April 23 / 16.40 Ludlow

16.40

Good

Rees Jones,1619 Open Hunters’ Chase

  • Prize money: £3387.78
  • 2m 7f 171y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
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Rees Jones,1619 Open Hunters’ Chase

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hunter Chase

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

11/2 (Won)

  • Win: £3.75
  • Place: £1.80

Form: /2-3P4

Last run: 51 days

W: 11st 12lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
Ran well on sole visit here; made a respectable return to action in December after 581 days off but pulled up next time and fair fourth at Southwell early last month would surely not be good enough.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

1st May 2026

Good

4m 0f 218y

Class 4

19:25 Warwick

Jefferys Cross

12st 4lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Beaten under 1l in this race last year (Myth Buster pulled up); won't mind the move from Cheltenham given his strong body of work around sharp tracks (including 2-2 in hurdles races here, albeit losing one for interference), and nice break since hard-fought Newbury win; ground fine.

Evs

1st

3

20th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 91y

Class 5

17:16 Newbury

Jefferys Cross

12st 6lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Has a solid record in hunter chases and he chased home last week's Cheltenham hero Barton Snow (did win by 12l) before making light work of Java Point at Southwell (3m, soft; cheekpieces returned); in the mix.

9/2

1st

4

2nd Mar 2026

Heavy

3m 0f 60y

Class 5

15:15 Southwell

Jefferys Cross

12st 2lb

J: Mr Sean O’Connor

T: Dan Skelton

Consistent sort whose record in hunter chases (3m-4m) reads 1232; beaten by main market rival at Ludlow returned to this sphere last time (treated for post-race ataxia); solid and leading claims.

5/4

10/1

  • Place: £3.70

Form: -727U6 C

Last run: 51 days

W: 11st 12lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Unseated here in February on hunter chase debut and soundly beaten at Southwell four weeks later; plenty to prove after that, even though he was second of 18 in a Cheltenham handicap (3m1f, good) in October; ridden last four starts by Archie Jones.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

1

11th Sep 2025

Good

3m 0f 10y

Class 4

17:35 Uttoxeter

Jimmy The Digger

12st 0lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Henry Daly

Has dropped a long way down the weights for good reason and struggles with his consistency these days; too risky.

16/1

1

7th Jul 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

14:42 Worcester

Jimmy The Digger

11st 11lb

J: Alice Stevens

T: Henry Daly

Rated higher in the past but not as good as he was and couldn't make the most of a soft lead in a small field at Southwell (3m, good).

20/1

3rd

3

3rd Jun 2025

Good

3m 0f 60y

Class 4

15:00 Southwell

Jimmy The Digger

11st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Henry Daly

Kept on well for second in Ludlow hunter chase (3m, good to soft) in April and will be suited by the forecast good ground here but this veteran is no longer the force of old and has become inconsistent.

11/2

Form: /PPP7- D

Last run: 396 days

W: 11st 12lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Career highlight when winning the Becher Chase at Aintree (3m2f, good to soft) in December 2022; pulled up four times in a row in good handicaps before tailing off last March on final outing for Dan Skelton; wore cheekpieces last two starts and has them today; hard to beat on his old form and the betting moves should give clues about what remains.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

8

26th Oct 2025

Good

3m 0f 210y

Class 2

13:50 Aintree

Ashtown Lad

10st 2lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: David O’Meara

Following a 70-day break he exploited a much-reduced mark at Kelso (3m2f, good) three weeks ago on his fourth start for this yard; versatile ground-wise; from out of the handicap today he's running off 5lb higher than last time, in a much hotter race, but he remains very well treated on old form.

9/1

7th

10

27th Jul 2025

Good

3m 2f 13y

Class 2

15:07 Uttoxeter

Ashtown Lad

10st 8lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: David O’Meara

Lost his way for the Skeltons and troubles have continued for his new yard; did endure a slipping saddle here last time but now into the twilight of his career.

50/1

15

29th Jun 2025

Good

3m 2f 13y

Class 2

14:00 Uttoxeter

Ashtown Lad

10st 2lb

J: Lewis Saunders

T: David O’Meara

Lost his way for the Skeltons and troubles continued when tailed off at Stratford last month; limited appeal from 9lb out of the weights.

