March 15 / 17.05 Fakenham

17.05

Good To Soft

Queens Cup Grassroots Open Hunters’ Chase (For The Queen’s Cup)

  • Prize money: £2566.5
  • 3m 0f 38y
  • Class 5
  • 6 runners
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Queens Cup Grassroots Open Hunters’ Chase (For The Queen’s Cup)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hunter Chase

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

2/1 (Won)

  • Win: £4.00
  • Place: £1.90

Form: P4BU-2

Last run: 315 days

W: 12st 0lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Brought down early in this contest last year, but would have thrashed Janika and Firak back here at Easter (soft) without unseating at the last; unseen since chasing home Premier Magic at Cheltenham last May, but has twice defied absences of over 250 days.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

30th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 205y

Class 4

20:10 Stratford

Rebel Dawn Rising

12st 9lb

J: Mr Dale Peters

T: David Kemp

As good as ever when winning the same Cheltenham contest (over essentially today's trip) for the second straight year four weeks ago; now 7lb higher than for last season's 1l defeat in this race, but without the effects of a slog on soft ground to have to shrug off.

11/8

1st

1

30th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 205y

Class 4

20:10 Stratford

Rebel Dawn Rising

12st 9lb

J: Mr Dale Peters

T: David Kemp

As good as ever when winning the same Cheltenham contest (over essentially today's trip) for the second straight year four weeks ago; now 7lb higher than for last season's 1l defeat in this race, but without the effects of a slog on soft ground to have to shrug off.

11/8

1st

4

2nd May 2025

Good

2m 4f 127y

Class 5

20:05 Cheltenham

Rebel Dawn Rising

12st 4lb

J: Mr Dale Peters

T: David Kemp

prominent, led before 2 out, faced challenge approaching last, kept on well final 110yds

6/1

3/1

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 0243-P

Last run: 314 days

W: 11st 12lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Still going close in 2m4f-2m5f handicaps off low-130s marks for Dan Skelton in 2022-23 around rather sharper tracks than the galloping Horseheath line of his two easy recent pointing successes (good to soft, good); confidence levels restored, and receives weight all round here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

6

15th Mar 2024

Good To Soft

3m 0f 38y

Class 5

17:05 Fakenham

Knight In Dubai

11st 12lb

J: Mr Rupert Stearn

T: Mrs J Owen

Still going close in 2m4f-2m5f handicaps off low-130s marks for Dan Skelton in 2022-23 around rather sharper tracks than the galloping Horseheath line of his two easy recent pointing successes (good to soft, good); confidence levels restored, and receives weight all round here.

3/1

10

6th May 2023

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 2

16:25 Uttoxeter

Knight In Dubai

10st 9lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Lightly raced in recent years and seemingly not as good as he was; went close when second of four at Warwick (2m4f, good) in February and kept on for third at Newton Abbot (2m5f, soft) last month but more is needed here.

10/1

3rd

3

8th Apr 2023

Heavy

2m 4f 216y

Class 3

15:25 Newton Abbot

Knight In Dubai

11st 9lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Has twice suffered narrow defeats this season, off today's mark, and deserves another success (lightly raced and last won in December 2019); didn't fire latest and will need his best to take this.

6/1

Form: 21-4P2 D

Last run: 7 days

W: 12st 6lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Hampered but not unlucky when second dropped back to 2m at Leicester latest (soft); work to do with Rebel Dawn Rising and Janika on last Easter's C&D clash, and Hexham win afterwards might not be infallible proof of his effectiveness at 3m under rules (tired and just held on in slowly run race).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

15th Mar 2024

Good To Soft

3m 0f 38y

Class 5

17:05 Fakenham

Firak

12st 6lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Hampered but not unlucky when second dropped back to 2m at Leicester latest (soft); work to do with Rebel Dawn Rising and Janika on last Easter's C&D clash, and Hexham win afterwards might not be infallible proof of his effectiveness at 3m under rules (tired and just held on in slowly run race).

