January 31 / 13.25 Sandown

13.25

Soft

Virgin Bet A Good Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £10406
  • 2m 4f 15y
  • Class 3
  • 6 runners
ITV
View Course
Virgin Bet A Good Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

3/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.75
  • Place: £1.80

Form: 421-23 BF

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 1lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Has proved expensive to follow, aside from one win (over hurdles); however, campaigned mostly at 2m and may improve for this step back up in distance, combined with fitting of tongue-tie, in third chase attempt.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

15

1st May 2026

Yielding

2m 4f 55y

17:25 Punchestown

Norn Iron

11st 1lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Harry Derham

British runner; hurdles winner is now rated 22lb higher over fences after back-to-back wins on soft ground over 2m4f at Sandown; decisive victor of five-runner contest in January and justified 4-6 odds last month when seeing off two rivals; this big field is new for him, but he's in fine form.

14/1

1st

2

7th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 15y

Class 3

16:45 Sandown

Norn Iron

11st 11lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Harry Derham

Things clicked when he went up in trip over C&D (soft) in January in a first-time tongue-tie (retained) on his third chase start, and he won in decisive fashion from one who scored next time; 8lb rise might not stop him.

11/10

1st

4

31st Jan 2026

Soft

2m 4f 15y

Class 3

13:25 Sandown

Norn Iron

11st 1lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Harry Derham

Has proved expensive to follow, aside from one win (over hurdles); however, campaigned mostly at 2m and may improve for this step back up in distance, combined with fitting of tongue-tie, in third chase attempt.

3/1

3/1

  • Place: £1.60

Form: 22-263 D

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Point/hurdles winner who has largely consistent chase form and whose last two efforts (3m1f/2m1f) suggest this return to 2m4f will prove ideal; Sam Twiston-Davies is on board for first time; possibilities.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

17th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 0f 110y

Class 3

14:20 Ayr

Risk De Pluie

11st 7lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Ben Clarke

Beaten on first seven chase starts but showed improved form to win comfortably at Chepstow (2m3f, soft) in February and he bumped into a progressive winner there (2m3f, soft) last month, when clear of the third; there can be optimism that he will be fine back down in trip and he's respected.

6/1

2nd

1

15th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 3f 98y

Class 4

17:05 Chepstow

Risk De Pluie

12st 2lb

J: Toby McCain-Mitchell

T: Ben Clarke

Fully deserved his breakthrough chase success over C&D (soft) under Toby McCain-Mitchell last month; the style of his win suggests he will be a major player again off a 7lb higher mark.

2/1

Form: 6-1234

Last run: 65 days

W: 10st 11lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Needs improvement on his good-ground efforts for new yard but may show the benefit of the return to forecast slower conditions, having gained his French success (chase) on soft.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

20th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 6f 93y

Class 3

14:30 Newbury

Lylian

11st 0lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Gary & Josh Moore

French chase winner at this trip on soft ground; he hasn't really got a lot going over fences in Britain, with two 14l defeats as good as it's got; he has at least dropped 13lb for his troubles and he'll probably come good sooner or later.

14/1

3rd

3

27th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 31y

Class 4

14:20 Doncaster

Lylian

11st 6lb

J: Freddie Mitchell

T: Gary & Josh Moore

French chase winner (2m6f, soft) who hasn't threatened across his three British starts, and this expected return to better ground may be against him; however, there was some promise in his 14l third of five at Sandown (2m4f, soft) last time and that race is working out very well.

11/4

3rd

6

31st Jan 2026

Soft

2m 4f 15y

Class 3

13:25 Sandown

Lylian

10st 11lb

J: Freddie Mitchell

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Needs improvement on his good-ground efforts for new yard but may show the benefit of the return to forecast slower conditions, having gained his French success (chase) on soft.

12/1

Form: 42-11P D BF

Last run: 36 days

W: 10st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Flopped badly last time when bidding to take chase record to 3-3 but, not for the first time, gave the impression he's worth a go in headgear; may resume progress with blinkers fitted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

8th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 135y

Class 4

15:40 Fontwell

Rip Wheeler

11st 6lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Quirky customer who doesn't find much when striking the front but has won three times under well-timed Robert Dunne rides this season; unraced beyond about 2m4f under rules but well suited by good/good to soft ground and probably still on a workable mark.

7/4

4th

3

27th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 104y

Class 2

16:30 Fontwell

Rip Wheeler

10st 8lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Has won three of his six starts over fences and perhaps found the ground too soft when a tired second behind Mon Champion over C&D recently, as he looked threatening until late on; this surface brings him into it.

5/1

2nd

4

14th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 3f 104y

Class 4

14:35 Fontwell

Rip Wheeler

11st 2lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Never travelled after swerving to avoid a faller at Wincanton in December but otherwise he's done little wrong over fences, having valid excuses at Sandown before winning at Leicester (2m, soft; has won over 2m4f); every chance he defies a 3lb rise for last year's successful yard; first-time cheekpieces.

2/1

Form: 224-42 D BF

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Largely consistent over hurdles and fences since wearing cheekpieces; good effort at Exeter (3m, good to soft) last time took his chase record to 242; effective at 2m4f; solid claims in the retained headgear.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

24th Apr 2026

Good

3m 6f 121y

Class 3

14:05 Perth

El Granjero

11st 13lb

J: James Bowen

T: Clive Boultbee-Brooks

Dual hurdle winner who is 0-5 over fences but three times runner-up in this discipline and latest Warwick conqueror (3m5f, good to soft) was completing a hat-trick; likely to run well off an untouched mark.

7/1

2nd

1

8th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 5f 54y

Class 3

16:48 Warwick

El Granjero

12st 0lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Clive Boultbee-Brooks

Ran poorly dropped back to 2m4f at Sandown last time but consistent otherwise and has shown clear signs that he's capable of winning a chase; possibly open to improvement at this new trip and one to consider.

7/1

Form: U-6261

Last run: 5 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Non-runners

Mon Champion, Soldierofthestorm

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £8.60
Straight Forecast £9.58
Trifecta £57.90

Selections

TOPSPEED:

Norn Iron

RP RATINGS:

Soldierofthestorm

The Guardian:

Rip Wheeler

SPOTLIGHT:

Risk De Pluie

POSTDATA:

Norn Iron

LAMBOURN:

Norn Iron

The Times:

Norn Iron

Telegraph:

Norn Iron

Daily Mail:

Norn Iron

The Star:

Norn Iron

D Express:

Soldierofthestorm

Daily Mirror:

Soldierofthestorm

Daily Record:

Soldierofthestorm