February 26 / 13.55 Bangor-on-Dee

13.55

Heavy

Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Novices’ Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £6535.2
  • 2m 1f 77y
  • Class 3
  • 5 runners
SKY
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Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Novices’ Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

Form: 1-1P44 D

Last run: 39 days

W: 10st 9lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 134

Form & Verdict
She was useful in bumpers and over hurdles (Listed winner) but this season has been tough going, admittedly in better races than this; jumped to her right on chase debut over C&D in November; handles heavy ground and could well have more to come over fences.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

16th Apr 2025

Good

2m 0f 179y

Class 3

17:00 Cheltenham

Casa No Mento

12st 0lb

J: Finn Lambert

T: Nigel Twiston-Davies

Odds-on when winning a Bangor novice chase in February; useful hurdler with Listed honours but looks on a tough mark for her first handicap.

11/2

1

16th Apr 2025

Good

2m 0f 179y

Class 3

17:00 Cheltenham

Casa No Mento

12st 0lb

J: Finn Lambert

T: Nigel Twiston-Davies

Odds-on when winning a Bangor novice chase in February; useful hurdler with Listed honours but looks on a tough mark for her first handicap.

11/2

Form: 522U12 BF

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 9lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
On the up since sent over fences, coasting home at Southwell on New Year's Day (2m, soft) before a close second at Chepstow four weeks ago; has a penalty to overcome back in novice company but still likely to go well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

20th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 3

15:05 Warwick

Cabhfuilfungi

11st 7lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Kerry Lee

10yo who returned to form with good second of five at Uttoxeter (2m, soft) four weeks ago; he's never gone beyond an extended 2m1f over fences but won at 2m4f over hurdles; possible player if the trip is okay.

3/1

2nd

3

24th Jan 2026

Soft

1m 7f 214y

Class 3

13:57 Uttoxeter

Cabhfuilfungi

11st 4lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Kerry Lee

Never really got competitive at Haydock last month (race in which Sunnyvilla went close) but is now 2lb lower than when very creditable fifth in competitive Cheltenham handicap (2m, soft) on seasonal debut in November; suited by this track; big player if quickly back on song.

4/1

2nd

1

26th Feb 2025

Heavy

2m 1f 77y

Class 3

13:55 Bangor-on-Dee

Cabhfuilfungi

11st 9lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: Kerry Lee

in touch with leaders, pressed leader 6th

9/4

OUR TIP

Form: 57-7PF

Last run: 9 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Fair winning hurdler but he's completed just one of his three chases and dropping back in trip isn't sure to suit; others look stronger.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

1

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 16y

Class 4

13:40 Chepstow

Ostend

12st 0lb

J: Tom Broughton

T: Alastair Ralph

Needs to improve on his third-place finishes (modest/remote) this term but would be interesting if the ground is good; won off current mark at Market Rasen (2m3f) the last time he raced on such going.

13/2

3rd

2

25th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 4f 72y

Class 4

17:00 Bangor-on-Dee

Ostend

11st 7lb

J: Jack Hogan

T: Alastair Ralph

Won a four-runner chase at Market Rasen (2m3f, good) in March; two lesser runs have come on either side of wind surgery and there are some doubts about him on soft ground.

11/2

3rd

1

2nd Feb 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

13:37 Southwell

Ostend

12st 1lb

J: Toby McCain-Mitchell

T: Alastair Ralph

Pulled up at Perth in April when last seen out, but he ran creditably on his three completed starts last term, winning four-runner chase at Market Rasen (2m3f, good) in March; has since had wind surgery; return to shorter not sure to suit.

12/1

Form: 23

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Point winner in October (3m, yielding); placed in two novice hurdles at Carlisle this winter; connections wasting no time sending him over fences and likely he'll do better in this discipline; needs to if the official handicapper has him right though as he'd be 34lb better off with Casa No Mento in a handicap.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

17th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 0f 110y

Class 3

14:20 Ayr

Throatlash

11st 9lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald McCain

Front-runner; made mistakes and was under pressure when falling three out at Haydock (2m4f, soft) two months ago; however, he was 3-3 in handicap chases (1m7f-2m4f, soft/good to soft) previously and this very lightly raced 7yo may still have more to offer.

11/2

8

14th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 3

13:28 Haydock

Throatlash

11st 3lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

Lightly raced 7yo who hasn't looked back since having wind surgery, readily completing a hat-trick over C&D four weeks ago; up another 5lb but that form has been franked so this sound-jumping front-runner rates a big player.

11/4

1st

2

17th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 203y

Class 4

12:15 Haydock

Throatlash

11st 13lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

3m point winner who made winning handicap debut at Wetherby (1m7f, soft) in November on second chase start and followed up at Aintree (2m, good to soft); this very lightly raced 7yo could be even better now up in trip.

5/2

Form: 1-113P

Last run: 13 days

W: 10st 9lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Won three hurdle races at Uttoxeter last spring; perhaps needed her reappearance back at Uttoxeter last month but her chase debut at Leicester 13 days ago was disappointing, jumping to her left before being pulled up three out (found to be lame afterwards); improvement required on these terms.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

6

24th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 2

15:28 Uttoxeter

Miss Maverick

11st 8lb

J: James Davies

T: Gary Hanmer

C&D winner on this card last year and made it 5-9 here when making all to defeat Sir Galahad by 3l three weeks ago; 6lb rise sees her on a career-high mark but lots to like otherwise.

13/2

1st

5

2nd May 2026

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 3

15:50 Uttoxeter

Miss Maverick

11st 7lb

J: James Davies

T: Gary Hanmer

Four of her five wins over hurdles have been at this track (three over today's distance); must overcome a lengthy absence and is 7lb higher than for her last success but she cannot he dismissed around here.

6/1

2

19th Jul 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 46y

Class 3

14:50 Cartmel

Miss Maverick

11st 12lb

J: Lilly Pinchin

T: Gary Hanmer

Keen-going front-runner; in career-best form this season, winning twice over 2m4f in May before very creditable second in valuable C&D contest last month; effective on good and soft ground; could be hard to catch.

3/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Straight Forecast £3.10

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Casa No Mento

TOPSPEED:

Cabhfuilfungi

RP RATINGS:

Casa No Mento

WEST COUNTRY:

Casa No Mento

The Times:

Casa No Mento

Telegraph:

Casa No Mento

The Guardian:

Casa No Mento

D Express:

Casa No Mento

Daily Mirror:

Casa No Mento

The Star:

Casa No Mento

POSTDATA:

Cabhfuilfungi

Daily Mail:

Cabhfuilfungi

The Sun:

Cabhfuilfungi

Daily Record:

Cabhfuilfungi