December 28 / 12.45 Leicester

12.45

Soft

On The Fourth Day Of Christmas Novices’ Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £4752.9
  • 2m 4f 25y
  • Class 5
  • 9 runners
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On The Fourth Day Of Christmas Novices’ Handicap Chase

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

14/1 (Won)

  • Win: £6.20
  • Place: £1.90

Form: 57176F D

Last run: 38 days

W: 11st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 86

Form & Verdict
Led late on at Worcester (2m4f, good; fine on softer) in August but below par since and needs to turn a corner.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

2nd Jun 2026

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 5

15:00 Southwell

Henry Box Brown

10st 9lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Mrs C Williams

Last win came in December 2024 off 6lb higher; hasn't been firing on all cylinders recently but is down to a career-low mark and cannot dismiss.

7/1

6th

11

21st Apr 2026

Soft

2m 7f 177y

Class 5

18:42 Ffos Las

Henry Box Brown

10st 5lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Mrs C Williams

Returned from three-month break with respectable fourth here (2m3f, soft) in March last time and will be fine over this longer trip, but he's not really been firing on all cylinders since last summer; others appeal more.

14/1

4th

5

16th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 3f 83y

Class 5

15:00 Ffos Las

Henry Box Brown

11st 2lb

J: Ellis Collier

T: Mrs C Williams

Seemingly aided by addition of cheekpieces when making the frame three consecutive times (2m7f-3m) towards end of last year but still wasn't really firing on all cylinders; should be fine over this shorter trip but the headgear is missing today and he needs to have been refreshed by his three-month break.

8/1

6/4

  • Place: £1.50

Form: 667312 C BF

Last run: 32 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
Had things her own way when winning over 2m6f here last month on good to firm ground but it was a solid show over 3m at Southwell (good) latest; new mark has since kicked in (5lb higher) and this slower surface might not be ideal, but she has to be considered seriously.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

10th Feb 2025

Good

3m 1f 54y

Class 5

14:30 Catterick

Northern Reel

10st 8lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

in rear

4/1

10/1

  • Place: £3.70

Form: /3U/1/

Last run: 952 days

W: 10st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 76

Form & Verdict
Last seen in May 2022 when winning a 2m6f handicap hurdle at Stratford off this mark; that asks a big question on this chasing debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

13th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 6f 151y

Class 5

14:05 Leicester

Thirsty Farmer

10st 2lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Richard Hawker

2m6f hurdle winner (good) but has only made it to the track once since that success in May 2022; creditable third here (2m4f, soft) last December, on that only recent outing and not ruled out if backing that up.

5/1

OUR TIP

Form: 22P6-P

Last run: 31 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
Runner-up three times over fences but remains a maiden and ran poorly last time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

1

10th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 6f 7y

Class 5

14:50 Stratford

Knocknagappagh

11st 12lb

J: Murray Dodd

T: Stuart Edmunds

ran in snatches, prominent

20/1

4

23rd Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 129y

Class 5

15:05 Huntingdon

Knocknagappagh

11st 10lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Stuart Edmunds

didn't always jump with fluency, pressed leader, lost ground after 3rd, rallied before 6th

9/2

4

23rd Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 129y

Class 5

15:05 Huntingdon

Knocknagappagh

11st 10lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Stuart Edmunds

9yo who is a longstanding maiden but she may well have got off the mark at Leicester (2m4f, soft) last time but for a bad mistake at the final fence; has also run well over staying trips; last time was just her second run for this yard and could make amends today off the same mark.

9/2

Form: 368-54

Last run: 44 days

W: 10st 11lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
Maiden with the ability to win races off this mark and these conditions should suit him better than those when he was well beaten on his chase debut at Market Rasen (2m5f, good); cheekpieces added.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

19th Apr 2025

Good

3m 1f 10y

Class 5

16:49 Huntingdon

Jumbo Veste Verte

10st 5lb

J: Freddie Mitchell

T: Tom Gretton

pressed leader, lost position 8th, weakened 9th, pulled up before 3 out

16/1

8

19th Apr 2025

Good

3m 1f 10y

Class 5

16:49 Huntingdon

Jumbo Veste Verte

10st 5lb

J: Freddie Mitchell

T: Tom Gretton

pressed leader, lost position 8th, weakened 9th, pulled up before 3 out

16/1

11/4

Form: 2514/6

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 92

Form & Verdict
Winner of a Hereford maiden hurdle; beaten 36l on chase debut here (2m6f, soft) but ran a lot better than that defeat may imply, after a long absence, and a late mistake didn't help; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

