February 08 / 15.15 Warwick

15.15

Soft

Unibet Middle Distance Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Series Qualifier)

  • Prize money: £18483.5
  • 2m 4f 0y
  • Class 2
  • 6 runners
ITV4
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Unibet Middle Distance Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Series Qualifier)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

100/30 (Won)

  • Win: £2.25
  • Place: £1.40

Form: 07-543 D

Last run: 43 days

W: 11st 6lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 139

Form & Verdict
0-8 since winning the prestigious Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November 2022 and he's not the same force nowadays, but he took a step back in the right direction in reapplied cheekpieces (retained) when third at Chepstow (2m3f, soft) in December; another 2lb lower and one to consider.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

4th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 2

15:20 Haydock

Le Milos

11st 10lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Runner-up in the Stayers' Veterans' Final at Sandown (3m, good) in January two starts ago and he's not ruled out today; however, he's been inconsistent this season and was soundly beaten at Warwick (2m4f, heavy) in February; he may prefer a longer trip than this nowadays; fourth in this last year.

9/1

3rd

2

7th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

14:25 Warwick

Le Milos

11st 9lb

J: Harry Atkins

T: Dan Skelton

Returned to form with creditable second in valuable veterans' final at Sandown (3m, good) last month and remains only 1lb higher than when winning this race readily by 6l a year ago (soft ground); major player, and his appeal will increase if the ground turns heavy.

9/4

12/1

  • Place: £2.00

Form: 9-9804 D

Last run: 44 days

W: 10st 3lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
He's dropped to a mark 16lb lower than when running well for a long way in the Scottish National last April; however, he's struggled to get competitive on his four starts since and others are more compelling.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

23rd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 20y

Class 2

15:10 Perth

Whistleinthedark

11st 0lb

J: Miss Ellie Callwood

T: L J Morgan

11yo who was tailed off at Cheltenham in December and pulled up at Haydock this month on sole run since; arrives with something to prove but three visits to Perth have yielded two wins, including this race in 2023, so he's worth a second look; a first-time visor replaces cheekpieces.

25/1

9

4th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 2

15:20 Haydock

Whistleinthedark

11st 3lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: L J Morgan

Inconsistent last year but won twice (3m/2m4f, good/soft), those victories coming on the back of respective breaks of 89 and 120 days; may be best caught fresh nowadays so is worth a second look after 113 days off.

33/1

1

13th Jul 2025

Good

2m 7f 180y

Class 3

15:43 Perth

Whistleinthedark

12st 0lb

J: Harry Reed

T: L J Morgan

Back in rude health over C&D (good) in May, easily beating Saint Arvans to win by 20l, and his subsequent Market Rasen fourth (2m5f, good) was also a good effort; still well handicapped on old form; shortlisted.

3/1

Form: 232/P3 D

Last run: 22 days

W: 10st 6lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Just 1-16 over fences and no match for the first two when third at Market Rasen (3m, good to soft) three weeks ago, but that was still an encouraging run (faded late on) on his second start back from a long absence and he could build on it; also effective on soft going and well treated on his old form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

8

19th Apr 2025

Soft

2m 4f 216y

Class 3

16:19 Newton Abbot

Smarty Wild

11st 2lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

midfield, not fluent 10th

14/1

4th

8

19th Apr 2025

Soft

2m 4f 216y

Class 3

16:19 Newton Abbot

Smarty Wild

11st 2lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

midfield, not fluent 10th

14/1

Form: 114P-P D

Last run: 64 days

W: 11st 0lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 133

Form & Verdict
Struggled on final two runs last season and same story on return in December (reportedly lost his action); however, tailed off on last season's reappearance before winning his next two starts (2m5f/2m3f, heavy/soft), so there can be some optimism that he'll leave that latest run well behind.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

26th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 4f 194y

Class 5

16:00 Hereford

Quel Destin

11st 12lb

J: Miss Olive Nicholls

T: Paul Nicholls

Useful hurdler/chaser in his pomp who is a three-time chase winner, with back-to-back wins coming in December 2023; below that level in limited appearances since, including after a third wind operation; nevertheless, he could still make his presence felt at this lower level.

9/2

4th

6

8th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

15:15 Warwick

Quel Destin

11st 0lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Paul Nicholls

in touch with leaders, not fluent 11th, prominent when jumped right 12th, not fluent 3 out, weakening when mistake last, lost third towards finish

14/1

4th

6

8th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

15:15 Warwick

Quel Destin

11st 0lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Paul Nicholls

in touch with leaders, not fluent 11th, prominent when jumped right 12th, not fluent 3 out, weakening when mistake last, lost third towards finish

14/1

Form: 6110-F D

Last run: 57 days

W: 12st 0lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 147

Form & Verdict
Early faller on reappearance at Cheltenham in December so he hasn't had a full race under his belt this season; however, he won the Plate at last season's Cheltenham Festival (2m4f, soft) and today's 4lb higher mark is unlikely to stop him if he can reproduce that form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

35

5th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Shakem UpArry

10st 4lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

11yo whose three peak ratings were recorded over an extended 2m4f in the mud at Cheltenham, notably his Plate win at the 2024 Festival (2lb higher today); flew over these fences in the Topham next time but cracked badly in the closing stages and he's not really got going this season, 14th back in the Plate last time; lots of doubts.

66/1

35

5th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

4m 2f 74y

Class 1

16:00 Aintree

Shakem UpArry

10st 4lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

11yo whose three peak ratings were recorded over an extended 2m4f in the mud at Cheltenham, notably his Plate win at the 2024 Festival (2lb higher today); flew over these fences in the Topham next time but cracked badly in the closing stages and he's not really got going this season, 14th back in the Plate last time; lots of doubts.

66/1

3

5th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

14:30 Aintree

Shakem UpArry

11st 1lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Runs off the same mark as for his Cheltenham Festival win last year (2m4f, soft) and he was a creditable fourth of 15 in this race in 2023 (good to soft); however, he was outstayed on that occasion and this 11yo has finished down the field on both outings this year.

25/1

Form: 148-1P D

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 5lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 138

Form & Verdict
Reappeared with 10l win at Carlisle (2m5f, soft) in December; reportedly never travelling when pulled up at Market Rasen three weeks ago and it's hard to be overly confident following that, but the first-time cheekpieces could give him a boost and he's a major player on the Carlisle form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

4

1st Mar 2025

Soft

3m 1f 214y

Class 2

13:20 Newbury

Grandads Cottage

11st 0lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

towards rear

7/1

Non-runners

Editeur Du Gite, Fugitif, Straw Fan Jack

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £5.50
Straight Forecast £6.42
Tricast £23.78
Trifecta £21.00

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Fugitif

The Times:

Shakem Up'arry

Daily Mail:

Le Milos

D Express:

Whistleinthedark

Daily Mirror:

Grandads Cottage

SPOTLIGHT:

Editeur Du Gite

Telegraph:

Smarty Wild

TOPSPEED:

Fugitif

POSTDATA:

Fugitif

The Guardian:

Shakem Up'arry

The Sun:

Shakem Up'arry

The Star:

Le Milos

Daily Record:

Le Milos