January 27 / 14.37 Chepstow

14.37

Soft

Kingsbridge Mortgage “Chasing Excellence” Novices’ Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £8169
  • 2m 0f 16y
  • Class 3
  • 5 runners
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Kingsbridge Mortgage “Chasing Excellence” Novices’ Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

10/11 (Won)

  • Win: £2.20
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 620-52 D

Last run: 39 days

W: 11st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 135

Form & Verdict
Dual hurdle winner in France in 2024; has a tendency to race too freely but ran well for a long way before fading into fifth in Grade 2 novice chase at Cheltenham (2m, soft) in November and kept on pretty well for second behind next-time-out winner in Ascot handicap (2m1f, soft; first-time hood) last month; favoured by the weights here and a major player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 176y

Class 1

16:40 Aintree

Stencil

11st 7lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm

5yo; trained in France but campaigned in Britain since start of 2025; impressed in a warm novice chase at Chepstow (2m, soft) in January and 25l tenth in the Jack Richards at Cheltenham (2m4f, good) was better than the bare facts, as he pulled hard and was held up in a race that favoured those who were up with the pace; could settle better now back down in trip; interesting.

15/2

10th

13

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

14:00 Cheltenham

Stencil

10st 11lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm

Trained in France but campaigned exclusively in British races since the start of last year, most recently opening his chase account in Chepstow event (2m, soft) having settled better than usual; form of that ready success has been franked by the runner-up since; hood worn the last twice is retained; this low-mileage 5yo remains open to further progress and has possibilities provided he stays the new trip; bids to atone for his flop when favourite for the Fred Winter at this meeting 12 months ago.

7/1

1st

5

27th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 0f 16y

Class 3

14:37 Chepstow

Stencil

11st 0lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm

Dual hurdle winner in France in 2024; has a tendency to race too freely but ran well for a long way before fading into fifth in Grade 2 novice chase at Cheltenham (2m, soft) in November and kept on pretty well for second behind next-time-out winner in Ascot handicap (2m1f, soft; first-time hood) last month; favoured by the weights here and a major player.

10/11

OUR TIP

13/8

  • Place: £1.20

Form: /11-1F C BF

Last run: 19 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 129

Form & Verdict
2-2 over hurdles last season; had to battle hard to justify skinny odds on seasonal/chase debut at Carlisle (2m, soft; four fences omitted) in November and fell at third-last fence when travelling well at Ffos Las (2m3f, soft) this month but remains a very interesting chasing prospect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

13th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 3f 98y

Class 3

14:40 Chepstow

Juby Ball

10st 9lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Evan Williams

2-2 over hurdles last season and has made a promising start to his chasing career this term; had to concede weight to higher-rated rival when runner-up in novice chase here (2m, soft) last month and remains on a good mark for this handicap return; good chance.

5/6

2nd

1

27th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 0f 16y

Class 3

14:37 Chepstow

Juby Ball

11st 10lb

J: James Bowen

T: Evan Williams

2-2 over hurdles last season; had to battle hard to justify skinny odds on seasonal/chase debut at Carlisle (2m, soft; four fences omitted) in November and fell at third-last fence when travelling well at Ffos Las (2m3f, soft) this month but remains a very interesting chasing prospect.

13/8

1st

2

9th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 0f 11y

Class 4

13:20 Chepstow

Juby Ball

11st 9lb

J: Adam Wedge

T: Evan Williams

Looked very promising in his two bumpers last season and beat a next-time-out winner fairly comfortably on last month's hurdling debut at Ffos Las (2m, soft); makes very obvious appeal here.

4/9

Form: 425-1P CD

Last run: 60 days

W: 11st 10lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Made very good start to chasing career in November, scoring by over 8l over C&D (good; also suited by soft); contender if judged on that performance but weakened quickly at Newbury later that month, having raced too freely, and is not one to rely upon heavily.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

18th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 0f 110y

Class 1

13:10 Ayr

Palacio

10st 2lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Sam Thomas

He's had his ups and downs in a short chasing career and his jumping can lack fluency but he made it 2-5 in this sphere when making virtually all to win at Newbury (2m, good to soft) four weeks ago; won on soft ground over hurdles; major player if things click again today.

13/2

1st

3

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 92y

Class 3

16:10 Newbury

Palacio

11st 7lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Sam Thomas

Unseated rider at halfway on this course last month; in and out overall but he would have a chance on his clearcut reappearance success over this distance at Chepstow and drying ground would not inconvenience him.

9/2

2

28th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 187y

Class 3

14:40 Newbury

Palacio

11st 7lb

J: Dylan Johnston

T: Sam Thomas

Campaigned only at about 2m; has failed to back up the form of his Chepstow reappearance win and, contrary to parts of his pedigree, doesn't shape as if he's crying out for this new trip.

10/1

Form: -3F25P

Last run: 10 days

W: 11st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 93

Form & Verdict
0-7 over fences; ran well when second to progressive rival in Class 5 handicap at Ffos Las (2m3f, soft) in November but two lesser efforts have followed and he faces a very tough task on these terms; cheekpieces added.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

8

4th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 4

16:25 Warwick

Dj Pete

11st 5lb

J: James Best

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Has won twice since February but he's very hit and miss, and might be better over shorter.

8/1

6

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 16y

Class 4

13:40 Chepstow

Dj Pete

11st 0lb

J: James Best

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Close second in this race last year; prevailed at Bangor (2m1f, good to soft) most recently, bouncing back from a poor effort and taking record since wearing cheekpieces to 2-4; likely player in the retained headgear.

7/2

1st

5

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 1f 77y

Class 4

15:55 Bangor-on-Dee

Dj Pete

11st 2lb

J: James Best

T: Sarah-Jayne Davies

Won narrowly at Ffos Las last month (2m, heavy) but his tailed-off run back there 20 days ago was a reminder of his inconsistency; he's capable, and on this ground, but comes with risks.

7/2

Form: P9-434 D BF

Last run: 18 days

W: 11st 4lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 90

Form & Verdict
1-13 over hurdles; has arrested his decline and made the frame in three low-grade handicaps this season (2m-2m5f) but takes on some useful rivals on this chasing debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

17th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 54y

Class 5

16:05 Exeter

Storming Nelson

11st 2lb

J: Lucy Gardner

T: Sue Gardner

Needs to up his game after two below-par recent runs (2m/2m3f) but his second to a next-time-out winner at Taunton (2m2f, heavy) in early February was a good effort and this step up in trip is an interesting move.

9/1

5th

7

6th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 48y

Class 5

14:10 Exeter

Storming Nelson

11st 0lb

J: Lucy Gardner

T: Sue Gardner

Over two years since sole career win in a novice hurdle here; 0-3 over fences and easily the best of those runs was the second at Taunton (2m2f, heavy); ideally wants that slower ground.

8/1

3rd

3

20th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:22 Ffos Las

Storming Nelson

11st 9lb

J: Lucy Gardner

T: Sue Gardner

Out the back with DJ Pete in a Chepstow novice on chasing debut, and better judged on his Taunton handicap second since (2m2f, heavy); Exeter hurdles winner likely to appreciate the return to a longer track.

9/4

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £3.60
Straight Forecast £3.46
Trifecta £5.60

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Stencil

SPOTLIGHT:

Juby Ball

Daily Mail:

Palacio

TOPSPEED:

Stencil

POSTDATA:

Stencil

The Guardian:

Stencil

Daily Mirror:

Stencil

The Sun:

Stencil

The Star:

Stencil

Daily Record:

Stencil

The Times:

Juby Ball

Telegraph:

Juby Ball

D Express:

Juby Ball