January 15 / 15.35 Newbury

15.35

Soft

Charlie Nugent Memorial mares’ Chase (Listed Race) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £19932.5
  • 2m 7f 86y
  • Class 1
  • 5 runners
SKY
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Charlie Nugent Memorial mares’ Chase (Listed Race) (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.00
  • Place: £1.50

Form: 3222-1 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 2lb

10 yo Mare

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Lightly raced 10yo who was reliable last season in her first campaign hurdling, arguably best effort when making most over 3m on soft in handicap here; winning by 10l from the front on chase/seasonal debut in handicap at Exeter (3m, good to soft) four weeks ago was a big advance but she has a fair bit to find against three of today's rivals.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

9

29th Apr 2025

Yielding To Soft

3m 0f 213y

16:50 Punchestown

Dont Rightly Know

11st 3lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Polly Gundry

unruly at the post, led narrowly 1st, headed and raced in second halfway, briefly disputed lead 5 out, weakened from 2 out

50/1

5th

9

29th Apr 2025

Yielding To Soft

3m 0f 213y

16:50 Punchestown

Dont Rightly Know

11st 3lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Polly Gundry

unruly at the post, led narrowly 1st, headed and raced in second halfway, briefly disputed lead 5 out, weakened from 2 out

50/1

8

4th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

13:45 Aintree

Dont Rightly Know

11st 0lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Polly Gundry

Front-running 10yo who has to defy the stats as only two veterans have landed this prize since its inception in 1981; however, has low mileage for her age and remains unbeaten over fences; bagged Listed honours, against her own sex, at Newbury/Exeter the last twice and is a rising force for Polly Gundry; gets the 7lb sex allowance and shouldn't be passed over lightly.

16/1

2/1

  • Place: £1.60

Form: 351-42 D BF

Last run: 49 days

W: 11st 6lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Ended last term winning a Listed event at Perth (3m, soft) in April, her best form over fences; slightly underwhelming in her two runs this season but a slog today will suit and she has to be in serious calculations.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

22nd Apr 2026

Soft

2m 7f 180y

Class 1

15:10 Perth

Apple Away

11st 4lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Consistent sort who won this two years ago (soft); Panic Attack has better form and she's run just once this season, but that was a solid effort when third of five at Carlisle in November over an inadequate 2m4f (good to soft), and she can give a good account.

6/1

3rd

1

2nd Nov 2025

Good

2m 3f 210y

Class 1

13:32 Carlisle

Apple Away

11st 6lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Classy mare but very much a stayer having won last season's 3m4f Grand National Trial at Haydock (good to soft; kept on) in February, after which she disappointed in the Midlands National; does travel strongly so unwise to dismiss purely on the strength of today's trip, especially on a stiff track; returns with yard in form.

4/1

3rd

1

2nd Nov 2025

Good

2m 3f 210y

Class 1

13:32 Carlisle

Apple Away

11st 6lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Classy mare but very much a stayer having won last season's 3m4f Grand National Trial at Haydock (good to soft; kept on) in February, after which she disappointed in the Midlands National; does travel strongly so unwise to dismiss purely on the strength of today's trip, especially on a stiff track; returns with yard in form.

4/1

OUR TIP

Form: P61-42 D

Last run: 17 days

W: 11st 8lb

10 yo Mare

OR: 146

Form & Verdict
Experienced 10yo chaser who won a Grade 2 at Sandown (2m6f, good) last April and she was second and sixth in last two editions of the Topham on soft ground at Aintree in April; creditable second in Listed event 17 days ago; has won over 3m but it's her peak efforts over slightly shorter than this on which she sets the standard.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

16th May 2025

Good

3m 0f 210y

Class 2

18:55 Aintree

Fantastic Lady

12st 0lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

Smart mare who ended 2023-24 season in career-best form, winning Sandown Grade 2 (2m6f, good); not much went to plan last term but she was going well until bad jumping error knocked the stuffing out of her in last month's Topham over the big fences here and she remains well handicapped.

