November 12 / 13.50 Hereford

13.50

Good

Silky Sykes Living The Retirement Dream Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £3247.81
  • 3m 1f 44y
  • Class 5
  • 8 runners
SKY
View Course
Silky Sykes Living The Retirement Dream Handicap Chase

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

9/1 (Won)

  • Win: £6.50
  • Place: £1.80

Form: -22755

Last run: 20 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 98

Form & Verdict
Twice went very close at Newton Abbot (3m2f, good) in June off 2lb higher; best forgiven his latest effort when the soft ground would have counted against him at Fontwell and he's worth considering with conditions back in his favour off a workable mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

25th Mar 2025

Good

2m 7f 3y

Class 4

16:05 Taunton

Langley Hundred

11st 7lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Dual chase winner this season, latterly over C&D (good to soft) in December; just a respectable third at Hereford (3m1f, good) this month and remains on a fairly tough mark but the return to this track is a plus.

4/1

3rd

2

8th Mar 2025

Good

3m 1f 44y

Class 4

15:45 Hereford

Langley Hundred

11st 7lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Has plenty of chasing experience and was a dual winner over fences towards end of 2024, once over C&D on good ground; back up to his career-high mark now but still features prominently in calculations.

2/1

1st

7

30th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 3y

Class 4

13:45 Taunton

Langley Hundred

11st 9lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Opened chasing account at Hereford (3m1f, good) last month and bettered that performance when close second over C&D (good) 18 days ago; more exposed than some of these but likely to be right in the thick of things.

4/1

12/1

  • Place: £3.50

Form: 207574

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 93

Form & Verdict
Won a 2m4f maiden hurdle in June 2023 but very hit and miss since; has the ability to figure if taking to fences but he's hard to predict and comes with risk.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

3

10th Jul 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

19:51 Worcester

Faded Fantasy

11st 12lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Christian Williams

Won twice last summer (2m7f/3m2f) but returned from a break with two disappointing runs last month (both 2m7f) and this drop back in trip is not an obvious move.

25/1

8th

6

13th Jun 2026

Good

2m 7f 70y

Class 4

20:53 Uttoxeter

Faded Fantasy

11st 9lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Christian Williams

Has four wins over hurdles but last success was last August off 7lb lower; needs to come down a few pounds before winning again.

14/1

5th

8

4th Jun 2026

Good

2m 7f 70y

Class 4

15:00 Uttoxeter

Faded Fantasy

11st 1lb

J: Mr J J Murphy-Knight

T: Christian Williams

Three good-ground wins at up to 3m2f during a profitable 2025, all off at least 9lb lower; yet to defy a break in excess of 45 days, so absence since January cannot rate a plus.

25/1

9/4

  • Place: £1.20

Form: 0254-1 CD

Last run: 29 days

W: 10st 13lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
Winning Irish pointer; left modest hurdle form well behind when justifying strong support and making a winning chase debut over C&D (good) last month; 4lb rise looks manageable and another bold show is on the cards.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

8

23rd May 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 107y

Class 5

16:30 Cartmel

Mistymal

10st 11lb

J: James Bowen

T: Tim Vaughan

Form of October 2024's Hereford chase debut win (3m1f, good) has been consolidated rather than improved upon; fair record after long absences but realistically needs the wind surgery since last seen to elicit improvement.

10/1

5

5th Jun 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 177y

Class 5

18:45 Ffos Las

Mistymal

11st 2lb

J: David Noonan

T: Tim Vaughan

Scored at Hereford (3m1f, good) in October and ended last season with a pretty good third over that C&D; not always one to rely upon heavily but enters calculations.

5/1

Form: 623-67

Last run: 40 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Low-mileage 6yo; five-race maiden over hurdles who has failed to build on a good Chepstow debut and was soundly beaten on last month's chase/handicap debut at Warwick; down 4lb but needs this longer trip to turn things around.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

3

9th Jun 2026

Good

3m 0f 60y

Class 5

14:30 Southwell

Anytrixwilldo

11st 11lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

1-15 over fences; runner-up twice in cheekpieces at Ludlow (3m, good to soft) at start of this year but didn't fire in first-time blinkers (retained) at Fontwell last month; others are more persuasive.

14/1

6th

1

6th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 210y

Class 5

18:42 Fontwell

Anytrixwilldo

12st 0lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

0-5 over hurdles and 1-14 as a chaser; clearly difficult to win with but arrives here in a good run of form and always a chance that new headgear might give him a lift; an assured stayer.

6/1

4th

6

9th Apr 2026

Good

3m 4f 85y

Class 4

16:15 Taunton

Anytrixwilldo

10st 5lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

His sole success came when landing this race last year (good to firm) in first-time cheekpieces off 3lb lower mark; has ran with credit since when placed and his second at Ludlow (3m, good to soft) in February will have set him up nicely for a repeat bid.

4/1

Form: P17-33

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 96

Form & Verdict
1-7 over hurdles; he's looked better in both his starts over fences since having wind surgery, most recently when just over 5l third of six finishers at Wincanton (3m1f, good; second has won since); strong claims off 1lb higher with conditions to suit.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

30th May 2026

Good To Firm

3m 3f 119y

Class 3

19:20 Stratford

Ballynaheer

11st 2lb

J: Rian Corcoran

T: David Dennis

Landed his fourth win over fences, at Market Rasen (3m, good) last month but below his best at Fontwell since; is the type to bounce back and he should get the trip (has won over 3m2f).

