April 13 / 16.28 Stratford

16.28

Good

Racing TV Open Hunters’ Chase

  • Prize money: £2361.18
  • 2m 6f 125y
  • Class 5
  • 5 runners
RTV
View Course
Racing TV Open Hunters’ Chase

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hunter Chase

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

Evs (Won)

  • Win: £1.91
  • Place: £1.20

Form: 0/334P

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 10lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Very smart at his best under rules, still pretty useful over hurdles last year and a dual point winner this winter; best known as a front-runner, so not being able to get near the head of affairs may help to explain things when he was pulled up after only one circuit in the big Cheltenham hunter chase (20-1) one month ago; he should go well today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

13th Apr 2025

Good

2m 6f 125y

Class 5

16:28 Stratford

Allmankind

11st 10lb

J: Mr Alex Chadwick

T: Mrs J Owen

led, awkward jump and briefly headed 5th, headed 12th, pressed leader 4 out

Evs

1st

2

13th Apr 2025

Good

2m 6f 125y

Class 5

16:28 Stratford

Allmankind

11st 10lb

J: Mr Alex Chadwick

T: Mrs J Owen

led, awkward jump and briefly headed 5th

Evs

1

14th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 2f 70y

Class 2

16:40 Cheltenham

Allmankind

12st 0lb

J: Mr Alex Chadwick

T: Mrs J Owen

In the same colours when third in the 2020 Triumph and fourth in the following year's Arkle; rediscovered some form back over hurdles last year for James Owen and has gone on to win two small-field 3m points, beating What A Glance by 3l in the penultimate one; he likes to crack on up front and his stamina could be stretched over this extra yardage; proven in this headgear combination.

14/1

2/1

  • Place: £1.30

Form: PP-3P2 D

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 10lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Useful handicap chaser for James Ewart before long absences stalled his progress; back to winning ways in points this year and beaten a nose in five-runner hunter chase at Newbury (2m7f) three weeks ago, so he should have a serious chance in this line-up.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

1st May 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

20:00 Warwick

Empire De Maulde

11st 12lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: R W Varnham

Victory in a Parham open match last weekend took his score in points to 5-8; diminishing returns in hunter chases, and well held behind Arthur's Sixpence at Newbury in March (3m, good to soft), albeit on going which wouldn't have suited as well as tonight's projected good.

14/1

7th

6

20th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 91y

Class 5

17:16 Newbury

Empire De Maulde

11st 12lb

J: Mr Darren Andrews

T: R W Varnham

Pulled up in the same point last month in which Arthur's Sixpence suffered the same fate; that muddies the waters but did well in points and hunter chases last year, including a near-miss in this race.

14/1

Form: 14/4-2

Last run: 317 days

W: 11st 10lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Sole win under rules was in 2021; kept almost exclusively to point-to-points since, winning four of 12 and runner-up in his last two outings; also second of five in a C&D hunter chase last May but he probably needs better to win this.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

1st May 2026

Good

3m 1f 100y

Class 4

18:15 Warwick

Imperial Esprit

12st 1lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: R W Varnham

Exposed, but also placed in hunter chases on last three visits to Stratford (all sub-3m) and notably a winner during May in each of the previous three years; respected, for all that there's not huge substance to some of this spring's successes (two conditions events and a walkover).

9/4

3rd

3

30th May 2025

Good

2m 6f 125y

Class 3

18:25 Stratford

Imperial Esprit

11st 7lb

J: Miss Amber Jackson-Fennell

T: R W Varnham

Gave very good account when second to Famous Clermont in this race in 2024 and also ran well when third over C&D (again on good) last month; returns here after a recent point success; can make his presence felt.

13/2

3rd

3

30th May 2025

Good

2m 6f 125y

Class 3

18:25 Stratford

Imperial Esprit

11st 7lb

J: Miss Amber Jackson-Fennell

T: R W Varnham

Gave very good account when second to Famous Clermont in this race in 2024 and also ran well when third over C&D (again on good) last month; returns here after a recent point success; can make his presence felt.

13/2

Form: 33-365

Last run: 24 days

W: 11st 10lb

13 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Third of six in this race last year and also third at Cheltenham last May; lesser efforts both starts since, perhaps needing the latest after ten months off but he's now 13 and his losing spell goes back to April 2022.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

10

2nd May 2025

Good

2m 4f 127y

Class 5

20:05 Cheltenham

Solomon Grey

11st 12lb

J: Miss Ellie Holder

T: Miss V Collins

pressed leader, prominent from 2nd, lost position after 7th, outpaced from 3 out

40/1

7th

10

2nd May 2025

Good

2m 4f 127y

Class 5

20:05 Cheltenham

Solomon Grey

11st 12lb

J: Miss Ellie Holder

T: Miss V Collins

pressed leader, prominent from 2nd, lost position after 7th, outpaced from 3 out

40/1

4th

5

13th Apr 2025

Good

2m 6f 125y

Class 5

16:28 Stratford

Solomon Grey

11st 10lb

J: Miss Ellie Holder

T: Miss V Collins

prominent, briefly led 5th, lost position 10th

33/1

OUR TIP

Form: 1P510U D

Last run: 10 days

W: 12st 4lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
Won a point and a Fakenham hunter chase in February; found it tough at big odds in the top hunter chases at Cheltenham and Aintree but this task is much more realistic.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

4th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 171y

Class 4

16:42 Ludlow

Bardenstown Lad

12st 6lb

J: Mr Darren Andrews

T: Warwick Ryan-Beswick

Won a point and a Fakenham hunter chase about this time last year before predictably struggling at lengthy odds in the feature hunter chases at Cheltenham and Aintree; badly let down by his jumping in calmer waters afterwards and this 11yo now has much to prove.

16/1

1

14th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

17:05 Newton Abbot

Bardenstown Lad

12st 8lb

J: Mr Edward Vaughan

T: David Loughnane

Won a point and a Fakenham hunter chase in February before making no impact in the big hunter chases at Cheltenham and Aintree (behind when unseating); found no fluency and was well held when falling at Stratford (2m6f, good); comes with risks on the back of that effort but this is a modest contest.

4/6

1

14th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 5

17:05 Newton Abbot

Bardenstown Lad

12st 8lb

J: Mr Edward Vaughan

T: David Loughnane

Won a point and a Fakenham hunter chase in February before making no impact in the big hunter chases at Cheltenham and Aintree (behind when unseating); found no fluency and was well held when falling at Stratford (2m6f, good); comes with risks on the back of that effort but this is a modest contest.

4/6

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £3.50
Straight Forecast £3.41
Trifecta £7.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Allmankind

POSTDATA:

Bardenstown Lad

TOPSPEED:

Imperial Esprit

The Times:

Empire De Maulde

The Sun:

Bardenstown Lad

RP RATINGS:

Allmankind

Telegraph:

Allmankind

D Express:

Allmankind

Daily Mirror:

Allmankind

The Star:

Allmankind

Daily Record:

Allmankind