March 17 / 14.55 Southwell

14.55

Good

Download The At The Races App Novices’ Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £3247.81
  • 1m 7f 182y
  • Class 5
  • 5 runners
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Download The At The Races App Novices’ Handicap Chase

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

6/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.25
  • Place: £1.20

Form: 5-4631 CD

Last run: 14 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Ex-Mark Walford; having dropped to a good mark, got off the mark on 20th start over jumps when winning by 2.25l over C&D on stable debut two weeks ago (good to soft; Chestnut Pete last of six); 5lb higher here but should go well again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

2nd Jun 2026

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

17:00 Southwell

Harel Du Marais

11st 5lb

J: James Bowen

T: Charles & Adam Pogson

Resumed winning ways over fences at Stratford (2m1f) in March but below par both runs since, beating just one in 2m4f Warwick handicap chase last month; needs to take a big step forward back in this sphere.

14/1

7th

3

4th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

16:25 Warwick

Harel Du Marais

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Charles & Adam Pogson

Landed his fourth win over fences at Stratford in March (2m1f, soft) but his Huntingdon third was remote and some inconsistency has crept in.

10/1

3rd

4

4th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 104y

Class 4

17:25 Huntingdon

Harel Du Marais

11st 6lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Charles & Adam Pogson

Back to his best after a three-month break when landing his fourth win over fences at Stratford (2m1f, soft) last month; up 5lb but recorded back-to-back victories around this time last year so not to be taken lightly.

5/2

7/2

  • Place: £2.50

Form: 4413P4 CD

Last run: 11 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Won a four-runner race over C&D on good ground in November (Eric Carmen a tailed-off third); hasn't done as well on softer going since; could bounce back on this better ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

29th Jun 2025

Soft

2m 1f 61y

Class 5

17:40 Cartmel

Jolyjump

11st 10lb

J: Nathan Moscrop

T: R Mike Smith

Winning hurdler/chaser for the Moores and still fairly treated on his runner-up efforts at Southwell (2m, good to soft) and Plumpton (2m1f, good) in the spring; picked up for £16,000 last month and shortlisted on stable debut, especially if market positive.

6/1

4th

7

13th May 2025

Good

2m 0f 110y

Class 4

14:30 Worcester

Jolyjump

10st 12lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Gary & Josh Moore

1-7 over fences and not the easiest to predict; still ran well last time at Plumpton (2m1f, good; first-time cheekpieces) where his jumping got ragged late on; hard to rule out.

3/1

OUR TIP

Form: 222-96

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 96

Form & Verdict
Ex-Sophie Leech: yet to win in 16 starts over jumps and finished a long way behind Harel Du Marais over C&D last time (good to soft); bit to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

25th Mar 2026

Good

2m 0f 8y

Class 5

15:00 Hereford

Chestnut Pete

12st 0lb

J: Shane Quinlan

T: Katy Price

Reliable veteran who was in good form when last seen, finishing third on his last three runs; won this off 1lb lower last year and he's worth considering back from a break.

5/2

4

8th Oct 2025

Good To Firm

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

16:40 Ludlow

Chestnut Pete

11st 3lb

J: Shane Quinlan

T: Katy Price

Just one win from 24 starts but that was by 11l over fences at Hereford (2m, good) in March and he ran into a handicap blot there in final run in the spring; looks interesting off 3lb lower on his return and his win was under Shane Quinlan.

11/4

Form: 774342

Last run: 32 days

W: 10st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
Yet to win a race but sound effort when runner-up on chase debut at Leicester last time (2m, soft) when Harel Du Marais (same terms) was 13l back in third; effective on good ground; a contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

1st Jul 2026

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

13:20 Worcester

Gwennie May Jem

11st 3lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Christian Williams

Three chase wins since April 2025, at 2m and 2m4f, but he was pulled up in two of his last three starts for Olly Murphy and has a stamina query over the new trip on first run since January.

20/1

3

30th Jan 2026

Heavy

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:35 Ffos Las

Gwennie May Jem

11st 11lb

J: Lewis Saunders

T: Olly Murphy

Proved hugely resurgent with easy win at Lingfield (2m4f, soft) last week on third start for new stable, taking chase record to 3-10; well handicapped under a penalty that is partly offset by Lewis Saunders taking off 3lb; future mark 4lb higher; respected.

11/10

Form: 2P4316 C

Last run: 14 days

W: 10st 6lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Well behind Jolyjump over C&D in November (good); won in testing ground at Bangor two runs ago (heavy); not so good last time and this better ground is a concern.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

13th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 28y

Class 5

16:30 Hexham

Eric Carmen

10st 13lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Gary Hanmer

In cracking form this season, with three wins and a second, until however he went down by 25l at Bangor (good) on latest start; maybe the ground that day was not soft enough; major player if bouncing straight back.

13/2

6th

10

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 123y

Class 5

16:30 Bangor-on-Dee

Eric Carmen

10st 12lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Gary Hanmer

A lot more exposed than many in here but he's been in cracking form since returning from an absence and his defeat at Leicester was no backward step (2m4f, good to soft); firmly in the mix.

3/1

2nd

3

6th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 4f 25y

Class 5

15:00 Leicester

Eric Carmen

11st 9lb

J: Benjamin Macey

T: Gary Hanmer

Has thrived since returning from a break in December, winning two of his three runs over hurdles before adding a third win of the season reverting to fences at Market Rasen (2m3f, soft) last month, each time under Benjamin Macey; he's up 4lb for last time but is very much a leading contender in current form.

5/4

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £7.10
Straight Forecast £7.99
Trifecta £46.80

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Harel Du Marais

SPOTLIGHT:

Jolyjump

The Times:

Jolyjump

POSTDATA:

Harel Du Marais

Telegraph:

Harel Du Marais

The Guardian:

Harel Du Marais

Daily Mail:

Harel Du Marais

D Express:

Harel Du Marais

Daily Mirror:

Harel Du Marais

The Sun:

Harel Du Marais

The Star:

Harel Du Marais

Daily Record:

Harel Du Marais