March 08 / 14.50 Carlisle

14.50

Soft

First Past The Post At CopyBet Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Qualifier) (Leg 3 Of The Stayers’ Series)

  • Prize money: £15609
  • 3m 0f 110y
  • Class 2
  • 5 runners
RTV
View Course
First Past The Post At CopyBet Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Qualifier) (Leg 3 Of The Stayers’ Series)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

9/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.50
  • Place: £1.20

Form: -35542 C

Last run: 36 days

W: 12st 0lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 139

Form & Verdict
Smart at around 2m in his prime and was creditable second off today's mark in valuable Musselburgh handicap (2m4f, good to soft) five weeks ago but has stamina to prove on first venture beyond about 2m4f under rules.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

23rd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 20y

Class 2

15:10 Perth

Tommys Oscar

12st 0lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Ann Hamilton

11yo who snapped a losing sequence at Carlisle (3m, good to soft) last month and it was a stronger race than this in which he was fourth of 11 at Haydock (2m4f, good) last Wednesday; every chance he'll be in the mix.

11/2

4th

1

15th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 203y

Class 1

14:40 Haydock

Tommys Oscar

11st 12lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Ann Hamilton

Veteran who made his name as a two-miler and the slow pace helped when making his first foray over 3m a successful one at Carlisle (good to soft; effective on good); solid second the run before over 2m4f but a 5lb rise for last time could be troublesome.

12/1

1st

1

8th Mar 2026

Soft

3m 0f 110y

Class 2

14:50 Carlisle

Tommys Oscar

12st 0lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Ann Hamilton

Smart at around 2m in his prime and was creditable second off today's mark in valuable Musselburgh handicap (2m4f, good to soft) five weeks ago but has stamina to prove on first venture beyond about 2m4f under rules.

9/4

OUR TIP

7/2

  • Place: £2.10

Form: 5-3478 CD

Last run: 22 days

W: 11st 2lb

11 yo Mare

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Behind stablemate Blackjack Magic when seventh in final of this veterans' series at Sandown in January and was soundly beaten in major Ascot handicap last month but her first two runs this season were very respectable and she's now 3lb lower than when winning this race in 2025.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

8th Mar 2026

Soft

3m 0f 110y

Class 2

14:50 Carlisle

Credo

11st 2lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Anthony Honeyball

Behind stablemate Blackjack Magic when seventh in final of this veterans' series at Sandown in January and was soundly beaten in major Ascot handicap last month but her first two runs this season were very respectable and she's now 3lb lower than when winning this race in 2025.

7/2

8th

7

14th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 185y

Class 1

15:00 Ascot

Credo

10st 4lb

J: Rex Dingle

T: Anthony Honeyball

Successful in two legs of the 2025 Stayers' Veterans' Chase Series but came up short in the Final won by Nocte Volatus; hasn't won a conventional race since 2023.

20/1

5th

4

30th Mar 2025

Good

2m 7f 180y

Class 2

16:30 Ascot

Credo

11st 3lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Anthony Honeyball

In-form mare who won four-runner veterans' chase fairly comfortably at Carlisle (3m, good) a week ago and is now 2-3 since fitted with a visor; has 6lb penalty to carry today but is respected in her current mood.

2/1

Form: U3-3P2 D

Last run: 43 days

W: 10st 12lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
The huge promise he showed as a novice hurdler is a fading memory but he responded well to first-time visor when runner-up under positive ride at Uttoxeter (3m2f, soft) six weeks ago and has obvious claims if in the right mood again here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

5

8th Mar 2026

Soft

3m 0f 110y

Class 2

14:50 Carlisle

Hillcrest

10st 12lb

J: David Bass

T: Henry Daly

The huge promise he showed as a novice hurdler is a fading memory but he responded well to first-time visor when runner-up under positive ride at Uttoxeter (3m2f, soft) six weeks ago and has obvious claims if in the right mood again here.

3/1

2nd

1

24th Jan 2026

Soft

3m 2f 13y

Class 4

15:41 Uttoxeter

Hillcrest

12st 2lb

J: Stan Sheppard

T: Henry Daly

The huge promise he showed as a novice hurdle is a fading memory and he's found it difficult to get a foothold over fences following a long absence; never going before pulled up at Cheltenham and now tries a visor.

14/1

Form: PPP-54 D

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 2lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Ran quite well when fifth in valuable final of this veterans' series at Sandown (3m, good) in January but was well beaten there later that month and has become far too inconsistent to support with any confidence; tried in a visor for the first time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

27th May 2026

Good

3m 1f 170y

Class 3

15:53 Newton Abbot

Blackjack Magic

11st 11lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Well treated on old form but his last win was in November 2023 and he's generally struggled since then; has something to prove and all of his wins have come on good to soft or slower.

12/1

4th

4

8th Mar 2026

Soft

3m 0f 110y

Class 2

14:50 Carlisle

Blackjack Magic

11st 2lb

J: Ben Godfrey

T: Anthony Honeyball

Ran quite well when fifth in valuable final of this veterans' series at Sandown (3m, good) in January but was well beaten there later that month and has become far too inconsistent to support with any confidence; tried in a visor for the first time.

11/2

4th

4

31st Jan 2026

Soft

3m 0f 42y

Class 2

15:42 Sandown

Blackjack Magic

10st 3lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Proved somewhat resurgent, following several non-completions, in the Veterans' Final over C&D on seasonal debut; however, needs to build on that effort and prove that he's still capable of peak form, on which he's admittedly well treated.

14/1

Form: 43P-45 C

Last run: 23 days

W: 11st 3lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Very well handicapped on old form and returned from layoff with quite encouraging run at Musselburgh (2m7f, good to soft) in January but ought to have been suited by the heavy ground when tailed off at Kelso last month and it's hard to know what to expect from him here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

2

8th Mar 2026

Soft

3m 0f 110y

Class 2

14:50 Carlisle

Empire Steel

11st 3lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Sandy Thomson

Very well handicapped on old form and returned from layoff with quite encouraging run at Musselburgh (2m7f, good to soft) in January but ought to have been suited by the heavy ground when tailed off at Kelso last month and it's hard to know what to expect from him here.

5/1

5th

4

13th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 96y

Class 2

15:00 Kelso

Empire Steel

11st 5lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Sandy Thomson

12yo who wasn't the force of old last season but he's dropped down the weights and returned from an absence with an encouraging fourth at Musselburgh (2m7f, good to soft) a fortnight ago; could show the benefit of that latest outing today, especially now back at a track where he is four from six.

9/2

4th

1

31st Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 138y

Class 3

16:11 Musselburgh

Empire Steel

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Sandy Thomson

12yo who wasn't the force of old last season and was pulled up last January when last seen; however, he can go well fresh and returns on a reduced mark and with his trainer enjoying a productive winter; not discounted.

6/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £9.00
Straight Forecast £9.97
Trifecta £24.60

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Hillcrest

TOPSPEED:

Empire Steel

SPOTLIGHT:

Credo

Telegraph:

Tommy's Oscar

The Times:

Hillcrest

Daily Mirror:

Hillcrest

The Sun:

Hillcrest

The Star:

Hillcrest

Daily Record:

Hillcrest

POSTDATA:

Empire Steel

D Express:

Empire Steel