February 25 / 14.15 Leicester

14.15

Soft

RSA Novices’ Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £4224.8
  • 2m 4f 25y
  • Class 5
  • 5 runners
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RSA Novices’ Handicap Chase

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

9/4 (Won)

  • Win: £5.50
  • Place: £1.90

Form: 384231 D

Last run: 13 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 84

Form & Verdict
Successful at Hereford (2m5f, good to soft) two weeks ago, opening his chase account at the fifth attempt and taking his record in the month of February to 2-2; major contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

26th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 171y

Class 5

15:17 Ludlow

Everyonesacritic

11st 7lb

J: Isabel Williams

T: Evan Williams

Showed career-best form when drawing clear to score by just over 9l at Hereford (2m5f, heavy) a fortnight ago and is now 3-13 over fences; 7lb higher here but this trip-and-ground combination will also suit.

11/4

1st

6

11th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 4f 194y

Class 5

16:00 Hereford

Everyonesacritic

11st 2lb

J: Isabel Williams

T: Evan Williams

Won this (good to soft) last year off 4lb lower, beating Kingcormac (second) and Greenways (pulled up); scored on heavy at Leicester next time and largely consistent since; swaps cheekpieces for a visor and has dipped below that last winning mark; player.

5/1

9/1

  • Place: £2.80

Form: 6-5P4P

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 13lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Bumper winner; achieved nothing last time (3m; handicap/chase debut) but is bred to do better still, being from a family that has served his trainer well; not written off.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

12th Mar 2025

Good

2m 7f 129y

Class 5

12:58 Huntingdon

Dark Mix

11st 12lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Pam Sly

Strong late on when held by under 1l at Leicester last month (2m4f, heavy), settling far better; three flops beforehand so needs to prove able to back up that effort, but looks the part as a chaser (imposing type).

5/1

2nd

1

25th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 4f 25y

Class 5

14:15 Leicester

Dark Mix

11st 13lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Pam Sly

Bumper winner; achieved nothing last time (3m; handicap/chase debut) but is bred to do better still, being from a family that has served his trainer well; not written off.

9/1

1

4th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 191y

Class 5

14:10 Market Rasen

Dark Mix

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Pam Sly

Won his bumper here; has failed to build on an encouraging first run over hurdles but he's bred to make a chaser and this is his first handicap.

7/1

Form: P/2-U4

Last run: 286 days

W: 11st 3lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
Ran creditably in the maiden hunter chase on this card in 2024; unconvincing form otherwise under rules and lacks recent match practice having been absent since last May.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

11th Apr 2025

Good

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

16:00 Fontwell

Fine Investment

11st 9lb

J: Tom Broughton

T: Barry Brennan

prominent, disputed lead with one circuit to go, led narrowly 12th

5/2

3rd

4

11th Apr 2025

Good

2m 3f 104y

Class 5

16:00 Fontwell

Fine Investment

11st 9lb

J: Tom Broughton

T: Barry Brennan

prominent, disputed lead with one circuit to go

5/2

1st

4

28th Mar 2025

Good

2m 5f 135y

Class 5

14:40 Fontwell

Fine Investment

11st 3lb

J: Tom Broughton

T: Barry Brennan

travelled strongly, raced in second, clear with one other 4th, led after 9th, clear 11th

6/1

OUR TIP

Form: 77011 CD

Last run: 12 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
Two from two since switched to chasing and fitted with tongue-tie; recorded the latest success over C&D (soft) and looks open to further improvement in this sphere; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

8

12th Apr 2026

Good

2m 7f 177y

Class 5

16:50 Ffos Las

River Run Free

10st 13lb

J: Rian Corcoran

T: David Pipe

Regained the winning thread at Leicester (2m6f) in January but back on the regress since, having performed below market expectations at Ffos Las (only third of four finishers) and Leicester (ran dismally).

10/1

2

6th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 4f 25y

Class 5

15:00 Leicester

River Run Free

11st 10lb

J: Rian Corcoran

T: David Pipe

Added a second course win when back on track in cheekpieces over 2m6f (good to soft) in January but, while running creditably off 5lb higher, failed to quite match that level when third at Ffos Las (3m, heavy) last month; respected back at this venue on better ground; now tried in blinkers, with Rian Corcoran's claim a plus.

9/4

3rd

3

20th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 177y

Class 5

13:52 Ffos Las

River Run Free

11st 8lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: David Pipe

Chase career started well with two wins (2m4f; heavy/soft) and got it back on track when making it 2-3 at Leicester a month ago, winning by 2.5l (2m6f, good to soft); has form claims off 5lb higher but some concerns that he pulled up on previous visit here.

6/4

Form: /PD2-6P

Last run: 12 days

W: 11st 5lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
Pulled up in the C&D contest won by River Run Free, taking rules record to 0-15; removal of usual hood needs to make a big difference.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

11

28th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 5

16:00 Worcester

Ultra Viers

10st 5lb

J: Harry Bannister

T: Phillippa Taylor

Longstanding maiden who has been struggling over fences and he's out of the weights here.

50/1

5th

10

2nd May 2026

Good

3m 0f 10y

Class 5

15:10 Uttoxeter

Ultra Viers

10st 5lb

J: James Davies

T: Phillippa Taylor

Quite well handicapped on last spring's form but was well beaten when back on good ground at Hereford in March and is now 0-24 under rules.

16/1

6th

8

25th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 194y

Class 5

14:30 Hereford

Ultra Viers

10st 2lb

J: Luke Scott

T: Phillippa Taylor

Didn't run badly when last of four finishers at Leicester (2m4f, good to soft; just behind Jack Doyen) this month, after a break, and will be suited by this forecast good ground but he's 0-23 under rules and remains difficult to enthuse over.

8/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £31.30
Straight Forecast £33.70
Trifecta £102.50

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

River Run Free

RP RATINGS:

River Run Free

POSTDATA:

River Run Free

WEST COUNTRY:

River Run Free

The Times:

River Run Free

Telegraph:

River Run Free

The Guardian:

River Run Free

Daily Mail:

River Run Free

D Express:

River Run Free

Daily Mirror:

River Run Free

The Sun:

River Run Free

The Star:

River Run Free

Daily Record:

River Run Free