December 06 / 14.10 Exeter

14.10

Soft

JCB Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £9505.8
  • 2m 1f 109y
  • Class 3
  • 7 runners
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JCB Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

7/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.50
  • Place: £1.50

Form: 111F-1

Last run: 38 days

W: 11st 2lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Prolific juvenile hurdler last season (1m7f-2m2f) and made the most of his weight-for-age allowance to make all on October's chase debut at Bangor (2m4f, soft); this is stronger, but the two behind him last time have won since and a 12lb rise could be manageable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

10

1st Mar 2025

Soft

2m 3f 187y

Class 1

15:45 Newbury

Billytherealbigred

10st 8lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Often front-runner; overall strike-rate is 5-10; has form figures of 112 since switched to fences, latest effort in notable novice handicap at Cheltenham (2m4f, soft) where he beat all bar significant stablemate Jagwar who is a major Cheltenham Festival hope; the type to progress further and Toby Wynne's useful claim offsets a 3lb rise; strong contender.

5/1

2nd

8

25th Jan 2025

Good

2m 4f 127y

Class 2

12:40 Cheltenham

Billytherealbigred

10st 10lb

J: Henry Brooke

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Likeable 5yo with a 5-9 strike-rate; unbeaten over fences, making all at Bangor (2m4f, soft) in October and strong at the finish when following up at Exeter (2m1f, soft) in December; jumped left throughout on second occasion and should be suited by this return to a left-handed track; up in grade today but still has youth on his side and a 7lb rise may not stop him.

4/1

2nd

8

25th Jan 2025

Good

2m 4f 127y

Class 2

12:40 Cheltenham

Billytherealbigred

10st 10lb

J: Henry Brooke

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Likeable 5yo with a 5-9 strike-rate; unbeaten over fences, making all at Bangor (2m4f, soft) in October and strong at the finish when following up at Exeter (2m1f, soft) in December; jumped left throughout on second occasion and should be suited by this return to a left-handed track; up in grade today but still has youth on his side and a 7lb rise may not stop him.

4/1

9/1

  • Place: £2.60

Form: 11P0-P

Last run: 20 days

W: 11st 10lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Last season started really well but ended disappointingly and he was barely sighted on his return at Cheltenham 20 days ago; has always had some quirks about him and perhaps this switch to fences will float his boat; too talented to dismiss for all that he has a lot to prove now.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

8th Mar 2025

Good

2m 4f 10y

Class 3

16:45 Sandown

Fire Flyer

11st 10lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Eventually lost his form over hurdles last season, and following a revival over fences at Exeter (2m1f) in December, he was pulled up (bled) at Kempton on Boxing Day; something to prove.

7/1

Form: 1354-

Last run: 234 days

W: 10st 13lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Successful pointer who won a 2m3f soft-ground novice hurdle at Fontwell last season and raised his figures in defeat afterwards; bit to find with Dartmoor Pirate on their latest encounter (even with a pull in the weights) but he has had wind surgery.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

17th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 0f 110y

Class 3

14:20 Ayr

Risk De Pluie

11st 7lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Ben Clarke

Beaten on first seven chase starts but showed improved form to win comfortably at Chepstow (2m3f, soft) in February and he bumped into a progressive winner there (2m3f, soft) last month, when clear of the third; there can be optimism that he will be fine back down in trip and he's respected.

6/1

2nd

1

15th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 3f 98y

Class 4

17:05 Chepstow

Risk De Pluie

12st 2lb

J: Toby McCain-Mitchell

T: Ben Clarke

Fully deserved his breakthrough chase success over C&D (soft) under Toby McCain-Mitchell last month; the style of his win suggests he will be a major player again off a 7lb higher mark.

2/1

Form: 2716-

Last run: 234 days

W: 11st 3lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Still looked a work in progress when coming from off the pace to win a 1m7f maiden hurdle at Wincanton quite impressively and just didn't give his running next time at Ffos Las (perhaps going left handed didn't suit); lightly raced 6yo who beat the useful Lowry's Bar in an Irish point, so should have a bright future over fences.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

23rd Mar 2026

Good

2m 2f 0y

Class 4

15:30 Kempton

Denemethy

12st 1lb

J: Mr Harry O’Dwyer

T: Fergal O’Brien

Consistent since sole chase success and has solid handicap form this season; receives hardly any respite from the assessor but gets other help on this occasion, with Harry O'Dwyer taking off 7lb.

