December 28 / 13.33 Catterick

13.33

Good

Sky Bet Acca Freeze Novices’ Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £3696.7
  • 1m 7f 145y
  • Class 5
  • 6 runners
RTV
View Course
Sky Bet Acca Freeze Novices’ Handicap Chase

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

6/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.90
  • Place: £1.70

Form: P7-077

Last run: 17 days

W: 10st 11lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 75

Form & Verdict
Unplaced all seven hurdling starts and was unable to land a significant blow when seventh (albeit not beaten that far) on recent chasing debut at Hereford (2m5f, good to soft; first-time cheekpieces); drops back in trip here; improvement required.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

4

25th Aug 2026

Good To Firm

2m 4f 205y

Class 5

19:15 Stratford

Pescatorius

11st 3lb

J: James Best

T: Rob Summers

Won last autumn on final two runs for Olly Murphy (3m2f/2m5f, good to firm/good to soft) and he took a step back in the right direction when third of six at Warwick (3m, good) in June when last seen; runs off his last winning mark and he might not be far away.

7/1

3rd

3

3rd Jun 2026

Good To Firm

3m 0f 0y

Class 5

20:00 Warwick

Pescatorius

11st 4lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Rob Summers

Left Olly Murphy for 5,500gns and pretty much tailed off in four handicap chases since.

25/1

5th

2

19th Apr 2026

Good

3m 3f 119y

Class 5

15:43 Stratford

Pescatorius

11st 9lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: Rob Summers

Won twice for Olly Murphy in the autumn and subsequently sold for 5,500gns; hasn't been in the same form in three runs for his current trainer; cheekpieces worn on his last three starts are dispensed with on this step up in trip; still has time on his side but all of a sudden has a bit to prove.

8/1

5/4

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 285594 BF

Last run: 44 days

W: 10st 5lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 75

Form & Verdict
Became rather disappointing over hurdles after going close on handicap debut in May but ran quite well when fourth on last month's chasing debut at Sedgefield (2m, good), despite a tendency to dive to his right at some of the fences; a possible.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

7

31st Jan 2025

Soft

1m 7f 145y

Class 5

14:35 Catterick

Cofficionado

10st 4lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

in touch with leaders on outer, not fluent 6th, lost position 7th, weakened before 3 out

13/2

7th

7

31st Jan 2025

Soft

1m 7f 145y

Class 5

14:35 Catterick

Cofficionado

10st 4lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

0-12 and no match for Pescatorius when second over C&D (good) latest, but that was still an encouraging effort on his second chase start and he's 7lb better off with the winner; has shown ability on soft ground; chance.

13/2

2nd

7

28th Dec 2024

Good

1m 7f 145y

Class 5

13:33 Catterick

Cofficionado

10st 5lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

in touch with leaders, not fluent 1st

5/4

Form: 450-0P

Last run: 27 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 92

Form & Verdict
Ex-Irish maiden who has not shown a great deal in three chases (2m4f-3m2f) for Geroge Bewley this year; combination of drop back in trip and first-time cheekpieces/tongue-tie needs to trigger a revival.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

22nd Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

15:40 Kelso

Low Mileage

11st 1lb

J: Edward Austin

T: George Bewley

0-16 over fences; went close off much reduced mark at Musselburgh (2m4f, good to soft) in February and has claims here if judged on that form but didn't fire at Hexham last month.

5/1

6

22nd Apr 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

15:40 Kelso

Low Mileage

11st 1lb

J: Edward Austin

T: George Bewley

0-16 over fences; went close off much reduced mark at Musselburgh (2m4f, good to soft) in February and has claims here if judged on that form but didn't fire at Hexham last month.

5/1

7th

6

13th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 15y

Class 5

14:22 Hexham

Low Mileage

11st 6lb

J: Edward Austin

T: George Bewley

18-race maiden; sound efforts in cheekpieces last twice, finishing third at Catterick (1m7f, good) and runner-up at Musselburgh (2m4f, good to soft); interesting.

7/2

Form: P0-003

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
0-7 over hurdles but put some poor performances behind him and shaped well when third at Newcastle (2m1f, good to soft) two weeks ago (winner followed up on Boxing Day); contender if able to build on that performance on this chasing debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

2nd Jun 2026

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 5

15:00 Southwell

Mr Mahler

10st 5lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith

0-16 under rules but has runner-up twice over fences; may be sharper following a reappearance over hurdles at Bangor last month and is now on a career-low mark; not out of this.

9/2

5th

11

16th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 123y

Class 5

14:45 Bangor-on-Dee

Mr Mahler

10st 8lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith

Decline in fortunes over fences last season wasn't arrested by a switch to front-running; brave to name this the day given he's 0-15 now, but new career-low mark is notably 8lb lower than when last trying hurdles.

9/1

OUR TIP

Form: -26FPP

Last run: 39 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 86

Form & Verdict
Kept on for second behind a fairly useful one in Hexham novice hurdle (2m, good to soft) in May but has form-figures of FPP since switched to handicap chases and is a very risky proposition at present.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

12th Jul 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

14:41 Perth

Conquer The Breeze

11st 12lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Adam Nicol

All four wins have been at Hexham and it was never in much doubt there three weeks ago (1m7f, good); hard to grumble with the 8lb rise but now has to continue his good work on a very different track, and he was a lot lower in the weights when second to Garde Des Champs in this 12 months ago.

6/4

1st

7

21st Jun 2026

Good

1m 7f 133y

Class 3

15:13 Hexham

Conquer The Breeze

10st 5lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Adam Nicol

Started off for Adam Nicol with two comfortable C&D wins last month (good to soft/good) and travelled strongly for a long way before failing to see out 2m4f here a fortnight ago; upped significantly in grade today but this drop back in trip is the obvious move, and he might still have more to offer for his new stable.

7/2

Form: 535-P9 D

Last run: 108 days

W: 10st 8lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Began year with two respectable runs (one over C&D) but was in rear throughout when 66-1 for latest race in September and remains without a win since 2022.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

26th Mar 2025

Good

2m 0f 8y

Class 5

15:32 Hereford

Berliet Express

10st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

Dual 2m hurdle winner on yielding ground in Ireland; placed in 6-28 chase starts but recent form suggests that a 7lb drop and the application of cheekpieces won't see him break his duck in this discipline.

33/1

6th

8

20th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 189y

Class 5

14:15 Huntingdon

Berliet Express

10st 2lb

J: Sean Grantham

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

Jumped poorly when beaten 16l here two weeks ago, taking chase record to 0-27; 5lb out of the weights.

33/1

4th

10

6th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 189y

Class 5

13:10 Huntingdon

Berliet Express

10st 3lb

J: Sean Grantham

T: Jake Thomas Coulson

in rear

16/1

Non-runners

Smart Casual

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £11.00
Straight Forecast £10.65
Trifecta £56.00

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Mr Mahler

Daily Mail:

Smart Casual

Telegraph:

Cofficionado

POSTDATA:

Pescatorius

RP RATINGS:

Berliet Express

D Express:

Smart Casual

Daily Record:

Cofficionado

The Times:

Mr Mahler

The Guardian:

Mr Mahler

Daily Mirror:

Mr Mahler

The Sun:

Mr Mahler

The Star:

Mr Mahler