May 17 / 18.20 Aintree

18.20

Good

Bella Diosa Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £6337.2
  • 2m 3f 200y
  • Class 3
  • 8 runners
RTV
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Bella Diosa Handicap Chase

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

OUR TIP

6/1 (Won)

  • Win: £6.50
  • Place: £1.70

Form: F621P- D BF

Last run: 59 days

W: 11st 11lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Unsuited by slow ground when pulled up at Exeter in March and better judged on narrow win at Doncaster (2m4f, good to soft) two starts ago; drew clear of the others with a progressive rival there and could still be well treated after a 4lb rise.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

25th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 214y

Class 1

15:15 Doncaster

Raffle Ticket

12st 0lb

J: Shane Quinlan

T: Mel Rowley

raced wide, midfield, bad mistake and lost ground 13th

20/1

1

25th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 214y

Class 1

15:15 Doncaster

Raffle Ticket

12st 0lb

J: Shane Quinlan

T: Mel Rowley

raced wide, midfield, bad mistake and lost ground 13th

20/1

6

13th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 2

14:25 Cheltenham

Raffle Ticket

11st 9lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Mel Rowley

in rear, mistake 2nd, detached after 11th

12/1

5/2

  • Place: £1.20

Form: U3422- D

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 134

Form & Verdict
Eight-time hurdle winner; 0-5 over fences but ended last season with two creditable seconds, the latter in valuable race at Ayr (2m4f, soft) last month; today's forecast quicker ground ought to be in his favour; big player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 1

16:05 Aintree

Soul Icon

10st 10lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Keiran Burke

He's run pretty well in defeat at Kempton on his two starts this year (3m, good/good to soft); also ran okay when ninth in this last year (good to soft) but beaten nearly 20l and he's just 3lb lower this time around.

33/1

5th

3

21st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 0y

Class 1

15:35 Kempton

Soul Icon

11st 6lb

J: Rian Corcoran

T: Keiran Burke

His best form is over shorter, including last season's 2m Grade 2 victory here off the same mark as today; whether he wants 3m is questionable, for all that he was only 2l off The Doyen Chief here last month.

12/1

9th

9

4th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 1

16:05 Aintree

Soul Icon

11st 1lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Keiran Burke

Won a good-quality, seven-runner handicap at Kempton (2m, good to soft) in December and is just 2lb higher here; ran well when second of three at Exeter (2m1f, good) last time and he stays this far; each-way possible.

25/1

9/2

  • Place: £1.50

Form: 54342- D

Last run: 21 days

W: 10st 12lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Good-ground specialist with very good 7-20 strike-rate over fences; made pleasing return from 169-day break when second at Chepstow (2m3f, good) three weeks ago and might be seen to even better effect with usual cheekpieces refitted here; must be considered.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

6th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 96y

Class 4

17:02 Kelso

Northern Bound

12st 6lb

J: Mr Samuel Scott

T: Myles Osborne

Won two 2m4f handicaps for Ben Pauling last year, the second a two-runner event at Warwick; bit to prove after being pulled up on hunter chase debut at Ludlow in March (2m4f, good), including stamina.

13/2

2

30th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

16:57 Ludlow

Northern Bound

12st 6lb

J: Mr Samuel Scott

T: Myles Osborne

It was a match he won at Warwick in October (2m4f handicap, good) but that took his strike-rate to 9-30 over fences; remains in the same colours despite leaving Ben Pauling; should give his running on hunter chase debut.

100/30

1

1st Oct 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

14:05 Warwick

Northern Bound

11st 6lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Strike-rate of 8-29 over fences and also runner-up in five of those; not as good as he was but still very capable off this mark; Bangor last time was a backward step, mind.

6/5

Form: P/60P- D

Last run: 75 days

W: 10st 13lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Eight-time winner when trained by Paul Nicholls (2m3f-2m4f) but left that stable after lacklustre run in October and has struggled on both starts for new trainer this year; revival needed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

16th May 2025

Good

2m 3f 200y

Class 3

17:45 Aintree

Flic Ou Voyou

11st 12lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Henry Hogarth

Resurgent 11yo who won three 2m4f chases last season and was creditable second in valuable series final for veterans at Haydock (2m4f, good) last month; can't be ignored in current form.

7/2

1st

2

16th May 2025

Good

2m 3f 200y

Class 3

17:45 Aintree

Flic Ou Voyou

11st 12lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Henry Hogarth

Resurgent 11yo who won three 2m4f chases last season and was creditable second in valuable series final for veterans at Haydock (2m4f, good) last month; can't be ignored in current form.

7/2

2nd

5

19th Apr 2025

Good

2m 3f 203y

Class 2

15:15 Haydock

Flic Ou Voyou

11st 4lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Henry Hogarth

prominent, pressed leader before 4 out, hampered by loose horse on turn after 6th, not fluent 3 out, soon outpaced, no extra and no chance with winner after 2 out

8/1

Form: 11217-

Last run: 36 days

W: 12st 1lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 141

Form & Verdict
3-5 over fences since the autumn, the latest win gained at Doncaster (2m good to soft) in March; well beaten at Grand National meeting here last month and remains on fairly tough mark but should be fine back over 2m4f.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

16th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 77y

Class 2

15:55 Bangor-on-Dee

Homme Public

10st 5lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Well below best during five-race campaign last season and absent since pulled up on soft ground in February; had wind surgery the following month, though, and ought to be better suited by the forecast quicker conditions here; too well handicapped to rule out; swaps visor for refitted blinkers.

