February 06 / 16.50 Ffos Las

16.50

Heavy

dragonbet.co.uk Open Hunters’ Chase

  • Prize money: £3593.1
  • 2m 5f 110y
  • Class 4
  • 7 runners
SKY
View Course
dragonbet.co.uk Open Hunters’ Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Hunter Chase

Surface: Turf

Weather: Sunny

OUR TIP

11/4 (Won)

  • Win: £3.75
  • Place: £1.70

Form: 88/11- D

Last run: 601 days

W: 12st 6lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Has achieved most on good ground but won on soft and runner-up sole start on heavy; three hurdle wins in 2022 and useful form when he won two handicap chases in minuscule fields in May/June 2023; his last eight races were over 2m7f-3m1f and he's not raced at all for 601 days, so he has major questions to answer, but no great shock if he returns with a win.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

16

13th Mar 2026

Good

3m 2f 70y

Class 2

16:40 Cheltenham

Shearer

12st 0lb

J: Miss Gina Andrews

T: Paul Nicholls

Relinquished an unbeaten record over regulation fences when fifth in this race last year, though he did well to be only 13l off Wonderwall given that he was in the firing line throughout; it's best not to read too much into a recent odds-on defeat behind past Festival hero Unexpected Party at Haydock (2m6f) as that was probably needed after 11 months off; has no ground preferences; can run well.

20/1

3rd

1

14th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 6f 54y

Class 3

16:30 Haydock

Shearer

12st 4lb

J: Miss Gina Andrews

T: Paul Nicholls

Useful hurdler/chaser who launched hunter chase career with two wins in this month last year (2m5f/2m7f) before a creditable fifth at the Cheltenham Festival (3m2f, good to soft); returns from 11-month absence but still commands respect.

9/4

5th

18

14th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 2f 70y

Class 2

16:40 Cheltenham

Shearer

12st 0lb

J: Miss Olive Nicholls

T: Paul Nicholls

Unbeaten over regulation fences, having won two handicaps at about 3m in 2023 and come back from a long absence to win hunter chases at Ffos Las (2m5f, heavy) and Taunton (2m7f, good to soft); Haven't Time gave him something to think about last time and this demands more of him, probably a lot more; the cheekpieces he wore for those handicap wins are back on; Paul Nicholls has won this four times.

10/1

6/4

  • Place: £1.30

Form: 445P-1 D

Last run: 29 days

W: 12st 2lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 132

Form & Verdict
Still pretty useful (not his best) over hurdles and fences last term for Sam Thomas; close second in a point in December for new yard and went one better at Taunton (2m6f, soft) four weeks ago on his first run in a hunter chase, which makes him the one to beat on recent evidence.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

14th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 2f 70y

Class 2

16:40 Cheltenham

Angels Breath

12st 0lb

J: Mr Edward Vaughan

T: Tim Vaughan

Smart back in the day for Nicky Henderson; an 11yo now and after winning his first hunter chase he was hammered by Shearer at Ffos Las (2m5f; heavy was no excuse); opposable.

50/1

2nd

2

6th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 5f 110y

Class 4

16:50 Ffos Las

Angels Breath

12st 2lb

J: Mr Edward Vaughan

T: Tim Vaughan

prominent, disputing second before 2nd, lost ground when not fluent 4 out, no chance with winner before 2 out

6/4

2nd

2

6th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 5f 110y

Class 4

16:50 Ffos Las

Angels Breath

12st 2lb

J: Mr Edward Vaughan

T: Tim Vaughan

prominent, disputing second before 2nd, lost ground when not fluent 4 out, no chance with winner before 2 out

6/4

Form: 7837PP D

Last run: 36 days

W: 12st 2lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Placed in four of his five hunter chases in 2023, including over C&D, and he won one at Exeter (3m, heavy) last March; handicap-hurdle campaign for Dan Skelton this season has not been a success (placed once) but a return to that Exeter form would see him thereabouts.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

2nd May 2025

Good

4m 0f 97y

Class 4

19:30 Cheltenham

Drop Flight

12st 1lb

J: Mr Ben Sutton

T: S Loxton

Ran well in only one of six hurdling starts for Dan Skelton last season and, having rejoined Sam Loxton, was pulled up in a hunter chase in February; last of three finishers in 4m point last month; revival needed.

25/1

4

2nd May 2025

Good

4m 0f 97y

Class 4

19:30 Cheltenham

Drop Flight

12st 1lb

J: Mr Ben Sutton

T: S Loxton

Ran well in only one of six hurdling starts for Dan Skelton last season and, having rejoined Sam Loxton, was pulled up in a hunter chase in February; last of three finishers in 4m point last month; revival needed.