19th Apr 2025

Soft

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

16:54 Newton Abbot

Jikala

10st 11lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

towards rear

4/1

5th

4

19th Apr 2025

Soft

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

16:54 Newton Abbot

Jikala

10st 11lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

towards rear

4/1

3rd

4

28th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 7f 177y

Class 5

15:45 Ffos Las

Jikala

11st 1lb

J: Ned Fox

T: Venetia Williams

Only fourth at Hereford (2m5f, good to soft) recently and she's untested at this trip; however, she kept on for a fair third at Hereford (2m3f, soft) two starts ago and this lightly raced 6yo is not ruled for her good yard.

6/1

Form: /77U5-

Last run: 285 days

W: 10st 8lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
Maiden hurdler; unseated on chase debut and jumping lacked fluency when tailed off at Fontwell in March (handles heavy); more to prove than some in here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

26th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 1f 77y

Class 5

14:25 Bangor-on-Dee

Staar

10st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Emma-Jane Bishop

Lightly raced since going close over hurdles at the end of 2022 and didn't show enough on his return from another absence over fences at Leicester (2m4f, soft) in December to make him of interest here; 3lb out of the weights.

25/1

7th

8

28th Dec 2024

Soft

2m 4f 25y

Class 5

12:45 Leicester

Staar

10st 8lb

J: James Best

T: Emma-Jane Bishop

visibility reduced by fog, in touch with leaders

10/1

7th

8

28th Dec 2024

Soft

2m 4f 25y

Class 5

12:45 Leicester

Staar

10st 8lb

J: James Best

T: Emma-Jane Bishop

visibility reduced by fog, in touch with leaders

10/1

Form: 712659

Last run: 17 days

W: 10st 13lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 79

Form & Verdict
Won twice over hurdles but has offered little in two chases, with and without cheekpieces.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13

4th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 5f 55y

Class 5

16:07 Ludlow

Outback Frontiers

10st 2lb

J: Fern O’Brien

T: John O’Shea

Runner-up in a handicap chase here in November but pulled up next time; returns to hurdling (dual winner) from 7lb out of the weights and that's not ideal.

50/1

7

18th Oct 2025

Good

2m 6f 125y

Class 5

16:25 Stratford

Outback Frontiers

10st 4lb

J: James Turner

T: John O’Shea

Won off 8lb higher over hurdles here (2m2f, good) last July but his three chasing attempts towards the end of last year were unconvincing, and he was out of form when back over hurdles this summer.

20/1

Form: 6PP-P4

Last run: 18 days

W: 10st 6lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Showed more in the blinkers at Fontwell (2m5f, soft) last time but was still beaten nearly 18l; vulnerable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

10th Mar 2025

Good

2m 3f 164y

Class 5

15:00 Plumpton

Cant Buy Time

10st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Cynthia Woods

Unplaced in all ten starts and hard to recommend from out of the weights.

66/1

7th

12

6th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 189y

Class 5

13:10 Huntingdon

Cant Buy Time

10st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Cynthia Woods

Has a modest completion record and unconvincing form when getting round; opposed.

40/1

7th

12

6th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 189y

Class 5

13:10 Huntingdon

Cant Buy Time

10st 2lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Cynthia Woods

Has a modest completion record and unconvincing form when getting round; opposed.

40/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £30.10
Straight Forecast £21.93
Tricast £377.27
Trifecta £387.30

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Northern Reel

SPOTLIGHT:

Jikala

POSTDATA:

Henry Box Brown

D Express:

Jumbo Veste Verte

The Times:

Jikala

Telegraph:

Northern Reel

The Guardian:

Northern Reel

Daily Mail:

Northern Reel

Daily Mirror:

Northern Reel

The Sun:

Northern Reel

Daily Record:

Northern Reel

The Star:

Henry Box Brown