9/1

5

28th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 78y

Class 2

13:55 Doncaster

Homme Public

10st 8lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Hasn't fired in any of his races this season but connections have tweaked the headgear and he has finished first and second in the last two renewals of this race, last year when fitted in new blinkers; daren't discount.

5/1

10th

5

24th Jan 2026

Soft

3m 5f 56y

Class 2

13:50 Cheltenham

Homme Public

10st 13lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Good servant to connections over the years (eight wins; mixes hurdling and chasing) but has not fired on any of three appearances this season, and this cross-country debut is his first venture beyond about 2m4f; best suited by good/good to soft; cheekpieces the headgear of choice today.

33/1

Form: PP95P- C

Last run: 37 days

W: 10st 13lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Now 10lb lower than when winning major handicap at Newbury (2m4f, good) in first-time cheekpieces in March 2023 but looked out of sorts last season and arrives here with a lot to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

17th May 2024

Good

2m 3f 200y

Class 3

18:20 Aintree

The Big Bite

10st 13lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Henry Oliver

Now 10lb lower than when winning major handicap at Newbury (2m4f, good) in first-time cheekpieces in March 2023 but looked out of sorts last season and arrives here with a lot to prove.

16/1

6

17th May 2024

Good

2m 3f 200y

Class 3

18:20 Aintree

The Big Bite

10st 13lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Henry Oliver

Now 10lb lower than when winning major handicap at Newbury (2m4f, good) in first-time cheekpieces in March 2023 but looked out of sorts last season and arrives here with a lot to prove.

16/1

2

10th Apr 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 34y

Class 3

15:00 Market Rasen

The Big Bite

11st 13lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Henry Oliver

in touch with leaders, lost ground and struggling after 11th

11/1

Form: 13/25-

Last run: 149 days

W: 10st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Low-mileage 7yo who ran big race in defeat on chasing debut at Exeter (2m3f, good to soft) in November; well beaten when upped to 2m7f the following month and not seen again since but probably still has potential.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

2nd May 2025

Good

4m 0f 97y

Class 4

19:30 Cheltenham

Amrons Sage

11st 12lb

J: Mrs Izzie Hill

T: Alan Hill

Fairly useful under rules for Nicky Henderson in 2023 and was evidently suited by the thorough stamina test when winning open point at Kingston Blount (4m, soft) in February; slightly disappointing when only third behind Norton Hill and Assassins Lullaby on good ground in March, though.

14/1

5th

6

2nd May 2025

Good

4m 0f 97y

Class 4

19:30 Cheltenham

Amrons Sage

11st 12lb

J: Mrs Izzie Hill

T: Alan Hill

Fairly useful under rules for Nicky Henderson in 2023 and was evidently suited by the thorough stamina test when winning open point at Kingston Blount (4m, soft) in February; slightly disappointing when only third behind Norton Hill and Assassins Lullaby on good ground in March, though.

14/1

7th

6

13th Jun 2024

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 3

18:50 Worcester

Amrons Sage

11st 6lb

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

Low-mileage 7yo; ran big race in defeat on chasing debut at Exeter (2m3f, good to soft) in November but two very disappointing performances have followed; needs to get career back on track.

6/1

Form: 14615- D

Last run: 40 days

W: 10st 8lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Six-time chase winner, the last twice off today's mark; probably not ideally suited by heavy ground when respectable fifth in series final at Carlisle (2m4f) last month but others appeal more all the same.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

27th May 2024

Good To Soft

2m 5f 34y

Class 3

16:40 Cartmel

Getaway Luv

11st 2lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Lizzie Quinlan

Three wins from 2m-2m3f last season (good/soft); below his last winning mark but needs to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Aintree ten days ago.

12/1

4

27th May 2024

Good To Soft

2m 5f 34y

Class 3

16:40 Cartmel

Getaway Luv

11st 2lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Lizzie Quinlan

Three wins from 2m-2m3f last season (good/soft); below his last winning mark but needs to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Aintree ten days ago.

12/1

9

17th May 2024

Good

2m 3f 200y

Class 3

18:20 Aintree

Getaway Luv

10st 8lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Lizzie Quinlan

Six-time chase winner, the last twice off today's mark; probably not ideally suited by heavy ground when respectable fifth in series final at Carlisle (2m4f) last month but others appeal more all the same.

10/1

Non-runners

Francky Du Berlais

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £16.80
Straight Forecast £15.70
Tricast £43.95
Trifecta £67.00

Selections

POSTDATA:

Soul Icon

SPOTLIGHT:

Northern Bound

The Times:

Raffle Ticket

Telegraph:

Homme Public

WEST COUNTRY:

Soul Icon

Daily Mail:

Soul Icon

The Sun:

Soul Icon

Daily Record:

Soul Icon

The Guardian:

Raffle Ticket

The Star:

Raffle Ticket

RP RATINGS:

Northern Bound

TOPSPEED:

Northern Bound

D Express:

Northern Bound

Daily Mirror:

Northern Bound