33/1

Form: -110PP

Last run: 20 days

W: 12st 6lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 131

Form & Verdict
It's possible to forgive his last two races, as 2m at Leicester was too short and Aintree was always going to be a stiff task; a return to career-best form last April-June when winning two hunter chases and a handicap (2m4f-2m6f) would make this look manageable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

25th Aug 2025

Good

2m 5f 34y

Class 3

16:43 Cartmel

Yccs Portocervo

12st 0lb

J: Miss Ellie Holder

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Potentially well handicapped but had been hunter chasing before pulling up on his return to handicaps at Market Rasen.

12/1

4

6th Jul 2025

Good

2m 5f 89y

Class 3

16:20 Market Rasen

Yccs Portocervo

11st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

C&D winner last summer off 4lb higher and ran to a fair level when runner-up in a hunter chase in May; likely to run well.

11/2

1

28th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 216y

Class 5

16:48 Newton Abbot

Yccs Portocervo

12st 8lb

J: Miss Ellie Holder

T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole

Won this last season on soft ground; this year's two non-completions came over a trip too short and over the National fences at Aintree; got back on track with a respectable fourth at Ludlow; should go well.

7/4

OUR TIP

Form: 9-P112 CD

Last run: 22 days

W: 12st 6lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Won small-field hunter chases on good ground at Catterick (3m1f) and Ludlow (2m4f) last month; lost out to only the odds-on favourite at Kempton (2m4f, good) three weeks ago and, although the scale of his defeat was a bit worrying, his good record here (won the last three of his four visits) bolsters his chance today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

30th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 205y

Class 4

20:10 Stratford

Captain Tommy

11st 11lb

J: Mr Huw Edwards

T: Fred Timmis

About 6l and 2l too good for Presentandcounting at Catterick (3m1f, good) and Walkin Out at Ludlow (2m4f, good) respectively back in March, but two subdued efforts when as much in his favour since to forgive.

5/1

4th

4

30th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 205y

Class 4

20:10 Stratford

Captain Tommy

11st 11lb

J: Mr Huw Edwards

T: Fred Timmis

About 6l and 2l too good for Presentandcounting at Catterick (3m1f, good) and Walkin Out at Ludlow (2m4f, good) respectively back in March, but two subdued efforts when as much in his favour since to forgive.

5/1

5th

1

23rd Apr 2025

Good

2m 7f 171y

Class 4

16:40 Ludlow

Captain Tommy

12st 6lb

J: Mr Henry Crow

T: Fred Timmis

Won small-field hunter chases on good ground at Catterick (3m1f) and Ludlow (2m4f) last month; lost out to only the odds-on favourite at Kempton (2m4f, good) three weeks ago and, although the scale of his defeat was a bit worrying, his good record here (won the last three of his four visits) bolsters his chance today.

9/4

Form: 13-32P D

Last run: 40 days

W: 12st 2lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Dual point winner who took a 3m Southwell hunter chase last March to kick off a solid sequence, including second at Taunton this February; no show on latest start, not surprisingly given it was at Cheltenham (66-1) but others have the edge on form in this line-up.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

7

17th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 54y

Class 5

17:13 Exeter

Havent Time

12st 2lb

J: Miss Lucy Turner

T: Miss S McQueen

No threat to easy winner when second at Taunton (2m7f, heavy) last month but that was still a pretty good effort and he'll probably be better suited by the less testing ground here; a possible.

14/1

2nd

2

12th Feb 2026

Heavy

2m 7f 3y

Class 5

16:00 Taunton

Havent Time

12st 2lb

J: Miss Lucy Turner

T: Miss S McQueen

Won hunter chase at Southwell (3m, soft) in March 2024 and runner-up in this race last February (good to soft); this 12yo was no match for Golden Son when fourth at Warwick (3m, good to soft) three weeks ago; could improve for that reappearance outing but others still make greater appeal.

33/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £23.80
Straight Forecast £27.67
Trifecta £107.60

Selections

POSTDATA:

Captain Tommy

SPOTLIGHT:

Yccs Portocervo

RP RATINGS:

Jeffery's Cross

Telegraph:

Ashtown Lad

The Sun:

Jeffery's Cross

D Express:

Ashtown Lad

The Times:

Yccs Portocervo

Daily Mail:

Yccs Portocervo

The Guardian:

Captain Tommy

Daily Mirror:

Captain Tommy

The Star:

Captain Tommy

Daily Record:

Captain Tommy