April 28 / 16.05 Wetherby

16.05

Soft

Vickers.Bet Proudly Supporting British Racing Handicap

  • Prize money: £6359.3
  • 0m 5f 110y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
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Vickers.Bet Proudly Supporting British Racing Handicap

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

7/2 (Won)

  • Win: £2.00
  • Place: £1.10

Form: -36522 BF

Last run: 10 days

W: 9st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
Pretty consistent on AW since the autumn and clear second twice on heavy ground since returned to turf this month (5f/6f); has to take a recent 4lb rise on the chin but ought to be right in the thick of things again; blinkers (used occasionally in recent years) are refitted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

(11)

27th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

14:50 Ripon

Illusionist

9st 6lb

J: Oliver Stammers

T: Grant Tuer

Hold-up sprinter; just one win to his name since May 2022; shaped with some promise at Haydock three weeks ago (after a break) and he's on a fair mark; effective at the track.

12/1

78

19th Sep 2025

0m 6f 0y

Class 2

15:40 Ayr

Illusionist

8st 13lb

J: Oliver Stammers

T: Grant Tuer

6

(4)

5th Sep 2025

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

15:15 Haydock

Illusionist

9st 7lb

J: Oliver Stammers

T: Grant Tuer

Below par on both runs this term but didn't perform badly at Hamilton in May last time on good going that may not have been ideal; now 2lb lower than when winning at Wetherby (soft) last year and the more rain the better.

16/1

5/1

  • Place: £1.40

Form: 63444-

Last run: 183 days

W: 9st 9lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 84

Form & Verdict
Ended last season in good form, making the frame in four consecutive valuable 5f handicaps (good to soft-heavy); resumes on a workable mark and ran well on last year's reappearance outing; high on the list.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

14

(14)

31st May 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 2

17:45 Thirsk

Manila Scouse

8st 2lb

J: Duran Fentiman

T: Tim Easterby

His last win came over C&D last July (good; off 1lb higher) and he stayed on for a close third at Hamilton (5f, good) a fortnight ago; could build on that latest performance now back up in trip; firmly in calculations.

10/1

3rd

10

(12)

17th May 2026

Good

0m 5f 7y

Class 3

17:15 Hamilton

Manila Scouse

8st 13lb

J: Warren Fentiman

T: Tim Easterby

May have needed his recent comeback from six months off at his age (cracked late on having raced prominently from a low stall over 6f round Chester); 2lb below his last successful mark and has won here before but David Allan has opted for Vince L'Amour.

12/1

7th

12

(2)

8th May 2026

Good

0m 6f 17y

Class 4

15:40 Chester

Manila Scouse

9st 5lb

J: Duran Fentiman

T: Tim Easterby

On a competitive mark with a handy inside draw but he is returning from a seven month absence and his connections are also represented by Miraculous.

8/1

14/1

Form: 173-69

Last run: 11 days

W: 8st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 73

Form & Verdict
Made satisfactory seasonal/stable debut when midfield at Southwell (6f, AW) and should also be suited by today's trip-and-ground combination, but he spoiled his chance by refused to settle at Kempton recently.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

4

(1)

29th May 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 0y

Class 6

15:10 Carlisle

Digital

9st 6lb

J: James Sullivan

T: Ruth Carr

Four-time turf winner who won off today's mark at Newcastle (5f, AW) in February; however, he's finished down the field on his last four starts and a major turnaround is necessary.

12/1

11th

3

(13)

3rd May 2026

Good

0m 5f 7y

Class 6

17:00 Hamilton

Digital

9st 9lb

J: James Sullivan

T: Ruth Carr

Won three 5f AW handicaps through the winter but his last three efforts were nothing to shout about; capable on turf but needs to turn a corner.

14/1

9th

10

(6)

2nd Apr 2026

Standard

0m 6f 16y

Class 4

17:48 Southwell (AW)

Digital

8st 9lb

J: Joanna Mason

T: Ruth Carr

In good form for much of the winter, winning three 5f handicaps, but his form has cooled on his last two starts; others look stronger in this grade.

