January 23 / 13.15 Doncaster

13.15

Good To Soft

Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places “Chasing Excellence” Novices’ Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £8169
  • 2m 3f 31y
  • Class 3
  • 4 runners
SKY
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Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places “Chasing Excellence” Novices’ Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

4/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.50

Form: 2U8-41 D

Last run: 51 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 136

Form & Verdict
Runner-up in Grade 2 novice hurdle last season and he left his chase debut well behind to win a three-runner beginners' chase at Haydock (2m5f, good to soft) last month; open to further improvement and could have a big say in a first-time tongue-tie; showed promise on soft ground in a bumper.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13th

14

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

14:00 Cheltenham

Western Knight

10st 10lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Failed to complete a hat-trick but was far from discredited at Ascot (3m, good to soft) last time in the Reynoldstown, which was won 12 months earlier by a stablemate who subsequently finished second in the Ultima at this meeting; may have more to offer back down in distance, being 4-4 at 2m3f-2m5f; the tea leaves are signalling that he'll run well.

28/1

2nd

4

14th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 185y

Class 1

13:50 Ascot

Western Knight

11st 2lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Joe Tizzard

Record of 2-3 since switched to fences, most recently scoring at Doncaster (2m3f, soft); has form at up to 3m; open to further improvement and his stable has a good record in this contest; interesting.

3/1

1st

3

23rd Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 31y

Class 3

13:15 Doncaster

Western Knight

11st 8lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Runner-up in Grade 2 novice hurdle last season and he left his chase debut well behind to win a three-runner beginners' chase at Haydock (2m5f, good to soft) last month; open to further improvement and could have a big say in a first-time tongue-tie; showed promise on soft ground in a bumper.

4/1

25/1

Form: 31U5-9

Last run: 267 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Lightly raced 7yo who won a 2m maiden hurdle at Exeter in December 2024; however, he failed to progress subsequently and considerable improvement is needed on this chase debut, following some time off.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

6th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 1f 109y

Class 3

14:40 Exeter

Kap Ouest

11st 0lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Harry Fry

Low-mileage 7yo whose sole start at Exeter resulted in his only hurdles win (2m); ran well at the weights in Doncaster contest (2m3f, soft) switched to fences last time; looks well treated off his unchanged mark back in a handicap and is open to progress in this sphere to boot; respected.

5/4

2nd

5

23rd Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 31y

Class 3

13:15 Doncaster

Kap Ouest

11st 2lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Harry Fry

Lightly raced 7yo who won a 2m maiden hurdle at Exeter in December 2024; however, he failed to progress subsequently and considerable improvement is needed on this chase debut, following some time off.

25/1

OUR TIP

Form: 15-321

Last run: 40 days

W: 11st 8lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Talented staying hurdler who was a good Listed second on his chase debut at Cheltenham (3m1f, soft) in November, and readily beat a useful rival in a match at Southwell (3m, good to soft) last month; drops back in trip today but there can be optimism he'll cope and he's a leading contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 5f 201y

Class 2

17:20 Cheltenham

One Big Bang

11st 9lb

J: Alex Chadwick

T: James Owen

Fifth in last year's Pertemps Final here as a staying hurdler and also ran well here when he had no answer to Wade Out after the final fence in November (3m1f, soft) on chase debut; readily beat a useful rival in a match at Southwell (3m, good to soft) next time and 2m3f offers an excuse for latest start, so he might be capable of better, which is needed.

9/1

3rd

2

23rd Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 31y

Class 3

13:15 Doncaster

One Big Bang

11st 8lb

J: Alex Chadwick

T: James Owen

Talented staying hurdler who was a good Listed second on his chase debut at Cheltenham (3m1f, soft) in November, and readily beat a useful rival in a match at Southwell (3m, good to soft) last month; drops back in trip today but there can be optimism he'll cope and he's a leading contender.

6/4

3rd

20

1st May 2025

Yielding

2m 7f 110y

16:15 Punchestown

One Big Bang

11st 1lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: James Owen

Career-best to beat Doddiethegreat in a Pertemps Qualifier at Haydock (3m1f, good to soft) and didn't run at all badly in the Final; couldn't dismiss with Sean Bowen taking over for the first time.

14/1

Form: 3227-1 D

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Useful hurdler who is 1-1 over fences having won a four-runner beginners' chase at Haydock (2m4f, soft) on last month's reappearance; today's task is tougher and he has something to find, but he's unexposed over fences and at this sort of trip, and he may well have more to offer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

23rd Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 31y

Class 3

13:15 Doncaster

Lario

11st 8lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Harry Derham

Useful hurdler who is 1-1 over fences having won a four-runner beginners' chase at Haydock (2m4f, soft) on last month's reappearance; today's task is tougher and he has something to find, but he's unexposed over fences and at this sort of trip, and he may well have more to offer.

4/1

7th

2

11th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 3

13:30 Ayr

Lario

11st 13lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Harry Derham

disputed lead, prominent with one circuit to go, not fluent 4 out

11/2

7th

2

11th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 3

13:30 Ayr

Lario

11st 13lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Harry Derham

disputed lead, prominent with one circuit to go, not fluent 4 out

11/2

Non-runners

Elysian Knight, Roadlesstravelled

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £17.50
Straight Forecast £17.44
Trifecta £29.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

One Big Bang

The Times:

Western Knight

LAMBOURN:

Lario

Daily Mail:

Western Knight

Daily Record:

Western Knight

RP RATINGS:

One Big Bang

TOPSPEED:

One Big Bang

POSTDATA:

One Big Bang

Telegraph:

One Big Bang

The Guardian:

One Big Bang

D Express:

One Big Bang

Daily Mirror:

One Big Bang

The Sun:

One Big Bang

The Star:

One Big Bang