Virgin Bet A Good Bet Veterans' Handicap Chase.
Doncaster · Friday, 27 Feb · 21:05
· 2m 7f 214y
· Class 3
· TURF
WEIGHEDIN
Status
17:05
Off time
9
Runners
Good to Soft
Going
🎯 Tipster's 1·2·3
Sporting Life pick
Betting forecast
Market prediction · 10 runners · sorted by price
01 · 🏆 FAV
3.75
11/4
02 · 🥈 2nd
4.50
7/2
03 · 🥉 3rd
5
4/1
04 · —
6.50
11/2
05 · —
9.50
17/2
06 · —
11
10/1
07 · —
15
14/1
08 · —
17
16/1
09 · —
23
22/1
10 · —
41
40/1
Sporting Life forecast prices — published the night before the race. Top 3 highlighted as market favourites.
Runners
| Pos | No. | Dr | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Age | Wgt | Best decimal odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th | 1 | — |
Erne River (G)
[PT1]
Latest win came over C&D in December 2023 and while he's fallen a long way in the weights, he'll need to go with more fluency in a change of headgear to capitalise.
|
Kielan Woods | N Kent | 11 | 76.7 kg |
11
10/1
|
| 6th | 2 | — |
Chavez (G)
Missed whole of 2025 but shaped as though a fair amount of ability remains on first start since leaving Willie Mullins at Ascot last month. Yard going much better now but needs to prove he can back that up.
|
Charlie Deutsch | Miss V Williams | 10 | 76.2 kg |
41
40/1
|
| 5th | 3 | — |
Sainte Doctor (M)
[PT]
Reliable sort who picked up where she left off last season when second in strongly-run handicap on her comeback at Fakenham (21.2f) last month and she isn't fully exposed over this sort of trip. Solid claims.
|
R P McLernon | N P Mulholland | 10 | 75.3 kg |
4.50
7/2
|
| — | 4 | — |
Almazhar Garde (G)
[PT]
Has continued in fine heart since landing a double at Worcester last summer, only going down to a less-exposed rival in a thin handicap at Catterick in November. Should give his running on just his second start in veterans' company.
|
David Bass | C E Longsdon | 11 | 75.3 kg |
23
22/1
|
| — | 5 | — |
Northern Poet (G)
Dug deep to land first-leg of a double in similar race over C&D in the spring but ran a pair of stinkers to close out last season. Has gone well fresh previously but hard to be confident at this stage of his career.
|
James Davies | N J Gifford | 11 | 73.5 kg |
15
14/1
|
| — | 6 | — |
Magna Sam (G)
[P]
Dual Edinburgh National winner who ran creditably over C&D following a breathing operation last season and may well leave behind his comeback run following another wind surgery.
|
C Gethings | A Ralph | 12 | 73 kg |
17
16/1
|
| 2nd | 7 | — |
Ladronne (G)
[T]
Winner of two of his 4 starts since his reappearance, justifying support in veterans' handicap at Catterick last month. May prove vulnerable back up in class.
|
Jack Power | J Parkinson & S Smith | 12 | 73 kg |
6.50
11/2
|
| 7th | 8 | — |
Autonomous Cloud (G)
FAV
[PT]
Still fairly useful last season but didn't look the force of old in pair of handicaps for Fergal O'Brien this winter. Not out of the question that switch to veterans' company/new yard could spark some improvement.
|
Paul O'Brien | Harry Derham | 10 | 71.7 kg |
3.75
11/4
|
| 1st | 9 | — |
If Not For Dylan (G)
[T]
Made all/jumped soundly when winning off 2 lb higher at Newcastle last January. Has still showed plenty of spark this season and he's expected to make a bold bid with yard back in form.
|
Alan Doyle | L Russell & M Scudamore | 11 | 70.3 kg |
5
4/1
|
| 3rd | 10 | — |
Stratagem (G)
[PT]
Regressed for Paul Nicholls and similar story for new connections this season, undergoing another breathing operation since pulling up at Market Rasen last month.
|
Shane Fenelon | M Bowen | 10 | 68 kg |
9.50
17/2
|
Betting forecast: Autonomous Cloud (11/4), Sainte Doctor (7/2), If Not For Dylan (4/1), Ladronne (11/2), Stratagem (17/2), Erne River (10/1), Northern Poet (14/1), Magna Sam (16/1), Almazhar Garde (22/1), Chavez (40/1)
Prize money
| Position | Prize |
|---|---|
| P1 | 10562.0 GBP |
| P2 | 4860.0 GBP |
| P3 | 2430.0 GBP |
| P4 | 1216.0 GBP |
| P5 | 606.0 GBP |