25/1

12/1

Form: 15915-

Last run: 173 days

W: 8st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Won three times over 5f (good-soft) last season and will be fine over today's slightly longer trip but he will need to resume in peak form to have any chance off current mark; swaps blinkers for refitted cheekpieces.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

(7)

29th May 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 0y

Class 6

15:10 Carlisle

Albegone

9st 5lb

J: Sean Kirrane

T: Tim Easterby

Close second at Newcastle (5f, AW) in February and likewise at Nottingham (5f, good) last month; however, soundly beaten on his three starts since and he needs to raise his game.

12/1

13th

18

(7)

16th May 2026

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

15:37 Thirsk

Albegone

8st 7lb

J: Duran Fentiman

T: Tim Easterby

Close fourth in a division of this contest last year but up and down since and his last two runs have been poor; dangerously well handicapped but opposable on balance.

33/1

8th

4

(2)

9th May 2026

Good

0m 5f 8y

Class 5

16:00 Nottingham

Albegone

9st 5lb

J: Sean Kirrane

T: Tim Easterby

Nine-time winner who scored off 6lb higher at Catterick last May; has been up and down since then but he finished well to go close over C&D (good) on his penultimate run; has possibilities if he can recapture that form and it would be positive if rain arrives.

12/1

14/1

Form: 19495-

Last run: 195 days

W: 9st 3lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Won comfortably off a much reduced mark at Brighton (6f, good) for Stuart Williams in September but was sold out of that stable for 15,000gns after some underwhelming efforts in the autumn; has no ground worries on this stable debut but others have more persuasive profiles.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

12

(11)

6th Feb 2026

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 4

20:00 Newcastle (AW)

Tolstoy

9st 4lb

J: Kaiya Fraser

T: Brian Ellison

Too headstrong in a clear lead at Southwell (7f) last time, so did fairly well to be beaten only 2l in the end; gained last win off 10lb higher at Newcastle in August 2024; fighting chance provided he settles.

10/1

4th

6

(6)

23rd Jan 2026

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 4

18:45 Southwell (AW)

Tolstoy

9st 6lb

J: Ben Robinson

T: Brian Ellison

Well treated on last year's high points and it wasn't a bad run from off the pace at Chelmsford 12 days ago, given how that race panned out (pulled hard/got behind/found trouble); the cheekpieces are worth persevering with.

4/1

7th

13

(5)

13th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

1m 0f 0y

Class 2

13:15 Doncaster

Tolstoy

8st 9lb

J: Shay Farmer

T: Brian Ellison

Well suited by York and went close there in June; inconsistent otherwise during a 2025 campaign that has been markedly less productive than 2024; cheekpieces refitted for the first time since 2022; opposed.

40/1

20/1

Form: 55139-

Last run: 303 days

W: 8st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Held on gamely to win for Tim Easterby at Thirsk (6f, good to firm; also suited by soft) last June but signed off for that stable with a lesser effort ten months ago and has fitness to prove on debut for Derek Shaw.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

10

(3)

2nd Jun 2026

Standard

0m 5f 0y

Class 6

19:45 Newcastle (AW)

Barneys Bay

9st 1lb

J: Faye McManoman

T: Derek Shaw

1-34 on the AW, that win coming over 6f at Southwell in April 2021; rather out of sorts over 6f-1m this year and now tries 5f for the first time since May 2024.

33/1

11th

11

(9)

11th Apr 2026

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 6

19:15 Southwell (AW)

Barneys Bay

9st 0lb

J: Faye McManoman

T: Derek Shaw

Without a victory since 2023 and he has yet to make the frame in seven starts in 2026; hard to warm to.

33/1

6th

9

(5)

23rd Mar 2026

Standard

0m 6f 20y

Class 6

19:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Barneys Bay

9st 0lb

J: Faye McManoman

T: Derek Shaw

Minor classified form at 1m, 7f and 6f this year and it's 13 months since he posed a serious threat in a handicap (over 7f at Southwell); up against it.

25/1

Non-runners

Mythical Phoenix, Mountain Warrior, Gemini Star, Exalted Angel

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £3.60
Straight Forecast £3.34
Tricast £8.64
Trifecta £9.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Illusionist

NEWMARKET:

Gemini Star

RP RATINGS:

Manila Scouse

POSTDATA:

Exalted Angel

The Sun:

Mythical Phoenix

The Times:

Gemini Star

TOPSPEED:

Manila Scouse

Telegraph:

Illusionist

Daily Mirror:

Illusionist

The Star:

Illusionist

Daily Record:

Illusionist

D Express:

Exalted Angel