15.45
Soft To HeavyWilliam Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Novice Chase (Grade 2)
- Prize money: £18285.12
- 2m 7f 175y
- 5 runners
ch.jpg)
Runners: 5 runners
Type: Chase Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Cloudy
8/13 (Won)
- Win: £1.50
- Place: £1.10
Form: 213-12 C BF
Last run: 45 days
W: 11st 3lb
7 yo Gelding
OR: 152
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2nd 1 |
28th Feb 2026 Heavy 2m 4f 90y |
11st 8lb |
Won the 2024 Martin Pipe, then third to Dancing City in 3m Grade 1 at Punchestown; won two small-field Grade 2 chases at this venue last season and finished third in the Brown Advisory; sixth in the Irish Grand National; returned with a satisfactory second behind a shorter-priced stablemate in the Boyne Hurdle here; capable sort is again the stable's number two. |
7/2 |
|
2nd 5 |
8th Feb 2026 Heavy 2m 5f 180y |
11st 3lb |
Won the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham two seasons ago, then third to Dancing City in 3m Grade 1 at Punchestown; won two small-field Grade 2 chases at this venue last season and finished third in the Brown Advisory; sixth in the Irish Grand National, running off a mark of 154; hurdles rating of 145 is the lowest of this sextet. |
9/2 |
|
6th 1 |
21st Apr 2025 Soft To Heavy 3m 5f 37y |
11st 12lb |
Won the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham last year, then third to Dancing City in 3m Grade 1 at Punchestown; 2-4 over fences, including Grade 2 at Navan over 3m on soft to heavy, when jumped notably well; on better ground, failed to confirm form with Stellar Story when third in the Brown Advisory; big burden for a novice, rider's 7lb claim a major asset. |
11/1 |
9/2
- Place: £2.10
Form: 414-14 C
Last run: 45 days
W: 11st 8lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
19 |
11th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 4m 2f 74y Class 1 |
10st 11lb |
Second to Lecky Watson in the 3m Grade 1 novice at Cheltenham last March; while comfortably dismissed in the closing stages of his three starts this winter, the first two of those were Grade 1 events and giving 8lb to Grangeclare West and Gerri Colombe at Fairyhouse (blinkers replaced cheekpieces) on latest outing makes that result look a whole lot better; above all, perhaps, while unraced beyond 3m2f, he has strongly suggested on plenty of occasions that he has serious stamina reserves; each-way appeal. |
28/1 |
|
3rd 2 |
21st Feb 2026 Heavy 3m 2f 0y |
11st 8lb |
Won Grade 2 novice chase at Punchestown (3m, soft) last season and 4l second to Lecky Watson in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham; made little impression in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on return and down the field in the Savills; a winner of the 2024 Albert Bartlett on heavy, he should relish the ground but race conditions don't favour him; tongue tie and blinkers go on for the first time. |
10/1 |
11/4
Form: 23-371 CD
Last run: 22 days
W: 11st 3lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: 147
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2nd 7 |
11th May 2026 Good To Yielding 2m 4f 100y |
11st 0lb |
Shares the highest official mark with Gentleman De Mee but he's a strong stayer who hasn't raced over this short a trip since 2023; finished ninth in the Grand National last time. |
13/2 |
|
9th 15 |
11th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 4m 2f 74y Class 1 |
11st 0lb |
Career-best form in the autumn this season, including a win at Cheltenham (3m1f) and second to Panic Attack in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury (3m2f); flopped when favourite in the Grade 3 won by Grangeclare West at Fairyhouse in February, admittedly after 12 weeks off but there's the additional worry of last year's Grand National in which he was 16-1 and raced very prominently but faded steadily from three out. |
50/1 |
|
7th 10 |
21st Feb 2026 Heavy 3m 2f 0y |
11st 0lb |
Has performed well in big field 3m+ chases this season; finished second to Spanish Harlem in the Kerry National at Listowel (3m, yielding) then went one better at Cheltenham (3m1f, good); posted another good performance when runner-up in the Coral Gold Cuo at Newbury (3m2f, good to soft) when last seen; ground is fine for him; player. |
9/2 |
500/1
Form: 9/P-5
Last run: 7 days
W: 11st 3lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3 |
1st Jul 2025 Good To Yielding 2m 0f 120y |
11st 11lb |
Point-to-point winner has generally struggled under Rules; beaten 62l in a Wexford novice when last seen in May; hard to fancy on handicap chase debut with blinkers replacing cheekpieces. |
40/1 |
|
4th 2 |
17th May 2025 Good 2m 0f 0y |
11st 6lb |
Point-to-point winner is 0-5 chasing, twice highly tried in graded company and most recently brought down halfway in Killarney handicap on Monday; up against it here. |
12/1 |
|
4th 2 |
17th May 2025 Good 2m 0f 0y |
11st 6lb |
Point-to-point winner is 0-5 chasing, twice highly tried in graded company and most recently brought down halfway in Killarney handicap on Monday; up against it here. |
12/1 |
12/1
Form: 410-73 D
Last run: 39 days
W: 11st 3lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: —
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 |
6th Apr 2026 Yielding To Soft 3m 0f 120y |
11st 8lb |
0-8 over fences and hasn't won since scoring over hurdles at Ayr in April 2024; failed to complete in two of three starts this season and beaten 63l at Leopardstown when he did get around; top yard and mark tumbling but hard to make a case for on form. |
10/1 |
|
10 |
8th Mar 2026 Heavy 3m 0f 174y |
10st 3lb |
Point, bumper and dual hurdles winner has been out of form in final runs of last season and outings in this; pulled up on seasonal debut at Cork and tailed off in a grade 3 handicap at Leopardstown when last seen at 80-1; needs to come back to his best. |
33/1 |
|
16th 14 |
1st Feb 2026 Soft To Heavy 2m 5f 107y |
10st 6lb |
Dual hurdle winner is yet to score in six chase starts and was poor the last three times, so isn't easy to make a case for. |
33/1 |
+o+e Accumulators
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | €3.90 |
| Straight Forecast | €4.63 |
| Trifecta | €7.30 |
Selections
SPOTLIGHT:
Better Days AheadRP RATINGS (IRE):
Better Days AheadTOPSPEED:
Better Days AheadPOSTDATA:
Better Days AheadThe Irish Sun:
Better Days Ahead