January 17 / 13.50 Windsor

13.50

Soft

Fitzdares Lightning Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £42712.5
  • 2m 0f 33y
  • Class 1
  • 4 runners
ITV4
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Fitzdares Lightning Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £9.00

Form: 1116-P D BF

Last run: 53 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 138

Form & Verdict
Found to have an irregular heartbeat when pulled up on chase debut at Kempton in November; returns with something to prove and a longer trip may be preferable, but won a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Cheltenham (2m4f, good to soft) last January and is not written off; has also won on soft.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

15:30 Aintree

Gidleigh Park

11st 10lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Harry Fry

Made mistakes and pulled up in the Clarence House at Ascot in January when last seen; however, prior to that he reappeared with a good second to subsequent Gold Cup runner-up Jango Baie in the Grade 2 1965 Chase at Ascot (2m5f, good) and last season's best performance came when runner-up in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices' Chase over C&D (good to soft) in April; arrives fresh, whereas most of these ran at the Cheltenham Festival; interesting.

15/2

1

17th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 172y

Class 1

15:30 Ascot

Gidleigh Park

11st 10lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Harry Fry

Lightly raced 8yo who won Grade 2s as a novice hurdler and novice chaser; ran as well as he's ever done when 9l second to top-class Jango Baie in Grade 2 chase here (2m5f, good; handles soft) in November; more needed today but the drop back in trip should not inconvenience him in the slightest.

7/1

2nd

4

3rd Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

13:45 Aintree

Gidleigh Park

11st 7lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Harry Fry

Grade 2 novice hurdle winner (2m4f, good to soft) who was pulled up on chase debut in November (irregular heartbeat) but impressed in four-runner Grade 2 novice at Windsor (2m, soft) in January, when subsequent Cheltenham Festival winner Caldwell Potter was 4l behind in second; unraced on good ground; the step back up in trip seems a likely plus; firmly in calculations.

5/1

Form: 211-13 D BF

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 148

Form & Verdict
Won Grade 1 novice hurdle at Leopardstown (2m, heavy) in December 2023 on final run for Gordon Elliott and scored easily on his chase and stable debut at Carlisle (2m, soft) last month; his bubble was burst somewhat at Cheltenham (2m4f, good to soft) 12 days later but this drop back in trip looks the right move for the time being and he holds leading claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

4th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

13:45 Aintree

Caldwell Potter

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Grade 1 novice hurdle winner over 2m in Ireland and sold for 740,000euros at the Caldwell dispersal sale; record of 2-4 over fences for new connections features an excellent front-running performance in the novice handicap at the Cheltenham Festival (2m4f, good to soft) three weeks ago, galloping on strongly and leaving the impression he'll be as effective upped further in distance; respected with further progress plausible.

4/1

1st

1

4th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

13:45 Aintree

Caldwell Potter

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Grade 1 novice hurdle winner over 2m in Ireland and sold for 740,000euros at the Caldwell dispersal sale; record of 2-4 over fences for new connections features an excellent front-running performance in the novice handicap at the Cheltenham Festival (2m4f, good to soft) three weeks ago, galloping on strongly and leaving the impression he'll be as effective upped further in distance; respected with further progress plausible.

4/1

1st

3

13th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

14:00 Cheltenham

Caldwell Potter

11st 4lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

prominent early, led 1st

8/1

OUR TIP

Form: 16-242 D

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Won Grade 2 novice hurdle at Kelso (2m2f, good to soft) last March and showed improved form in Ascot Grade 2 novice (2m3f, good to soft) four weeks ago on his third chase start, when he may well have won but for a final-fence blunder; has won on soft going; could have a big say.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

16th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 77y

Class 2

15:55 Bangor-on-Dee

Personal Ambition

11st 2lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Won three-runner novice chase by 17l at Newbury (2m, soft; first-time blinkers) in February but that form is tricky to evaluate, and he was pulled up in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham in March; still needs to prove he can handle his current handicap mark and that he's fully effective on the forecast good ground.

4/1

15

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Personal Ambition

10st 11lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: Ben Pauling

He's had jumping issues and should have won a Grade 2 novice chase at Ascot in December 2024 (2m3f, good to soft; bad mistake at final fence); beat just two rivals when getting off the mark in this sphere at Newbury (2m, soft) recently but that was still a very encouraging effort in first-time blinkers (retained); could make a bold bid if minimising the errors.

14/1

1st

3

17th Feb 2026

2m 0f 92y

Class 3

14:15 Newbury

Personal Ambition

11st 2lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Three-time hurdle winner; 0-6 over fences but highly tried on occasions and unlucky not to win a Grade 2 at Ascot last season; disappointed in that same race two months ago but new headgear could help him turn things around.

100/30

Form: 237-23 D BF

Last run: 36 days

W: 10st 9lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Two wins in Grade 2 mares' events over hurdles (2m4f/2m1f, good to soft/soft); respectable efforts this season on her first two chase starts and she could have more to offer over fences in view of her hurdle form, but she does need to find something extra; made bad early mistake last time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

8th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 1

14:40 Warwick

You Wear It Well

11st 6lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Jamie Snowden

Below her best this season but has been running over fences and chasing doesn't appear to suit; won two Grade 2 mares' novice hurdles in early 2023 (2m4f/2m1f, good to soft/soft) and second in a mares' Grade 2 last January (3m, good); could bounce back with big run now reverting to hurdles.

5/1

1

8th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 1

14:40 Warwick

You Wear It Well

11st 6lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Jamie Snowden

Below her best this season but has been running over fences and chasing doesn't appear to suit; won two Grade 2 mares' novice hurdles in early 2023 (2m4f/2m1f, good to soft/soft) and second in a mares' Grade 2 last January (3m, good); could bounce back with big run now reverting to hurdles.

5/1

4th

4

17th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 0f 33y

Class 1

13:50 Windsor

You Wear It Well

10st 9lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

raced in last, mistake 5th, mistake and struggling 7th, jumped left 3 out, never dangerous

4/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £16.90
Straight Forecast £13.84
Trifecta £31.50

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Caldwell Potter

POSTDATA:

Personal Ambition

Daily Mail:

Gidleigh Park

LAMBOURN:

You Wear It Well

Telegraph:

Personal Ambition

D Express:

Personal Ambition

RP RATINGS:

Caldwell Potter

TOPSPEED:

Caldwell Potter

WEST COUNTRY:

Caldwell Potter

The Times:

Caldwell Potter

The Guardian:

Caldwell Potter

Daily Mirror:

Caldwell Potter

The Sun:

Caldwell Potter

The Star:

Caldwell Potter

Daily Record:

Caldwell Potter