July 26 / 16.20 Chester

16.20

Good

Halliwell Jones Handicap (Div II)

  • Prize money: £7731
  • 0m 5f 15y
  • Class 5
  • 8 runners
SKY
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Halliwell Jones Handicap (Div II)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

9/2 (Won)

  • Win: £8.20
  • Place: £2.30

Form: 1-2073 D

Last run: 14 days

W: 9st 9lb

3 yo Gelding

OR: 71

Form & Verdict
Ended his 2yo campaign with a win in small-field maiden at Brighton (5.3f, good to firm); mixed results in four handicaps this season but he had a near-miss at Doncaster in April and was a creditable third behind Maharajas Express over C&D two weeks ago; has a 5lb swing in the weights with that rival and he could have a big role to play.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

16th

16

(4)

31st May 2026

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

16:45 Thirsk

Acrisius

8st 13lb

J: Sam James

T: Michael & David Easterby

Won off 4lb lower at Chester (5f, good) last July and perhaps unsuited by softer going in two starts since; only had 12 races and couldn't dismiss.

33/1

9th

10

(10)

15th Apr 2026

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 3

15:25 Beverley

Acrisius

8st 6lb

J: Joanna Mason

T: Michael & David Easterby

Successful over 5f at Chester (5f, good) last July; also went close on his 2025 reappearance which provides hope that he may be ready to roll after seven months off; drawn widest.

12/1

11/2

  • Place: £2.20

Form: 511262 D BF

Last run: 9 days

W: 9st 5lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 67

Form & Verdict
Coaxed back to form by new trainer, winning at Chepstow (5f, good) in May and following up at Lingfield (5f, good to firm) eight days later; has come up short in her last three runs but she gave it a good shot from the front when runner-up at Chepstow last week; 1lb lower here and she's not ruled out from stall one.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

13

(6)

19th Sep 2026

Soft

0m 5f 15y

Class 4

16:17 Chester

Over Spiced

8st 10lb

J: Ashley Lewis

T: Grace Harris

Bath winner in May (5f, good); plenty of sound runs since, including when runner-up at Goodwood last time (5f, soft); contender.

6/1

2nd

6

(6)

8th Sep 2026

Good To Soft

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

15:15 Goodwood

Over Spiced

9st 0lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Grace Harris

Reliable sprinter who has been placed several times since her Bath win in May; back to that winning mark now and Oisin Murphy is booked; solid claims.

9/2

100/30

  • Place: £1.10

Form: 492231 CD

Last run: 14 days

W: 10st 0lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Hold-up sprinter who has form figures of 1122492231 since February and that latest win was from a wide draw over C&D (good) two weeks ago; up 4lb but this 5yo seems as good as ever and he's a major player again on this drop back in grade.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

8

(8)

29th Sep 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 10y

Class 4

16:02 Bath

Maharajas Express

9st 5lb

J: David Probert

T: Ian Williams

Gamely gained a deserved second success of 2026 in 5f handicap at Doncaster 16 days ago; up 4lb but runner-up has gone in since so this C&D scorer is a likely player.

7/2

1st

9

(8)

13th Sep 2026

Good

0m 5f 3y

Class 4

16:50 Doncaster

Maharajas Express

9st 0lb

J: David Probert

T: Ian Williams

Won at Chester (5f, good) in July and he's been a close second on his last two starts, most recently off this mark in a big field at York (5.4f, good to soft) last Sunday; he's a very solid contender.

9/2

7/1

Form: 712127 D

Last run: 7 days

W: 9st 11lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Back in good form this summer with 5f wins at Chepstow (good to soft) and Leicester (good to firm) last month; still looks on a workable mark but he was disappointing at Doncaster last Saturday and needs to bounce back after that.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

5

(9)

29th Sep 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 160y

Class 5

17:37 Bath

Level Up

9st 9lb

J: Pat Dobbs

T: David Evans

Drawn wide at Chester last time and had previously won narrowly at Chepstow (5f, good to soft), maintaining his good season; perhaps high in the weights now, though.

15/2

8th

12

(10)

19th Sep 2026

Soft

0m 5f 15y

Class 4

16:17 Chester

Level Up

8st 11lb

J: J F Egan

T: David Evans

Gained second win of the season at Chepstow last time (5f, good to soft) but now 4lb higher and has no easy task from stall 10.

12/1

Form: 1227-4 D

Last run: 23 days

W: 9st 7lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Made all to win a 5f nursery at Chelmsford last summer; runner-up in next two runs but he's been below par in his last two starts; may have needed the run at Kempton three weeks ago but he still has something to prove on turf and others are preferred.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14th

13

(8)

12th Jun 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

17:37 Fairyhouse

Son Of Wind

9st 0lb

J: Robbie Colgan

T: Matthew J Smith

A 5f AW winner when trained in UK; well beaten in four runs for this yard and has to do much better.

