February 26 / 14.35 Wincanton

14.35

Heavy

Aintree From Afar At Wincanton Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £5413.02
  • 3m 1f 30y
  • Class 4
  • 4 runners
RTV
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Aintree From Afar At Wincanton Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

OUR TIP

Form: 111-4P CD

Last run: 61 days

W: 12st 2lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Ended last season in excellent form on heavy ground in blinkers, winning twice over 3m1f at Wincanton before drawing 6l clear over an extended 3m6f at Exeter; not totally disgraced on reappearance but found the Welsh National much too tough at Christmas, despite starting 14-1; 5lb above his last winning mark but this is a big step back down in class.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

10th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 4f 85y

Class 3

15:40 Taunton

No Hubs No Hoobs

11st 12lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Joe Tizzard

Ended last season in excellent form, completing a hat-trick with clearcut success at Exeter (3m6f, heavy), but made nothing better than a satisfactory reappearance in October and was pulled up in Welsh Grand National on only subsequent appearance; still on a fairly tough mark and needs to get back in the groove.

6/1

16

27th Dec 2024

Soft

3m 6f 130y

Class 1

14:50 Chepstow

No Hubs No Hoobs

10st 2lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Ended last season in excellent form on heavy ground in blinkers, winning twice over 3m1f at Wincanton before drawing 6l clear over an extended 3m6f at Exeter; should have come on markedly since October reappearance and this is only his second run over a marathon trip; could have more to offer, though seemingly the deeper the ground the better it is for him.

16/1

Form: 72-1P1 CD

Last run: 11 days

W: 12st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Won a maiden hurdle on seasonal/stable debut in November; market support when he made jumping errors (pulled up) on chasing debut in December, which was on heavy ground, but he made amends with a 6l win over C&D (made most) on soft 11 days ago; up 5lb but has clear potential.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

3

4th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 125y

Class 3

17:05 Haydock

Saladins Son

11st 11lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Anthony Honeyball

Most consistent since chasing debut, twice making the frame over C&D (good to soft/soft) and again running creditably when a close third of six at Wincanton (3m1f, heavy); hard to knock and should be thereabouts again.

4/1

3rd

1

14th Feb 2026

Heavy

3m 1f 30y

Class 4

16:00 Wincanton

Saladins Son

12st 2lb

J: Ben Godfrey

T: Anthony Honeyball

Won two C&D handicaps (soft/good to soft) early last year and the first leg was in this race; two creditable frame efforts in Class 2 events at Haydock this season and he may have paid the price for getting involved in a duel with a major improver last time; still unexposed over fences and he's an interesting contender on this big drop back in grade.

9/4

1st

4

6th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 1f 30y

Class 3

16:20 Wincanton

Saladins Son

11st 7lb

J: Ben Godfrey

T: Anthony Honeyball

Point and maiden hurdle winner (good to soft) who bounced back from chase debut flop to win by 6l over C&D (soft) last month; a 5lb rise may not stop this unexposed 7yo today.

Evs

Form: 3P-2P3 D

Last run: 11 days

W: 11st 9lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Won two chases last winter (3m/2m7f) and ran creditably on reappearance in November this term; however, there have been two poor performances since and he was 27l adrift of Saladins Son over C&D on latest; well treated if back to his best; possibly best on no worse than soft ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 2f 54y

Class 4

17:05 Chepstow

Enjoy Your Life

11st 11lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

6lb lower than for November's second over 2m3.5f here (good to soft), but beaten 27l and 56l despite making the podium the last twice; enough to prove right now and probably wouldn't want a dryout, either.

14/1

6th

4

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 2f 54y

Class 4

17:05 Chepstow

Enjoy Your Life

11st 11lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

6lb lower than for November's second over 2m3.5f here (good to soft), but beaten 27l and 56l despite making the podium the last twice; enough to prove right now and probably wouldn't want a dryout, either.

14/1

2nd

5

6th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 1f 30y

Class 3

16:20 Wincanton

Enjoy Your Life

11st 2lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Won twice last season and is below his last winning mark; reappeared with encouraging second at Chepstow in November but two lesser runs have followed and he needs to get back on track.

5/1

Form: -32116 C BF

Last run: 19 days

W: 11st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Well beaten here on sole start on heavy (last term); won in December this season over the extended 3m2f at this track (soft) and Taunton (good to soft) and did it with seemingly lots to spare; that sharp improvement was followed by a disappointing show when favourite at Bangor but that was 3m6f and this race is a lot less competitive.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

15

7th Feb 2025

Soft

3m 5f 142y

Class 4

14:12 Bangor-on-Dee

Caeruleum

11st 1lb

J: Harry Kimber

T: Robert Walford

Has found improvement from somewhere to win back-to-back 3m2f handicaps with seemingly lots to spare, on soft and good to soft; raised in grade here and hit with 10lb for last time, but this 7yo looks firmly on the upgrade.

13/2

Verdict

Having dominated a C&D handicap on soft ground 11 days ago, in just his second chase, SALADINS SON (nap) is surely open to further improvement. That may take care of any revival from No Hubs No Hoobs, who pulled up in the Welsh National last time but is nevertheless a respected rival, as is Caeruleum whose hat-trick bid came unstuck in the North Wales National.[Richard Austen]

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Saladins Son

TOPSPEED:

Caeruleum

The Times:

No Hubs No Hoobs

RP RATINGS:

Saladins Son

WEST COUNTRY:

Saladins Son

Telegraph:

Saladins Son

The Guardian:

Saladins Son

Daily Mail:

Saladins Son

D Express:

Saladins Son

Daily Mirror:

Saladins Son

The Star:

Saladins Son

Daily Record:

Saladins Son

POSTDATA:

Caeruleum

The Sun:

No Hubs No Hoobs