July 26 / 19.20 Chepstow

19.20

Good To Firm

Never Ordinary At bet365 Handicap (Chepstow Mile Series Qualifier)

  • Prize money: £3716.14
  • 1m 0f 14y
  • Class 5
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Never Ordinary At bet365 Handicap (Chepstow Mile Series Qualifier)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £5.50
  • Place: £2.20

Form: -53434

Last run: 15 days

W: 9st 0lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 67

Form & Verdict
Fair maiden (six races) who has not progressed; competitive in her last two handicaps (1m/7f; made most latest) but needs to find a bit extra.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

4

(10)

27th Mar 2025

Standard

1m 0f 0y

Class 4

20:00 Chelmsford (AW)

Lady Flora

9st 9lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Andrew Balding

in touch with leaders

7/1

4th

5

(1)

4th Mar 2025

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 3

15:22 Newcastle (AW)

Lady Flora

8st 7lb

J: Nicola Currie

T: Andrew Balding

Outsider of six for her comeback from almost six months off at Kempton three weeks ago, when shaping nicely; her best efforts have come over 1m, often under aggressive rides, and she'll likely have plenty of use made of her on her Tapeta debut.

6/1

1

(1)

12th Feb 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 0y

Class 4

18:30 Kempton (AW)

Lady Flora

9st 9lb

J: Nicola Currie

T: Andrew Balding

Absent since disappointing effort in a series final at Chepstow (1m) in August; steadily progressive otherwise in turf handicaps and has shown promise on AW; not written off.

9/2

6/1

  • Place: £2.30

Form: 32-035

Last run: 42 days

W: 10st 3lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 76

Form & Verdict
1-12 in handicaps; had four runs in a row over 7f, shaping well when third at Brighton in May, before never getting near the leaders when tried at 1m on latest outing; others are more persuasive.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

(9)

1st Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 2f 0y

Class 5

20:45 Windsor

Magical Merlin

9st 5lb

J: Millie Wonnacott

T: Harry Charlton

Continues to edge down the weights, but losing run is up to 19 and the application of a tongue-tie made little difference last time; something to prove on his first attempt over this far.

11/2

4th

3

(6)

29th Apr 2026

Firm

1m 0f 0y

Class 5

18:20 Bath

Magical Merlin

9st 5lb

J: Millie Wonnacott

T: Harry Charlton

Ran just four times last season and was runner-up on three occasions (7f/1m, various ground); down the field on reappearance at Kempton (1m, AW) four weeks ago but may have needed that outing and it will be no surprise if he's in the mix; a tongue-tie is added.

7/2

8th

1

(4)

1st Apr 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 0y

Class 5

18:00 Kempton (AW)

Magical Merlin

9st 9lb

J: Millie Wonnacott

T: Harry Charlton

He finished second in three of his four starts in 2025, including on his seasonal return, but was still operating at a level below his old form; drops into 0-70 for the first time; not discounted.

6/1

OUR TIP

9/4

Form: 731161 D

Last run: 15 days

W: 9st 11lb

6 yo Colt

OR: 70

Form & Verdict
Moved back down the weights prior to winning three of his last four races, all over about 1m; last three runs were under Jack Doughty; handicapper's revised view takes him just 1lb shy of his career-high mark, but this race isn't the strongest and he's been in sparkling form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

(3)

24th Jun 2025

Good To Firm

0m 6f 210y

Class 4

15:00 Brighton

Local Bay

8st 12lb

J: Tom Marquand

T: Tony Carroll

3-13 here, taking advantage of a favourable mark when successful at this track (1m, good to firm; first-time cheekpieces) this month; only 2lb higher and still well treated on last summer's form; player.

7/2

1st

4

(3)

2nd Jun 2025

Good

0m 7f 216y

Class 6

16:45 Brighton

Local Bay

9st 5lb

J: Jack Doughty

T: Tony Carroll

Four wins last summer, latterly off a 7lb higher mark, and has come back to form round here lately; often blows the start and can pull hard, while it's late in the day to be trying headgear for the first time, but he remains quite capable if things fall right.