25/1

Form: 820/3/

Last run: 728 days

W: 11st 12lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Fourth in the 2018 Champion Bumper at Cheltenham; pretty useful over hurdles and fences but showed it less than regularly and had his last start under rules when third in a C&D hunter chase two years ago; has very nearly made it 4-4 in points since, pipped 19 days ago when back from 405 days off; this demands more but he's by no means dismissed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

18th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 7f 3y

Class 5

16:45 Taunton

Acey Milan

11st 12lb

J: Mr Joshua Newman

T: Anthony Honeyball

Formerly very smart, in bumpers and over hurdles and fences; still sprightly enough to win three of his four points before unseating at the first fence in Shearer's hunter chase at Ffos Las; did go off at only 100-30 (Shearer was 11-4) and he could make a race of it with the likely favourite.

100/30

4

6th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 5f 110y

Class 4

16:50 Ffos Las

Acey Milan

11st 12lb

J: Mr William Biddick

T: Anthony Honeyball

disputed lead, mistake and unseated 1st

3/1

4

6th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 5f 110y

Class 4

16:50 Ffos Las

Acey Milan

11st 12lb

J: Mr William Biddick

T: Anthony Honeyball

disputed lead, mistake and unseated 1st

3/1

Form: 108/P-

Last run: 438 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Career highlight to win a maiden hurdle in Ireland (2m, soft) in 2022 and it was fairly useful form, but he did little in his only three subsequent runs for Gordon Elliott; picked up for £1,200 in December 2023, which looked good business when he won a British point (2m4f, heavy) last April by 15l, but unraced since and this should demand more from him.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

10th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 205y

Class 5

16:50 Stratford

Caldwell Diamond

11st 12lb

J: Mrs Izzie Hill

T: Alan Hill

Winning hurdler in Ireland for Gordon Elliott (RPR 126) and easy winner of his only point at Paxford (2m4f, heavy) just under a year ago; didn't get very far on his return in an open hunter chase at Ffos Las last month, but much respected at this level.

15/2

5

6th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 5f 110y

Class 4

16:50 Ffos Las

Caldwell Diamond

11st 12lb

J: Mrs Izzie Hill

T: Alan Hill

in rear, mistake and unseated 5th

7/1

5

6th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 5f 110y

Class 4

16:50 Ffos Las

Caldwell Diamond

11st 12lb

J: Mrs Izzie Hill

T: Alan Hill

in rear, mistake and unseated 5th

7/1

Form: 321/P8

Last run: 213 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Second and first in maiden hurdles at Southwell (2m4f, good) early in 2023 stand out a mile from his other runs in a very light career under rules for Dan Skelton; scored 11 days ago at fourth attempt in British points, all under Harvey Barfoot-Saunt, but this race should be more demanding.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

1

24th Jul 2025

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

13:10 Worcester

Chilinlikeavillain

12st 0lb

J: Mr Geoff Barfoot-Saunt

T: Tracey Barfoot-Saunt

Won a point in January but was pulled up on all three rules starts this year, most recently when back in a handicap for stable debut three weeks ago; has too much to prove.

50/1

2

4th Jul 2025

Good

2m 0f 75y

Class 4

15:43 Newton Abbot

Chilinlikeavillain

11st 8lb

J: Mr Harvey Barfoot-Saunt

T: Tracey Barfoot-Saunt

Novice hurdle and point winner who ran respectably when close second of two in a point-to-point in May; however, his form has been patchy this year and he was pulled up in a hunter chase in April; others arrive with more pressing claims.

20/1

1

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 131y

Class 5

19:35 Chepstow

Chilinlikeavillain

11st 12lb

J: Mr Harvey Barfoot-Saunt

T: Peter & Michael Bowen

Dug in well to hold on in a Cocklebarrow conditions point in January (3m, good) but has failed to complete thrice since; chance likely increases if conditions quicken, but others still convince more.

14/1

Form: 325U-P D

Last run: 251 days

W: 11st 12lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
While his best would give these plenty to think about, he last showed something of that ilk in May 2022; picked up two pointing wins last spring but he did not do enough in last year's hunter-chase campaign to suggest he's a player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

6th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 5f 110y

Class 4

16:50 Ffos Las

Shang Tang

11st 12lb

J: Miss Aimee Jones

T: Miss H Brookshaw

jumped right on occasions, towards rear throughout, pulled up before 4 out

33/1

7

6th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 5f 110y

Class 4

16:50 Ffos Las

Shang Tang

11st 12lb

J: Miss Aimee Jones

T: Miss H Brookshaw

jumped right on occasions, towards rear throughout, pulled up before 4 out

33/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £7.20
Straight Forecast £7.43
Trifecta £7.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Angels Breath

WEST COUNTRY:

Shearer

POSTDATA:

Acey Milan

D Express:

Shearer

Daily Mirror:

Shearer

The Star:

Shearer

RP RATINGS:

Angels Breath

TOPSPEED:

Angels Breath

The Times:

Angels Breath

The Guardian:

Angels Breath

Daily Mail:

Angels Breath

The Sun:

Angels Breath

Telegraph:

Acey Milan

Daily Record:

Acey Milan