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

2nd

7

19th Jun 2026

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 3

15:55 Market Rasen

Ostend

10st 2lb

J: Shane Fenelon

T: Mickey Bowen

Off the mark over fences at this track (2m3f, good) in March 2025 for Alastair Ralph but has been below that form in four runs since; sold for £4,000 to join current yard last month and is well handicapped if he can put his best foot forward on his stable debut.

13/2

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

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

1st

3

10th Jul 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

18:41 Worcester

Miss Maverick

10st 9lb

J: James Davies

T: Gary Hanmer

Last five wins have all been gained over 2m4f, but three defeats since May's latest Uttoxeter success (her fifth there) have taken her score to 0-4 racing off marks in the 120s; rivalry for early lead.

9/1

3rd

5

28th Jun 2026

Good

2m 1f 46y

Class 2

15:37 Cartmel

Miss Maverick

11st 3lb

J: James Davies

T: Gary Hanmer

6-16 over hurdles, her latest success being at Uttoxeter in May (2m4f, good); one of her best runs was when 2l second to Fiveonefive in this race last year, but she is now 6lb worse off with the winner.

20/1

4th

1

13th Jun 2026

Good

2m 4f 28y

Class 3

15:40 Hexham

Miss Maverick

12st 0lb

J: James Davies

T: Gary Hanmer

Only win away from Uttoxeter came over today's C&D in May 2025, and she was a good third in this race soon after (split Johnson's Blue and Well Educated) despite pulling; well held off career-high mark latest.

9/1

+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