4/1

1

16th May 2025

Good

3m 0f 210y

Class 2

18:55 Aintree

Fantastic Lady

12st 0lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

Smart mare who ended 2023-24 season in career-best form, winning Sandown Grade 2 (2m6f, good); not much went to plan last term but she was going well until bad jumping error knocked the stuffing out of her in last month's Topham over the big fences here and she remains well handicapped.

4/1

38

5th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Fantastic Lady

10st 3lb

T: Nicky Henderson

Pulled up in the 3m2f Kim Muir at Cheltenham last month in first-time cheekpieces, which leaves her stamina beyond 3m unproven, although it was not the trip which accounted for her poor show there (following two solid efforts); second over these fences in the 2023 Topham, sixth in it last year and she's due to have another crack at that race on Friday.

80/1

Form: 130-15

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 2lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Won chase/seasonal debut in a handicap at Ffos Las (2m5f, good to soft; acts on soft) in October; that form is well short of what is required today, however, and she was well beaten in a mares' novice Listed race at Warwick five weeks ago; this move up in trip needs to prompt big improvement.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

15th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 7f 86y

Class 1

15:35 Newbury

Smiling Getaway

11st 2lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel Twiston-Davies

raced in last but in touch with leaders, headway 4 out, soon went fourth, weakened run-in

10/1

4th

5

15th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 7f 86y

Class 1

15:35 Newbury

Smiling Getaway

11st 2lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel Twiston-Davies

raced in last but in touch with leaders, headway 4 out, soon went fourth, weakened run-in

10/1

11/4

Form: 2-5111 D

Last run: 25 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Filly

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Switched to fences this season and has been a rising force, twice making all in handicaps at Plumpton (3m2f) before always prominent to take one at Hereford (3m1f); all three were in December on good to soft but she had three wins on soft at lower levels over hurdles; after that latest performance she is in serious contention in this race too.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

21st Feb 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 54y

Class 1

15:00 Exeter

Lady Balko

11st 0lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: David Pipe

Made very good progress over hurdles then fences last year, with the latest of six wins gained in quite valuable mares' handicap chase at Hereford (3m1f, good to soft) in December; will be dangerous if in similar mood here but suffered a worrying slump in form on her two starts last month and needs a good boost from the new cheekpieces.

10/1

1

31st Jan 2025

Soft

3m 4f 178y

Class 3

14:45 Lingfield

Lady Balko

12st 2lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: David Pipe

Sent chasing this term and twice made all in handicaps at Plumpton (3m2f) before always prominent to take one at Hereford (3m1f); ran poorly in mares' Listed race at Newbury 16 days ago when soft going should not have been a problem; needs to resume improvement and moves into the unknown stamina-wise.

6/1

1

31st Jan 2025

Soft

3m 4f 178y

Class 3

14:45 Lingfield

Lady Balko

12st 2lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: David Pipe

Sent chasing this term and twice made all in handicaps at Plumpton (3m2f) before always prominent to take one at Hereford (3m1f); ran poorly in mares' Listed race at Newbury 16 days ago when soft going should not have been a problem; needs to resume improvement and moves into the unknown stamina-wise.

6/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £7.60
Straight Forecast £8.17
Trifecta £28.60

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Fantastic Lady

SPOTLIGHT:

Lady Balko

Daily Mirror:

Apple Away

Telegraph:

Don't Rightly Know

TOPSPEED:

Lady Balko

WEST COUNTRY:

Lady Balko

The Times:

Lady Balko

The Guardian:

Lady Balko

Daily Record:

Apple Away

POSTDATA:

Fantastic Lady

LAMBOURN:

Fantastic Lady

Daily Mail:

Fantastic Lady

D Express:

Fantastic Lady

The Sun:

Fantastic Lady

The Star:

Don't Rightly Know