March 17 / 16.20 Fontwell

16.20

Good

NJS Group Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £3247.81
  • 3m 1f 210y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
SKY
View Course
NJS Group Handicap Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

5/2 (Won)

  • Win: £3.75
  • Place: £1.80

Form: 8-3232 BF

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 8lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Placed here four consecutive times this season, most recently when runner-up in first-time blinkers three weeks ago (2m5f, heavy); not certain to be suited by today's different trip-and-ground combination but still features prominently in calculations.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

23rd Oct 2025

Good To Soft

3m 1f 210y

Class 5

16:15 Fontwell

Leading Swoop

11st 10lb

J: Harry Kimber

T: Robert Walford

Course regular who kept on well to win by over 5l over C&D (good) in March and won't mind if the ground is much slower today; absent since well-held third behind Ballintara at Plumpton in April, though, and needs to be in peak form to overcome current mark; cheekpieces replace blinkers.

8/1

3rd

1

3rd Apr 2025

Good

3m 1f 152y

Class 5

15:40 Plumpton

Leading Swoop

12st 0lb

J: Harry Kimber

T: Robert Walford

raced in second, niggled along briefly 12th, not fluent 14th

5/6

3rd

1

3rd Apr 2025

Good

3m 1f 152y

Class 5

15:40 Plumpton

Leading Swoop

12st 0lb

J: Harry Kimber

T: Robert Walford

raced in second, niggled along briefly 12th, not fluent 14th, lost position 3 out, left in remote third 2 out, hung left approaching last, weakened run-in

5/6

6/1

  • Place: £2.20

Form: 76P623

Last run: 22 days

W: 10st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 68

Form & Verdict
Placed twice over 2m5f on heavy ground here this season and is effectively on a lower mark from only 1lb out of the handicap today, but others in the line-up look stronger all the same; seems okay on good ground but has stamina to prove over 3m2f.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

8

7th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 210y

Class 5

19:40 Fontwell

Elpologreg

10st 2lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Seamus Mullins

Three places before stopping quickly and pulling up at Newton Abbot (3m2f, heavy; handles that ground) last time and his jumping wasn't the best; not overly appealing from 5lb out of the weights.

10/1

Form: 228426 C BF

Last run: 37 days

W: 12st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Did not fire at Uttoxeter last month and is now 0-5 over fences but his clear second at Catterick (3m1f, good to soft; first-time cheekpieces) two starts ago was a good effort and he'll be suited by the forecast good ground here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

2nd Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 60y

Class 5

16:27 Southwell

Hobbs Delight

11st 0lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Neil Mulholland

Has won twice over hurdles, the second a C&D novice handicap at this meeting in 2024; some fair runs over fences last term, but has yet to find his form this season.

25/1

3rd

2

17th Mar 2025

Good

3m 1f 210y

Class 5

16:20 Fontwell

Hobbs Delight

12st 0lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

Did not fire at Uttoxeter last month and is now 0-5 over fences but his clear second at Catterick (3m1f, good to soft; first-time cheekpieces) two starts ago was a good effort and he'll be suited by the forecast good ground here.

3/1

6th

3

8th Feb 2025

Soft

3m 0f 0y

Class 5

15:58 Uttoxeter

Hobbs Delight

11st 10lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

Sent chasing over 3m+ for last four starts, beaten a nose on first occasion and good second with first-time headgear at Catterick on latest; that requires respect but worse than good to soft ground would be a worry.

4/1

Form: PD2-6P5

Last run: 20 days

W: 11st 2lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 83

Form & Verdict
Former pointer/hunter chaser who has struggled in two slow-ground Leicester handicaps (both 2m4f) since returning last month from a layoff; returning to good ground may aid his cause but he still has a lot to prove.
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

Form: 322U35

Last run: 77 days

W: 11st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 83

Form & Verdict
Ended 2024 with two below-par efforts and is now 0-16 under rules but second twice in the autumn (once over C&D) and returns from 11-week break on a good mark; had another wind op (his second) in January.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

7th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 210y

Class 5

19:40 Fontwell

Getupearly

10st 8lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Winning pointer; 18 defeats under rules equally divided between hurdles and fences; however, accepted the new cheekpieces when runner-up at Huntingdon (2m7f, good) last time and that run offers hope.

4/1

5th

4

7th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 210y

Class 5

19:40 Fontwell

Getupearly

10st 8lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Winning pointer; 18 defeats under rules equally divided between hurdles and fences; however, accepted the new cheekpieces when runner-up at Huntingdon (2m7f, good) last time and that run offers hope.

4/1

2nd

5

11th Apr 2025

Good

2m 7f 129y

Class 5

18:38 Huntingdon

Getupearly

10st 13lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Winning pointer who is 0-17 under rules and 0-8 as a chaser; he does have placed form in this discipline but his last three efforts have been well below his best, the latest after wind surgery; bit risky with cheekpieces turned to.

2/1

Form: U37-P9 D

Last run: 98 days

W: 10st 11lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Regressive 10yo who struggled to get competitive on first two appearance this season (one over C&D on good); tried in first-time cheekpieces on this first start for 98 days; needs to prove some ability remains.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

7

17th Mar 2025

Good

3m 1f 210y

Class 5

16:20 Fontwell

Delgany Monarch

10st 11lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Richard Rowe

Regressive 10yo who struggled to get competitive on first two appearance this season (one over C&D on good); tried in first-time cheekpieces on this first start for 98 days; needs to prove some ability remains.

25/1

Form: 6-7497

Last run: 33 days

W: 11st 1lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Not fully exposed after only eight runs but unplaced all seven hurdling starts before struggling on last month's chasing debut (bled from the nose); leap of faith is required to support him here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

17th Mar 2025

Good

3m 1f 210y

Class 5

16:20 Fontwell

Nordic Storm

11st 1lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Not fully exposed after only eight runs but unplaced all seven hurdling starts before struggling on last month's chasing debut (bled from the nose); leap of faith is required to support him here.

12/1

7th

7

12th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

3m 1f 44y

Class 5

14:18 Hereford

Nordic Storm

10st 10lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

prominent, lost position 4th, slow jump 5th, dropped to last 7th, reminders 10th, tailed off from 3 out (usual 4 out)

16/1

9th

10

18th Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 198y

Class 5

14:05 Taunton

Nordic Storm

10st 9lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Joe Tizzard

Soundly beaten, including in two handicaps over 3m and another over 2m6f; had wind surgery since latest start, with a tongue-tie also now enlisted, and they need to work wonders.

16/1

Non-runners

Heaven Smart

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £14.80
Straight Forecast £14.51
Tricast £38.27
Trifecta £50.90

Selections

WEST COUNTRY:

Leading Swoop

SPOTLIGHT:

Getupearly

The Times:

Hobb's Delight

D Express:

Elpologreg

RP RATINGS:

Heaven Smart

POSTDATA:

Getupearly

The Guardian:

Getupearly

Daily Record:

Hobb's Delight

Telegraph:

Leading Swoop

Daily Mail:

Leading Swoop

Daily Mirror:

Leading Swoop

The Sun:

Leading Swoop

The Star:

Leading Swoop