5/1

5th

1

24th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 210y

Class 4

17:45 Fontwell

Ballynaheer

12st 0lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: David Dennis

Progressive 7yo who has form figures of 1221141 over fences since September; only two completed when he scored at Market Rasen (3m, good) 19 days ago but he still looks on a workable mark and his first chase win was over C&D; strongly respected.

7/2

1st

3

5th Apr 2026

Good

2m 7f 191y

Class 4

15:23 Market Rasen

Ballynaheer

11st 9lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: David Dennis

In excellent form on good ground in the autumn, winning three times over fences (3m1f-3m2f); well behind Dangerous Touch when reappearing in four-runner race at Huntingdon last month but might have needed that outing and his usual cheekpieces are refitted here.

3/1

Form: 3P2-35

Last run: 30 days

W: 10st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
Maiden hurdler who was a close second at Fontwell (3m2f, heavy) in March off 1lb lower; looked in need of last month's reappearance but pedigree suggests he's a likely type to improve for the switch to fences; interesting.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

3rd Jul 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

17:05 Newton Abbot

Blackacre

10st 8lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Mrs C Williams

In a new visor he won two C&D handicaps last August; hit and miss since then but the visor in which he has form figures of 115 now belatedly returns.

8/1

5th

7

20th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 191y

Class 5

15:50 Ffos Las

Blackacre

11st 4lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Mrs C Williams

In a new visor he won two 3m2f handicap chases at Newton Abbot last August; has looked too high in the weights since then and he's 0-11 as a hurdler; others preferred.

8/1

4

13th Apr 2026

Good

3m 5f 24y

Class 5

16:10 Fakenham

Blackacre

10st 6lb

J: Conor Ring

T: Mrs C Williams

Won twice in a visor at Newton Abbot (3m2f, good/good to soft) last summer; untested beyond that trip and absent since respectable second of three in the autumn (without headgear, as today) but current mark is workable if he's fully tuned up.

6/1

Form: -4P365

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 1lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
Remains 6lb above his sole hurdle win (2m4f, good) but he didn't run badly when tried in cheekpieces on second chase start when just over a 4l fifth here (2m5f) last month; each-way claims if responding well to the first-time blinkers back up in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

11th Jun 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

17:08 Worcester

Best Mate Dave

11st 11lb

J: Harry Atkins

T: Martin Keighley

Not beaten far when last of four in Warwick hunter chase (3m, good) last month but managed only fifth of seven in a subsequent point; back in a handicap chase for stable debut; quite tricky to weigh up at the moment; seems best suited by good ground.

20/1

4th

2

9th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 4

19:37 Warwick

Best Mate Dave

12st 0lb

J: Mr Frederick Philipson-Stow

T: Oliver Edward Hayes

Sole success came over hurdles in June 2023; last of three finishers at Leicester (2m6f, heavy) in February and beaten three times in points since, including in a match; has his work cut out here.

20/1

3rd

2

12th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 6f 151y

Class 5

16:25 Leicester

Best Mate Dave

12st 0lb

J: Mr Charlie Case

T: Oliver Edward Hayes

Sole win came over hurdles in June 2023 off a basement mark; he's up against it on his second start back from an absence.

33/1

Form: -2U44P

Last run: 12 days

W: 10st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 67

Form & Verdict
0-19 under all codes; in the frame on last two chase starts but pulled up back over hurdles last month; needs improvement for first-time cheekpieces from well out of the weights.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

19th Jul 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

17:22 Newton Abbot

Testflight

10st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Sue Gardner

Sole career success came in this race 12 months ago and a recent close fourth here behind Edgewell should have teed him up for his defence; nothing wrong with his mark for all that he's 1lb wrong.

4/1

4th

8

23rd Jun 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

20:50 Newton Abbot

Testflight

10st 12lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Sue Gardner

Has modest 1-29 strike-rate under rules but the win was gained over C&D (last summer) and last month's reappearance run was much more encouraging than his eventual 78l defeat suggests; each-way claims at least.

8/1

3rd

6

20th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 100y

Class 5

15:00 Warwick

Testflight

11st 4lb

J: Ciaran O’Shea

T: Sue Gardner

1-28 under rules, his win coming over fences off this mark at Newton Abbot (3m2f, good) last July; has been off since October and needs to hit the ground running.

8/1

Non-runners

Pawpaw

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £85.50
Straight Forecast £76.63
Tricast £232.55
Trifecta £210.90

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Mistymal

SPOTLIGHT:

Ballynaheer

TOPSPEED:

Langley Hundred

D Express:

Best Mate Dave

Daily Mail:

Ballynaheer

Daily Mirror:

Ballynaheer

The Sun:

Ballynaheer

The Times:

Mistymal

Telegraph:

Mistymal

The Guardian:

Mistymal

Daily Record:

Mistymal

POSTDATA:

Langley Hundred

WEST COUNTRY:

Langley Hundred

The Star:

Langley Hundred