January 16 / 15.35 Ludlow

15.35

Soft

Simply Delicious Open Hunters’ Chase

  • Prize money: £2566.5
  • 2m 7f 171y
  • Class 5
  • 4 runners
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Simply Delicious Open Hunters’ Chase

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Hunter Chase

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

Form: 6-611P D

Last run: 166 days

W: 12st 6lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 135

Form & Verdict
Won over hurdles and fences last May/July for Gavin Cromwell and he went close in a point-to-point (3m, soft) 18 days ago on his second start for this yard; he warrants serious consideration.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

4th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 171y

Class 4

16:42 Ludlow

Bardenstown Lad

12st 6lb

J: Mr Darren Andrews

T: Warwick Ryan-Beswick

Won a point and a Fakenham hunter chase about this time last year before predictably struggling at lengthy odds in the feature hunter chases at Cheltenham and Aintree; badly let down by his jumping in calmer waters afterwards and this 11yo now has much to prove.

16/1

1

14th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

17:05 Newton Abbot

Bardenstown Lad

12st 8lb

J: Mr Edward Vaughan

T: David Loughnane

Won a point and a Fakenham hunter chase in February before making no impact in the big hunter chases at Cheltenham and Aintree (behind when unseating); found no fluency and was well held when falling at Stratford (2m6f, good); comes with risks on the back of that effort but this is a modest contest.

4/6

1

14th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

17:05 Newton Abbot

Bardenstown Lad

12st 8lb

J: Mr Edward Vaughan

T: David Loughnane

Won a point and a Fakenham hunter chase in February before making no impact in the big hunter chases at Cheltenham and Aintree (behind when unseating); found no fluency and was well held when falling at Stratford (2m6f, good); comes with risks on the back of that effort but this is a modest contest.

4/6

Form: 1P-3U7 C

Last run: 20 days

W: 12st 6lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 133

Form & Verdict
Hasn't been at the top of his game in handicaps the last twice but he showed spark when third at Wetherby (2m3f, good to soft) in October and he's won over 3m1f here in the past (and on soft ground); today's drop in grade into a hunter chase could be a major help and he's a leading player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

30th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

16:57 Ludlow

Jet Plane

12st 6lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Still in front when falling on his return to hunter chasing in January but ran miserably at Leicester next time where soft ground was no excuse; had been in good form in handicaps before those setbacks and would take some beating if back on song.

6/4

3rd

2

24th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 6f 151y

Class 3

16:50 Leicester

Jet Plane

12st 4lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Good form in handicaps this winter includes a Leicester success; still in front when falling at Warwick returned to hunter chasing last time; retains all of his ability and is top on the figures in this field.

1/2

2

23rd Jan 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:18 Warwick

Jet Plane

12st 6lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Commendable second in last season's Aintree Foxhunters' (2m5f, good to soft) and as good as ever in recent 2m4f handicaps; stays 3m well and won't be fazed if the ground turns soft (unraced on heavy); ought to be hard to beat on return to hunter chasing.

6/5

Form: 64U/4- D

Last run: 460 days

W: 11st 12lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 134

Form & Verdict
11yo who has been absent since October 2023 and it remains to be seen how much ability he retains; however, back then he was a respectable fourth off a lofty mark at Chepstow (2m7f, soft) and he'll be a major contender if producing something close to that form today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

9

3rd Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 2

16:05 Aintree

Evas Oskar

12st 0lb

J: Mr Edward Vaughan

T: Tim Vaughan

Running well in the 2023 Grand National when he unseated at the 21st; confined to only four runs in the meantime and he'll need to find plenty on his recent hunter chase exploits (narrowly beaten by Captain Tommy last time).

33/1

9

3rd Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 2

16:05 Aintree

Evas Oskar

12st 0lb

J: Mr Edward Vaughan

T: Tim Vaughan

Running well in the 2023 Grand National when he unseated at the 21st; confined to only four runs in the meantime and he'll need to find plenty on his recent hunter chase exploits (narrowly beaten by Captain Tommy last time).

33/1

2nd

3

5th Mar 2025

Good

3m 1f 54y

Class 5

17:00 Catterick

Evas Oskar

12st 2lb

J: Mr Edward Vaughan

T: Tim Vaughan

prominent, went second 5th, pushed along after 5 out, outpaced and lost second 3 out, soon ridden, rallied and went second again last, stayed on and challenging towards finish, just held

7/4

Form: 333-36 CD

Last run: 230 days

W: 11st 12lb

13 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Useful form when easily winning a C&D hunter chase in April 2022; he ran some fair races last spring but this 13yo wasn't the force of old and probably needs a bigger performance to win this on his return to action.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

10

2nd May 2025

Good

2m 4f 127y

Class 5

20:05 Cheltenham

Solomon Grey

11st 12lb

J: Miss Ellie Holder

T: Miss V Collins

pressed leader, prominent from 2nd, lost position after 7th, outpaced from 3 out

40/1

7th

10

2nd May 2025

Good

2m 4f 127y

Class 5

20:05 Cheltenham

Solomon Grey

11st 12lb

J: Miss Ellie Holder

T: Miss V Collins

pressed leader, prominent from 2nd, lost position after 7th, outpaced from 3 out

40/1

4th

5

13th Apr 2025

Good

2m 6f 125y

Class 5

16:28 Stratford

Solomon Grey

11st 10lb

J: Miss Ellie Holder

T: Miss V Collins

prominent, briefly led 5th, lost position 10th

33/1

Betting Forcast

9/4 Bardenstown Lad, 13/8 Jet Plane, 7/4 Evas Oskar, 20/1 Solomon Grey

Verdict

Jet Plane is a strong contender now dropping into a hunter chase but preference is for EVA’S OSKAR on his first run since October 2023. He has a very good chance on today’s terms if he retains a fair chunk of his ability. Bardenstown Lad could also be involved.[Ben Hutton]

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Jet Plane

SPOTLIGHT:

Eva's Oskar

Daily Mail:

Bardenstown Lad

TOPSPEED:

Jet Plane

POSTDATA:

Jet Plane

The Times:

Jet Plane

The Guardian:

Jet Plane

D Express:

Jet Plane

Daily Record:

Bardenstown Lad

Telegraph:

Eva's Oskar

Daily Mirror:

Eva's Oskar

The Sun:

Eva's Oskar

The Star:

Eva's Oskar