11/4

3rd

1

24th Feb 2026

Heavy

1m 7f 201y

Class 4

15:50 Leicester

Denemethy

12st 2lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Fergal O’Brien

Consistent since sole chase success and has solid handicap form this season; latest effort, in Sandown Class 2, received a boost when the winner followed up in Grade 2 event on Saturday; respected at this level.

6/5

Form: 5122-2 C

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 1lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
All four hurdle starts were at this track with form figures of 5122; sent to Newton Abbot for chasing debut (2m, heavy) and ran well from the front to finish second; should be sharper all round here but this is a stronger race.
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 3

15:49 Newton Abbot

Royal Jewel

11st 13lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Won over C&D (good to soft) in the autumn and he got back on the scoresheet at Taunton (2m7f, heavy) in February; ran another good race when third at Taunton (good) last month and he should be in the mix again on this drop back in trip.

9/1

3rd

1

9th Mar 2026

Good

2m 7f 3y

Class 3

15:40 Taunton

Royal Jewel

11st 13lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Gained his second success of the season over C&D last month; up 3lb but he remains unexposed over this sort of trip and is not taken lightly.

3/1

1st

2

3rd Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 7f 3y

Class 3

15:45 Taunton

Royal Jewel

12st 0lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Returned from layoff with two good runs (one win) over 2m5f in the autumn and bounced back quickly from a lesser effort when third at Chepstow (2m3f, good to soft) just after Christmas; not yet proven over this far under rules but seems versatile ground-wise and can make his presence felt.

13/8

Form: 12242- BF

Last run: 234 days

W: 11st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Had a solid novice hurdle campaign last season, perhaps peaking when fourth in the always-strong EBF Final at Sandown (2m4f, soft); that might be more his trip going forwards but this is a stiff 2m1f and he's a good prospect for chasing.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14

2nd May 2026

Yielding

3m 0f 104y

15:45 Punchestown

Dartmoor Pirate

10st 7lb

J: Sean Flanagan

T: Anthony Honeyball

Tongue-tie brought about improvement with wins over the winter in handicaps at Lingfield and valuable 3m Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster (soft); reportedly never travelled when unseating at latter venue in February however and given time off since; can't rule out.

14/1

4

28th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 2f 1y

Class 2

14:30 Doncaster

Dartmoor Pirate

11st 7lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Anthony Honeyball

He's 2-2 since the tongue-tie went on and, although it looked unlikely for much of the race, he stayed on much the best in the 3m Great Yorkshire Chase here a month ago (soft); he'll need to travel a bit better if he's to defy the 5lb rise but the extra 2f should help.

6/1

1st

8

24th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 7f 214y

Class 1

14:05 Doncaster

Dartmoor Pirate

10st 12lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Anthony Honeyball

7yo who produced a career-best to win at Lingfield (2m6f, good to soft) last month, in a first-time tongue-tie (retained) in his third chase; had just four rivals to beat and he's up 7lb in a hotter race, but he had plenty in hand and could have more to offer over fences; effective on soft.

9/1

OUR TIP

Form: 21P1-P

Last run: 54 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
Won three times last season when a very progressive hurdler; went out like a light on chase debut at Ffos Las (2m) but he's a lot better than that.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

7

21st Feb 2026

Soft

2m 0f 16y

Class 3

16:13 Chepstow

Ito Ditto

11st 0lb

J: James Best

T: Nicky Martin

Very progressive in 2023-24 season (gained two of his three wins over C&D) but lightly raced (mainly over fences) and very disappointing since; current ability hard to gauge; market may guide.

14/1

5th

2

31st Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

15:05 Uttoxeter

Ito Ditto

11st 12lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Martin

Won three times over hurdles last season (2m-2m3f) but stopped quickly and was pulled up in both chases this autumn, so it takes a big leap of faith to support him here; hood refitted.

16/1

5th

2

31st Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

15:05 Uttoxeter

Ito Ditto

11st 12lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Martin

Won three times over hurdles last season (2m-2m3f) but stopped quickly and was pulled up in both chases this autumn, so it takes a big leap of faith to support him here; hood refitted.

16/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £10.00
Straight Forecast £11.59
Trifecta £103.50

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Billytherealbigred

SPOTLIGHT:

Dartmoor Pirate

Daily Record:

Royal Jewel

TOPSPEED:

Billytherealbigred

POSTDATA:

Billytherealbigred

Telegraph:

Billytherealbigred

Daily Mail:

Billytherealbigred

D Express:

Billytherealbigred

Daily Mirror:

Billytherealbigred

The Star:

Billytherealbigred

WEST COUNTRY:

Dartmoor Pirate

The Times:

Dartmoor Pirate

The Sun:

Dartmoor Pirate