February 15 / 14.05 Haydock

14.05

Good To Soft

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

  • Prize money: £10562
  • 2m 3f 203y
  • Class 3
  • 6 runners
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Unibet Middle Distance Chase Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Series Qualifier)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

8/1 (Won)

  • Win: £17.00
  • Place: £4.70

Form: 54212- D

Last run: 322 days

W: 11st 6lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Ended last season with a win at Ayr (2m4f, good) then a creditable second over C&D (soft) in the final of this series; could be in the mix on this first run since if he's fully tuned up, but that's the big question.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

17th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 2

15:30 Ayr

Dubai Days

10st 6lb

J: Bruce Lynn

T: N W Alexander

Won over C&D (soft) in February before respectable sixth of 17 in veterans' final at Haydock (2m4f, good) a fortnight ago; 11 visits to Ayr have yielded five wins and this is his time of year; could go well.

16/1

6th

14

4th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 2

15:20 Haydock

Dubai Days

10st 11lb

J: Bruce Lynn

T: N W Alexander

His last six wins have come in the months of February, March or April and he returned to form to win at Ayr (2m4f, soft) 40 days ago; runner-up in this race two years ago (soft) and won over C&D (good to soft) last February; that latest win reads well and a 4lb rise isn't harsh; possible player.

12/1

1st

1

23rd Feb 2026

Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 4

15:00 Ayr

Dubai Days

12st 2lb

J: Bruce Lynn

T: N W Alexander

12yo who hasn't been at the top of his game on either outing this term and was tailed off at Aintree most recently; however, this is the stage of the season when he tends to come good and he's 2lb lower than when scoring at Haydock last February; has won here four times, and on various ground.

6/1

OUR TIP

Form: 20-443 D

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 9lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Front-runner who hasn't been at his best this term and was a 12l third behind two of these at Market Rasen (2m5f, good to soft) last time; however, he deserves credit for that performance having set a strong pace and he continues to drop down the weights; every chance he'll make a bold bid.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

15th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 3

14:05 Haydock

The Edgar Wallace

11st 9lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls

Front-runner who hasn't been at his best this term and was a 12l third behind two of these at Market Rasen (2m5f, good to soft) last time; however, he deserves credit for that performance having set a strong pace and he continues to drop down the weights; every chance he'll make a bold bid.

7/1

3rd

7

17th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 89y

Class 2

13:25 Market Rasen

The Edgar Wallace

11st 1lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls

Front-runner; well handicapped on some of last season's form but failed to build upon his satisfactory reappearance run when well held at Newbury last month; needs to get back in the groove.

10/1

3rd

7

17th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 89y

Class 2

13:25 Market Rasen

The Edgar Wallace

11st 1lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls

set good pace, led, hit 7th, headed 3 out, soon lost second, kept on

10/1

Form: 11P321 D

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 7lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Won two in a row in October (2m4f, good/good to soft) and finished second over C&D (soft) in December before winning by just over 3l from Nocte Volatus at Market Rasen (2m5f, good to soft) last month; 5lb higher today but clearly thriving and could play another leading role.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

1

15th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 200y

Class 3

17:45 Aintree

The Flier Begley

11st 12lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Gary Hanmer

Well beaten at Haydock last time (behind Genois) in a race he won the previous season; now below par in his last three chases and belatedly tries cheekpieces at the age of 11.

10/1

8th

8

4th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 2

15:20 Haydock

The Flier Begley

11st 3lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Gary Hanmer

Won this last year (good) and followed up at Market Rasen (2m5f, good) in June off a mark 1lb higher than today's; pulled up/tailed off over fences on next two starts but his recent outing over hurdles was fairly encouraging and he could build on that now back chasing.

10/1

2nd

4

24th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 88y

Class 4

16:00 Southwell

The Flier Begley

11st 5lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Gary Hanmer

Six-time chase winner who won last summer but twice disappointed since; he's 0-8 as a hurdler but ability needs respecting when there's no depth to this race.

2/1

Form: 6-1122 D BF

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 12lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
He won his first two races this season (2m5f/2m3f, soft/good to soft) and has been a good second the last twice, most recently behind The Flier Begley at Market Rasen (2m5f, good to soft); he's 4lb better off with the winner for just over 3l and is firmly in calculations.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

4

14th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 185y

Class 1

15:00 Ascot

Nocte Volatus

10st 11lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Tom Lacey

Justified favouritism in the 2025 Stayers' Veterans' Chase Final at Sandown (good) most recently, taking record over 3m to 2-3; in top form aged 11 and still unexposed at this distance.

13/2

Form: 11-533 D

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 4lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Completed a Wetherby double (2m3f, soft) last February and he's back down to his last winning mark; hasn't hit the same heights this season but ran okay when third at Wetherby (2m3f, soft) last month and he now contests his first veterans' chase; could be involved.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11

19th Apr 2025

Soft

2m 4f 216y

Class 3

16:19 Newton Abbot

Eaton Collina

11st 1lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Kerry Lee

headed after 3rd, led, not fluent 4th, soon lost ground, in rear when weakened after 10th

8/1

11

19th Apr 2025

Soft

2m 4f 216y

Class 3

16:19 Newton Abbot

Eaton Collina

11st 1lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Kerry Lee

headed after 3rd, led, not fluent 4th, soon lost ground, in rear when weakened after 10th

8/1

5th

5

15th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 3

14:05 Haydock

Eaton Collina

11st 4lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: Kerry Lee

Completed a Wetherby double (2m3f, soft) last February and he's back down to his last winning mark; hasn't hit the same heights this season but ran okay when third at Wetherby (2m3f, soft) last month and he now contests his first veterans' chase; could be involved.

7/2

Form: -98042 D

Last run: 7 days

W: 11st 2lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
No match for the winner when second at Warwick (2m4f, soft) last Saturday but that still represented a welcome return to form; another 2lb lower today and he's a possible player in reapplied cheekpieces (albeit they didn't have an obviously positive impact when worn once previously).
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

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £76.50
Straight Forecast £106.75
Trifecta £385.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

The Flier Begley

Telegraph:

Whistleinthedark

TOPSPEED:

Eaton Collina

RP RATINGS:

The Edgar Wallace

POSTDATA:

Nocte Volatus

Daily Mail:

Whistleinthedark

D Express:

Whistleinthedark

The Guardian:

Eaton Collina

The Star:

The Edgar Wallace

The Times:

Nocte Volatus

Daily Mirror:

The Flier Begley

The Sun:

The Flier Begley

Daily Record:

The Flier Begley