October 18 / 16.55 Newton Abbot

16.55

Good To Soft

Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers To Follow Intermediate Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £16338
  • 2m 4f 216y
  • Class 2
  • 4 runners
SKY
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Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers To Follow Intermediate Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

9/2 (Won)

  • Win: £8.00

Form: 5117-4 D

Last run: 91 days

W: 11st 8lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 139

Form & Verdict
In career-best form in April, winning at Ayr (2m4f, good to soft) and Cheltenham (2m4f, good; Grade 2 handicap), and gave another good account when fourth in Summer Plate at Market Rasen (2m5f, good) in July; faces a tough opponent here but ought to make his presence felt again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

24th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

16:03 Uttoxeter

Riskintheground

11st 9lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Good ground is the key to him; his form had nosedived but he was running much better when hampered late on at the Cheltenham Festival and then came good at Haydock (2m4f, good), prevailing only narrowly but under a confident ride in a strong race (he also won it the season before when staged at Cheltenham); a 4lb rise seems very generous.

11/8

1st

4

15th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 203y

Class 1

14:40 Haydock

Riskintheground

11st 4lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Won this race 12 months ago at Cheltenham when 1lb higher so he's dangerously handicapped for his defence; his form had nosedived after winning in a small field at Newton Abbot in October but the signs were more encouraging last time in the 2m4f Plate at the Festival as he was staying on when hampered by a faller at the last fence; has to be of interest, especially given the yard's form.

4/1

11th

13

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 44y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Riskintheground

10st 11lb

J: Charlie Todd

T: Dan Skelton

He's run some of his better races at Cheltenham, including a New course win (about 2m4f, good; off this mark) from O'Moore Park last April; not much going for him on his form since beating three rivals at Newton Abbot in October but some sort of revival isn't beyond the imagination.

33/1

Form: 26341- D

Last run: 175 days

W: 10st 10lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 151

Form & Verdict
Smart staying hurdling who looked as good as ever when ending last season with Grade 2 win from the front at Sandown (2m5f, good); will be very hard to beat on these terms if he jumps adequately on his chasing debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

14:20 Aintree

Blueking DOroux

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Useful 2m4f novice chaser but he won a substandard edition of the Rising Stars at Wincanton and his close second at Kempton (with cheekpieces fitted) last time was achieved in a handicap; faces a stiffer task at this level in the retained headgear.

25/1

2nd

2

14th Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 110y

Class 2

15:18 Kempton

Blueking DOroux

11st 11lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Won two Grade 2 hurdles; still learning his trade over fences, safe enough apart from one blunder when winning at Wincanton (2m4f, good), albeit he made a meal of beating a lower-rated rival; out of depth in Grade 1 here since but he's 10lb lower than his hurdle mark now handicapping and still has potential; cheekpieces on; yard has won two of the last three runnings.

9/2

2nd

5

18th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 216y

Class 2

16:55 Newton Abbot

Blueking DOroux

10st 10lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Smart staying hurdling who looked as good as ever when ending last season with Grade 2 win from the front at Sandown (2m5f, good); will be very hard to beat on these terms if he jumps adequately on his chasing debut.

1/5

OUR TIP

Form: 61322- BF

Last run: 207 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Seemingly aided by blinkers when runner-up in two Class 4 handicap chases at Taunton (2m5f/2m7f) in February/March but can't be recommended in this company.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

24th Mar 2026

Good

2m 7f 3y

Class 4

15:45 Taunton

Gyenyame

11st 8lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

On a losing run but he's proving a consistent sort and came in a good second of eight in 3m1f handicap chase at Wincanton 19 days ago; he's firmly in the picture again off an unchanged mark.

3/1

2nd

5

5th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 30y

Class 4

15:40 Wincanton

Gyenyame

11st 13lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Sole win since taking a 2m4f maiden hurdle on this card in 2023 came in a weak three-runner beginners' chase; respected on the form of November's Exeter 0-130 second (3m, good), however, with a tough task at the weights and (latest) desperate ground viable excuses either side of that.

6/1

3rd

2

18th Oct 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 216y

Class 2

16:55 Newton Abbot

Gyenyame

11st 2lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Seemingly aided by blinkers when runner-up in two Class 4 handicap chases at Taunton (2m5f/2m7f) in February/March but can't be recommended in this company.

20/1

Form: 7253-P D

Last run: 168 days

W: 11st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Developed into a useful handicap chaser once cheekpieces were added last season and could plausibly have more improvement to come this term; however, he was pulled up on latest outing in May and faces a tough assignment here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

17th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 54y

Class 5

17:13 Exeter

Theformismighty

12st 6lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Held on well to exploit reduced mark in Newcastle handicap (2m7f, heavy) in January but was quickly back in the doldrums when pulled up (albeit in valuable race) at Doncaster last month; this hunter chase debut is much less competitive but it's hard to predict whether he'll warm to the task.

11/2

13

28th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

3m 2f 1y

Class 2

14:30 Doncaster

Theformismighty

10st 9lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Exploited what was a very good mark at Newcastle (2m7f, heavy) and the front two pulled clear; raised only 3lb for that but consistent he is not; others safer.

12/1

1st

4

27th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 91y

Class 3

15:35 Newcastle

Theformismighty

11st 10lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Represents top southern stable and he's very well handicapped on last season's best form; could stage a revival at some point but he struggled in the autumn on his last three starts and there's also a stamina query.

8/1

Non-runners

Lookaway

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £9.70
Straight Forecast £9.92
Trifecta £19.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Blueking d'Oroux

POSTDATA:

Lookaway

TOPSPEED:

Riskintheground

RP RATINGS:

Blueking d'Oroux

The Times:

Blueking d'Oroux

The Guardian:

Blueking d'Oroux

Daily Mail:

Blueking d'Oroux

Daily Mirror:

Blueking d'Oroux

The Sun:

Blueking d'Oroux

The Star:

Blueking d'Oroux

Daily Record:

Blueking d'Oroux

Telegraph:

Lookaway

D Express:

Lookaway