4/1

2nd

2

8th Mar 2024

Heavy

1m 7f 201y

Class 5

16:50 Leicester

Firak

12st 6lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Won three times for Nick Pearce last spring, including when value for more than the winning margin at Hexham (3m, soft; 5-2; first-time cheekpieces); yet to fire since returning to Dan Skelton, pulling up in the Walrus at Haydock (2m6f, heavy) three weeks ago; questions to answer, especially at 2m.

9/2

2

17th Feb 2024

Heavy

2m 6f 54y

Class 3

16:55 Haydock

Firak

12st 4lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Won two hunter chases last spring (2m4f/3m, soft) and returned from some time off with fair fourth of five in Leicester handicap (2m4f, heavy) in December; could show the benefit of that outing today; possible contender.

13/2

OUR TIP

Form: 111142 D

Last run: 195 days

W: 12st 6lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Couldn't win a maiden point last year but subsequently ran up a four-timer in summer handicap chases for Fergal O'Brien (2m5f-3m, good); likely sharper for recent return and will appreciate any dryout.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

9th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 5

17:35 Warwick

Chief Black Robe

11st 12lb

J: Tom Broughton

T: Fergal O’Brien

Difficult times since back from absence last June but he's dropped a long way in the weights and there have been some signs of life; non-stayer over the extended 3m3f at Stratford recently (Carpe Diem runner-up) but he didn't run badly and better is expected.

4/1

3rd

1

19th Apr 2026

Good

3m 3f 119y

Class 5

15:43 Stratford

Chief Black Robe

12st 0lb

J: Tom Broughton

T: Fergal O’Brien

Back with his former trainer on his last five starts; landed a four-timer for this yard in 2023; hasn't won since and has failed to complete on his last two starts; visor worn last time is left off; well handicapped if able to return to anywhere near his best form.

5/1

2

25th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 194y

Class 5

14:30 Hereford

Chief Black Robe

11st 12lb

J: Fern O’Brien

T: Fergal O’Brien

Needs to rebound quickly from a poor hurdle run 16 days ago but last month's second over fences at Market Rasen (2m3f, soft) was a pretty good effort and the forecast faster ground here ought to suit him better; big player if first-time visor has desired effect.

9/2

Form: 7/4P1- CD

Last run: 340 days

W: 12st 2lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Needed first run back last term and have to hope same applies this time, having pulled up at Garthorpe last month (soft); gifted victory over this C&D last Easter when Rebel Dawn Rising unseated late on, but still had Firak 16l behind and may still be up to winning small races in this sphere.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

13th Mar 2026

Good

3m 0f 38y

Class 5

16:50 Fakenham

Janika

12st 2lb

J: Miss Charlotte Butler

T: E Turner

Safe as houses (never fallen or unseated) and 2-3 C&D record includes this race last year (good to soft); obvious claims again following a fine return at Higham last month, but won't want a total dryout.

5/4

Form: /2145- D

Last run: 620 days

W: 12st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Significant in today's context that last month's emphatic stable/pointing debut success (good) was recorded around Higham's sharp, flat left-handed circuit; theoretical possibility of the bounce factor given the preceding 587-day absence, but relative youth on his side and won't mind a dryout.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

15th Mar 2024

Good To Soft

3m 0f 38y

Class 5

17:05 Fakenham

Shentri

12st 2lb

J: Miss Ellie Callwood

T: Kelly Morgan

Significant in today's context that last month's emphatic stable/pointing debut success (good) was recorded around Higham's sharp, flat left-handed circuit; theoretical possibility of the bounce factor given the preceding 587-day absence, but relative youth on his side and won't mind a dryout.

5/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £10.90
Straight Forecast £10.46
Trifecta £32.10

Selections

Daily Mirror:

Firak

SPOTLIGHT:

Knight In Dubai

WEST COUNTRY:

Chief Black Robe

The Times:

Shentri

RP RATINGS:

Rebel Dawn Rising

TOPSPEED:

Janika

Telegraph:

Chief Black Robe

Daily Mail:

Shentri

The Star:

Firak

Daily Record:

Firak

The Guardian:

Rebel Dawn Rising

The Sun:

Janika

POSTDATA:

Knight In Dubai

D Express:

Knight In Dubai