25/1

13th

10

(21)

28th May 2026

Good

0m 6f 25y

15:47 Fairyhouse

Son Of Wind

9st 6lb

J: Robbie Colgan

T: Matthew J Smith

5f AW winner in Britain in August 2024; failed to fire in 2025 and hasn't looked a winner in waiting in three runs for this stable; dropped 6lb for heavy defeat at Gowran latest (1m, gd-yld); can only watch down in trip.

25/1

13th

6

(18)

20th May 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

18:50 Gowran Park

Son Of Wind

9st 11lb

J: Robbie Colgan

T: Matthew J Smith

Achieved a peak rating of 70 in 2024 based on consistent form over sprint trips at Chelmsford; regressive last season; has failed to beat a single rival in two Dundalk races; tackles this trio for the first time with a lot to prove.

25/1

OUR TIP

Form: 6-5733 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 9st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 70

Form & Verdict
Triple 5f winner who rallied well to finish third of seven in an amateur jockeys' handicap at Ayr (5f, good to soft) three weeks ago; has claims if he can find a bit extra but his wins have been on good to soft or slower and drying ground would be a concern; cheekpieces added.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

(6)

28th Apr 2026

Standard

0m 4f 214y

Class 6

14:55 Southwell (AW)

Stash The Cash

9st 6lb

J: Duran Fentiman

T: Martin Dunne

Can lead; on a tempting mark relative to past turf form but he's 0-7 on the AW and has been well beaten since only just failing against Arlington over C&D in January; couldn't count on refitted blinkers, replacing a visor, returning him to form.

5/1

6th

5

(4)

11th Feb 2026

Standard

0m 4f 214y

Class 6

13:44 Southwell (AW)

Stash The Cash

9st 2lb

J: Duran Fentiman

T: Martin Dunne

Triple turf winner who is 0-6 on AW surfaces; went close over C&D on his penultimate start (first-time tongue-tie and visor combination) but was well beaten without the visor back here latest; visor now returns but hard to be confident of another better effort.

6/1

6th

6

(3)

20th Jan 2026

Standard

0m 4f 214y

Class 6

20:30 Southwell (AW)

Stash The Cash

9st 3lb

J: Duran Fentiman

T: Martin Dunne

Three turf wins for previous yard; 0-4 for current stable but went very close in visor over C&D most recently; possibilities, provided he's in similar form with the headgear removed.

11/2

4/1

Form: -68804 CD BF

Last run: 14 days

W: 9st 11lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Overall record of 3-38 but one of his wins was over C&D; struggled in first four runs this season but he perked up with a front-running fourth behind Maharajas Express here (good; blinkers added) two weeks ago; set strong pace in that race and could take some catching if he can build on that.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

140

19th Sep 2025

0m 6f 0y

Class 2

15:40 Ayr

Dickieburd

8st 3lb

T: Ivan Furtado

1

(3)

9th Sep 2025

Good

0m 5f 212y

Class 6

16:10 Catterick

Dickieburd

9st 13lb

J: Stevie Donohoe

T: Ivan Furtado

On a lengthy losing sequence and he came in last of six in 5f handicap at Thirsk 25 days ago; others appeal more.

6/1

6

(5)

15th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

18:35 Thirsk

Dickieburd

8st 12lb

J: Tom Eaves

T: Ivan Furtado

Regressive 5yo who has been unplaced all six starts for new stable this year; seemed to respond well to first-time blinkers when fourth at Chester (5f, good) last month, having set a brisk pace, but was well below that form (albeit from a wider draw) there three weeks ago.

11/2

20/1

Form: 134548 D

Last run: 23 days

W: 8st 12lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 56

Form & Verdict
Battled well for narrow win at Wolverhampton (5f, AW) in March but diminishing returns since and he was beaten 11l at Newbury last time; now 2lb lower than for his last success but he's not won on turf since 2019 and others are preferred.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

10

(1)

25th Feb 2026

Standard

0m 5f 6y

Class 6

14:42 Lingfield (AW)

The Defiant

8st 9lb

J: Jack Dace

T: Luke Dace

Not the force of old and, although he retains some ability, others in this field have more pressing claims.

10/1

4th

3

(5)

12th Feb 2026

Standard

0m 5f 6y

Class 6

15:08 Lingfield (AW)

The Defiant

9st 1lb

J: Jack Dace

T: Luke Dace

Multiple 5f winner down the years, including over C&D, but his powers appear to be on the wane; a couple of respectable efforts last month but more will be needed to win.

8/1

Non-runners

Micks Spirit

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £56.00
Straight Forecast £52.03
Tricast £156.13
Trifecta £182.90

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Over Spiced

SPOTLIGHT:

Maharajas Express

Daily Mail:

Dickieburd

NEWMARKET:

Son Of Wind

The Guardian:

Stash The Cash

Daily Mirror:

Level Up

The Times:

Over Spiced

Telegraph:

Over Spiced

Daily Record:

Over Spiced

D Express:

Dickieburd

POSTDATA:

Maharajas Express

The Star:

Maharajas Express