2/1

Form: 76713 D BF

Last run: 27 days

W: 9st 0lb

3 yo Gelding

OR: 67

Form & Verdict
Improved to win handicap debut at Hamilton (1m, good) in June, making virtually all in five-runner race; disappointing at Lingfield (1m, AW) ten days later but had a disputed lead and perhaps the return to turf will see him resume progress.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

(8)

16th Oct 2025

Standard

1m 0f 13y

Class 6

19:00 Southwell (AW)

Jazz Scene

9st 7lb

J: Cieren Fallon

T: Joseph Parr

No impact in a handful of turf handicaps this summer but different proposition back on AW and with first-time cheekpieces added to his tongue-tie (combination retained) when seeing off 13 rivals over C&D 17 days ago; only nudged up 2lb and will be very competitive if in a similar mood.

7/2

4

(11)

29th Sep 2025

Standard

1m 0f 13y

Class 6

19:30 Southwell (AW)

Jazz Scene

9st 6lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Joseph Parr

0-5 on turf for new stable this season; hinted at possible return to form in first-time tongue-tie two starts ago but suffered heavy defeat last time (breathing issue reported); sports cheekpieces for AW return; risky.

16/1

7th

4

(3)

13th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

1m 1f 201y

Class 6

17:00 Salisbury

Jazz Scene

9st 5lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Joseph Parr

1-6 in 2024 for Sir Mark Prescott; not so good this year and, although beaten about only 3l on two of his last three starts, he needs to drop further in the weights unless improving on that 2025 form; tongue tied last time (upped to 1m2f) and today.

7/1

Form: 75-546 C

Last run: 11 days

W: 9st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 71

Form & Verdict
Last four wins were at Chepstow, latest off 3lb higher over 7f last July; pipped in this race last year but has a less convincing overall record over 1m, including all three outings this term and the second of those was at this track.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

(7)

3rd Sep 2025

Good

0m 5f 160y

Class 6

15:20 Bath

Macs Dilemma

9st 8lb

J: William Carson

T: John O’Shea

C&D winner; losing run stretches back over two years and he hasn't fired yet this year; dropped 10lb as a result but perhaps not ready to capitalise just yet.

33/1

3

(3)

22nd Jul 2025

Standard

0m 6f 20y

Class 6

21:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Macs Dilemma

9st 13lb

J: James Turner

T: John O’Shea

Not run on the AW since 2022 and has regressed on turf in recent times, having been rated a stone higher at the start of last season; well held in three runs round his beloved Chepstow this year.

16/1

Form: 229-65 D

Last run: 139 days

W: 9st 8lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 67

Form & Verdict
Usually claimer ridden; 2lb lower than when winning at Bath (1m) last July; while his latest three starts clearly weren't his best, he's had 139 days off since (his first break of any significance since late 2022) and has plenty of form which would see him seriously involved.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

(6)

31st Oct 2025

Standard

1m 0f 13y

Class 6

20:15 Southwell (AW)

Outrace

9st 9lb

J: Sean Levey

T: Richard Hannon

4lb lower than when winning at Wolverhampton last November; 2025 has been a struggle but he's eligible for this lowly level as a result and today is the first time he hasn't been apprentice-ridden in over two years; risky but not impossible.

8/1

2

(6)

31st Oct 2025

Standard

1m 0f 13y

Class 6

20:15 Southwell (AW)

Outrace

9st 9lb

J: Sean Levey

T: Richard Hannon

4lb lower than when winning at Wolverhampton last November; 2025 has been a struggle but he's eligible for this lowly level as a result and today is the first time he hasn't been apprentice-ridden in over two years; risky but not impossible.

8/1

10th

2

(6)

1st Oct 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 0y

Class 6

20:00 Kempton (AW)

Outrace

9st 6lb

J: Tyrese Cameron

T: Richard Hannon

Decent record over C&D (13022; all in 2023) but has become very hard to predict; given a seven-week break since a poor effort at Chepstow and others are more reliable.

10/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £19.10
Straight Forecast £19.36
Trifecta £55.90

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Jazz Scene

SPOTLIGHT:

Local Bay

Telegraph:

Magical Merlin

The Times:

Lady Flora

D Express:

Outrace

WEST COUNTRY:

Macs Dilemma

POSTDATA:

Jazz Scene

NEWMARKET:

Jazz Scene

The Sun:

Jazz Scene

The Star:

Jazz Scene

Daily Record:

Jazz Scene

The Guardian:

Magical Merlin

Daily Mail:

Local Bay

Daily Mirror:

Local Bay