March 18 / 16.18 Fontwell

16.18

Heavy

Fontwell Racecourse Centenary Year Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £3247.81
  • 2m 3f 104y
  • Class 5
  • 5 runners
SKY
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Fontwell Racecourse Centenary Year Handicap Chase

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

6/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.25
  • Place: £1.60

Form: -4P646

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 90

Form & Verdict
0-7 over hurdles; made quite encouraging start to chasing career when fourth here (2m5f, soft) in January but was struggling well before stamina might have been an issue over 3m at Market Rasen last month; given a chance by the handicapper but still looks risky.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

2

31st Mar 2026

Good

3m 0f 30y

Class 5

16:20 Bangor-on-Dee

The Scorpion King

11st 13lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Oliver Signy

Only four completed when a 16l third at Exeter (3m, good to soft) and that was another effort well below the form he showed in 2024; reduced mark is for good reason but this isn't a strong race, so hard to leave him out of calculations.

11/1

3rd

1

6th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 54y

Class 5

16:43 Exeter

The Scorpion King

12st 0lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Oliver Signy

Well handicapped on his wins in staying chases two seasons ago but this campaign needs to turn a corner and he'd prefer softer ground.

12/1

1

28th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 7f 131y

Class 4

15:17 Chepstow

The Scorpion King

12st 0lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Oliver Signy

raced wide, towards rear, dropped to last before 11th

9/4

13/8

  • Place: £1.60

Form: -82532 C

Last run: 13 days

W: 12st 0lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Without a win since January 2021 but was headed only in the closing stages after looking likely to end his drought at Lingfield (2m6f, heavy) a fortnight ago; should be fine over today's shorter trip and remains well handicapped after a 2lb nudge.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

31st Jan 2025

Soft

2m 7f 110y

Class 5

13:45 Lingfield

Mister Murchan

10st 12lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Richard Rowe

2-21 over fences, the latest win in January 2021; twice a runner-up on heavy ground last March but pulled up both starts since; probably needed the run last time after 235 days off and he now has a career-low mark, but others are more persuasive.

33/1

6

31st Jan 2025

Soft

2m 7f 110y

Class 5

13:45 Lingfield

Mister Murchan

10st 12lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Richard Rowe

2-21 over fences, the latest win in January 2021; twice a runner-up on heavy ground last March but pulled up both starts since; probably needed the run last time after 235 days off and he now has a career-low mark, but others are more persuasive.

33/1

4

10th Dec 2024

Soft

2m 5f 135y

Class 5

14:30 Fontwell

Mister Murchan

11st 8lb

J: James Davies

T: Richard Rowe

Twice a runner-up on heavy ground in March, including here, and probably found the good ground too lively when pulled up back here in April; has the ability to figure but has tended to need his first run back from a break in the past.

10/1

OUR TIP

Form: 733765

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 2lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 83

Form & Verdict
Seemingly aided by first-time cheekpieces when keeping on strongly for close third at Southwell (3m2f, good to soft) in December but three disappointing efforts have followed; drops back in trip here, and it's hard to know what to expect from him.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

21st Jun 2024

Good

2m 7f 16y

Class 5

13:35 Market Rasen

Concrete King

10st 3lb

J: Adam Wedge

T: L J Morgan

held up in rear, raced wide when on turn after 2nd, headway from 3rd, lost position after 8th, weakened 3 out, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out

10/1

5th

6

1st Jun 2024

Heavy

2m 4f 15y

Class 5

16:55 Hexham

Concrete King

10st 9lb

J: John Kington

T: L J Morgan

Has won four points, but 0-20 under rules (12 over fences); best recent run when second over 2m3f at Fontwell in March (heavy); quite interesting with visor replacing cheekpieces on stable debut.

11/1

7th

8

19th Apr 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

15:30 Fontwell

Concrete King

10st 11lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Neil Mulholland

Has very mixed record this season but ran well and looked the likely winner for a long way before weakening into third over C&D (heavy; just behind Mister Murchan) last month; 2lb lower today; can't rule out.

6/1

Form: 4115F2 D

Last run: 15 days

W: 10st 13lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
Won twice over fences in the autumn (2m/2m3f) and posted another good effort when close second at Doncaster (2m3f, soft) a fortnight ago; could still have a bigger run in him; major player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

4th Apr 2026

Good

2m 4f 216y

Class 5

14:35 Newton Abbot

Ideallko

11st 6lb

J: Conor Ring

T: Mrs C Williams

Did his winning for Evan Williams in batches, latterly when notching a hat-trick the winter before last; on a fair mark back from a short break but needs a revival after a few poor efforts in recent times.

8/1

4th

4

4th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 65y

Class 5

14:07 Sedgefield

Ideallko

11st 11lb

J: Isabel Williams

T: Evan Williams

Enjoyed very good campaign last season with three wins (two over fences); he's on a handy mark on that form but has been well beaten in fourth on both outings this term; needs to turn things around.

10/1

9

11th Oct 2025

Good

2m 0f 11y

Class 4

16:35 Chepstow

Ideallko

10st 11lb

J: Adam Wedge

T: Evan Williams

Off since April but in was in the zone back then having delivered seasonal form figures of 111222; the latest near miss was over C&D and he's only 2lb higher for this; hard to dismiss.

5/1

Form: /2-77U

Last run: 19 days

W: 10st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
Went very close on handicap hurdle debut in December 2022 but wasn't seen again until two lesser efforts over hurdles this winter, then he unseated rider on last month's chasing debut; could still have potential over fences but others here have less to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

26th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 1f 77y

Class 5

14:25 Bangor-on-Dee

Staar

10st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Emma-Jane Bishop

Lightly raced since going close over hurdles at the end of 2022 and didn't show enough on his return from another absence over fences at Leicester (2m4f, soft) in December to make him of interest here; 3lb out of the weights.

25/1

7th

8

28th Dec 2024

Soft

2m 4f 25y

Class 5

12:45 Leicester

Staar

10st 8lb

J: James Best

T: Emma-Jane Bishop

visibility reduced by fog, in touch with leaders

10/1

7th

8

28th Dec 2024

Soft

2m 4f 25y

Class 5

12:45 Leicester

Staar

10st 8lb

J: James Best

T: Emma-Jane Bishop

visibility reduced by fog, in touch with leaders

10/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £8.60
Straight Forecast £8.06
Trifecta £20.20

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Ideallko

SPOTLIGHT:

Mister Murchan

LAMBOURN:

The Scorpion King

WEST COUNTRY:

Staar

The Times:

Ideallko

Telegraph:

Ideallko

Daily Mirror:

Ideallko

The Star:

Ideallko

Daily Record:

Ideallko

POSTDATA:

Mister Murchan

The Guardian:

Mister Murchan

Daily Mail:

Mister Murchan

D Express:

Mister Murchan

The Sun:

Mister Murchan