RATINGS:

Fil D'Ariane

The Guardian:

Grand Roi

Daily Mirror:

Grand Roi

The Sun:

Grand Roi

Daily Record:

Grand Roi

The Times:

Franigane

Daily Mail:

Franigane

D Express:

Forest Chimes