February 23 / 14.00 Fontwell

14.00

Soft

Star Sports We Believe In Bookmaking EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle (Qualifier) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £4901.4
  • 2m 1f 162y
  • Class 4
  • 4 runners
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Star Sports We Believe In Bookmaking EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle (Qualifier) (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

Form: 32532 BF

Last run: 82 days

W: 10st 4lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Unable to win any of his five starts in France but wasn't far away over hurdles or fences; a hard horse to assess but he's joined a respected yard and receives plenty of weight from the opposition; market may offer clues.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

8

27th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 104y

Class 2

16:30 Fontwell

Le Galli Bier

10st 2lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Twelve defeats divided equally between hurdles and fences; hasn't been finding masses in the finishes of his races and he's 2lb wrong.

10/1

Form: 16

Last run: 125 days

W: 11st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Won a modest Roscommon maiden hurdle (good) on rules debut in June but it was an underwhelming British debut at Plumpton (good to soft); has the least compelling claims of these.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

14th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

18:40 Fontwell

Lord Maher

11st 3lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Karen Jewell

Not beaten far at Market Rasen in July (first-time visor) and he was keeping on in second when brought down at the last here (2m2f, good to soft) in October; heavy defeat when last seen in December but it's still fairly early days and he's not dismissed on this return.

20/1

4

23rd Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 165y

Class 5

14:45 Fontwell

Lord Maher

10st 10lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Karen Jewell

0-4 over fences but posted a couple of respectable efforts in new visor this summer (2m1f/2m) and ran considerably better than eventual 31l defeat suggests at Stratford (2m3f, good) this month; drops back in trip here; place claims.

6/1

Form: 61

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
For one having only his second start he did well to beat respected opposition at Wincanton (1m7f, heavy) and he's fully entitled to improve again; hard to know how good he might be.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

22th

6

30th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 7f 110y

16:15 Punchestown

Champagne Chic

10st 11lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Jeremy Scott

The last of his three wins in UK came in a Haydock Pertemps qualifier in February; ran respectably in the final of that series at Cheltenham but has to do more to score today.

14/1

12th

18

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 213y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Champagne Chic

10st 7lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Jeremy Scott

Made debut in January last year and has won three of eight starts, including over about 3m at Wincanton (heavy) and Haydock (good to soft) on last two; 7lb rise since latest demands better still but he keeps finding for pressure and ended up just over 5l ahead last time, stretching on further from Minella Emperor on the run-in; better still could easily be on its way.

20/1

1st

11

14th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 58y

Class 2

15:50 Haydock

Champagne Chic

10st 12lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Jeremy Scott

Has improved for the step up to about 3m and cheekpieces this season, building on his Chepstow second when going one better at Wincanton (heavy) last month; pulled clear with a progressive sort and a 6lb rise may underestimate this low-mileage 6yo.

7/1

OUR TIP

Form: 1-1621 CD

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Irish bumper winner whose only setback in Britain came when failing to give his running at Aintree in November; carries a double penalty but it was very straightforward over C&D four weeks ago (soft) and he's looking above average.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

3rd Mar 2024

Soft To Heavy

2m 0f 0y

17:07 Leopardstown

Glynn Brae

11st 3lb

J: Mr S Connor

T: S R B Crawford

Sixth foal; brother to point winner Calli Black, half-brother to 2m hurdle winner Earth Company; dam bumper winner, sister to 2m6f/3m1f jump winner Cogryhill, half-sister to useful jumpers Duhallow Gesture and Me And Ben; sales price doubled from yearling to three-year-old; bred to stay well and could play a hand.

8/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £4.40
Straight Forecast £5.42
Trifecta £29.00

Selections

The Times:

Champagne Chic

SPOTLIGHT:

Glynn Brae

Telegraph:

Champagne Chic

The Sun:

Champagne Chic

The Star:

Champagne Chic

Daily Record:

Champagne Chic

RP RATINGS:

Glynn Brae

POSTDATA:

Glynn Brae

D Express:

Glynn Brae

Daily Mirror:

Glynn Brae