Newbury Race 1

Olbg 'Chasing Excellence' Novices' Chase (Gbb Race)

Prize Money: $32,287

QUEBECOIS (4) returned to form with a 4100m chase second at Cheltenham most recently after an unplaced run in a G2 over 4800m at Sandown Park. Can bounce back to winning ways. Holds leading claims. PERSONAL AMBITION (3) was fifth in the G2 Noel Novices Chase contesting 3800m at Ascot last start. Better expected among this company. In the mix. OLD COWBOY (1) won by 4L here two runs ago then fell tackling 4100m at Kempton Park on latest appearance. If jumping holds together might feature. Warrants serious consideration. LEADING CHOICE (2) returns from a 395 day absence. Was attempting 4250m at Haydock Park when 39L ninth last seen. Fresh run could spark improvement. Worth including.

Distance: 3302m
Track: Soft
Weather: OCAST
Surface: Turf
Class: CHSE, C3

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Leading Choice (1) 32x136x49x
Trainer: N Martin(Minehead)
Jockey: Sean Houlihan
Weight: 71kg
Prize Money: $25,568
Win / Place: 22% / 55%

Fresh Record

9 yo Bay Gelding

Sire: LEADING LIGHT (IRE)

Dam: RACHEL'S CHOICE (IRE)

Dam's Sire: Ela-Mana-Mou

Rating

Stats

Career

9: 2-1-2

Distance

1: 0-0-0

1st Up

4: 2-0-1

2nd Up

4: 0-1-1

3rd Up

1: 0-0-0

Metro

3: 0-0-0

Non-Metro

6: 2-1-2

Turf

9: 2-1-2

Good

5: 1-1-1

Soft

2: 1-0-0

Heavy

2: 0-0-1

Clockwise

1: 0-0-0

Anti-Clockwise

8: 2-1-2

Hurdle

7: 1-1-2

Handicap Rating

110

Jockey Stats

Horse

3: 1-0-0

Trainer

W 0% P 0%

Distance

W 0% P 0%

Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Distance

W 0% P 0%

Comments

Resuming. Finished off last campaign 9 of 11 starters at Haydock Park January 18 2025 over 4250m, slow track; 39 len behind Solar System with 74kg at $7. First up last campaign 4 of 9 runners at Leicester December 5 2024 over 4110m, on heavy track; 16 len behind One Eye On Vegas carrying 75.5kg at $8.50. Needs more time. Would need to be at best to feature.

Expected Settling Position: Off Pace

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Class	Barrier	Jockey	Weight	Cond.	Race Time	Avg. Speed	Margin	800/400	SP	Days	Prize	Prize Won	Result
9th of 11	18/1/25	Haydock Park	4270m	HCP HDLE 4U	-	Harry Skelton	74kg	Soft	5:31.27	46.4 km/h	39.3L	5-10	$7.00	44	$30,440	-	1. Solar System 2. I Am Max 3. Thanksforthehelp
44 Day Freshen-Up
4th of 9	5/12/24	Leicester	4124m	HCP APP HDLE	-	Sean Houlihan	75.5kg	Heavy	5:40.54	43.6 km/h	16.0L	6-6	$8.50	232	$14,760	$897	1. One Eye On Vegas 2. Benassi 3. Tommie Gun
232 Day Spell
6th of 7	17/4/24	Cheltenham	4123m	NHDLE 4U	-	Sean Houlihan	73kg	Good	5:03.23	48.9 km/h	19.0L	3-6	$17	32	$36,300	-	1. Peaky Boy 2. Diamond Ri 3. Minella Rescue
32 Day Freshen-Up
3rd of 5	16/3/24	Uttoxeter	4011m	WFA NOVHDLE	-	James Bowen	73.5kg	Heavy	5:22.26	44.8 km/h	5.8L	4-4	$4.33	42	$36,900	$4,483	1. Below The Radar 2. Don't Rightly Know 3. Leading Choice
42 Day Freshen-Up
1st of 7	3/2/24	Wetherby	3922m	MHDLE 4U	-	Sean Houlihan	71.5kg	Soft	5:28.34	43.0 km/h	0.2L	4-1	$6.00	448	$14,520	$8,039	1. Leading Choice 2. To Chase A Dream 3. Rock Steady Eddie
448 Day Spell
2nd of 10	12/11/22	Uttoxeter	4011m	MHDLE 4U	-	Kevin Brogan	71.5kg	Good	4:59.59	48.2 km/h	3.0L	-	$3.00f	18	$16,250	$4,076	1. Supreme Gift 2. Leading Choice 3. Saladam

Personal Ambition (3) x2423px4p5
Trainer: B Pauling(Naunton Downs, Gloucs)
Jockey: Ben Jones
Weight: 71kg
Prize Money: $139,785
Win / Place: 21% / 57%

7 yo Brown Gelding

Sire: SANDMASON (GB)

Dam: SAOIRSE'S SISTER (IRE)

Dam's Sire: Hubbly Bubbly

Rating

Stats

Career

14: 3-2-3

Distance

3: 1-0-0

Trk/Dst

1: 0-0-0

Track

2: 0-0-0

1st Up

4: 1-1-1

2nd Up

3: 0-0-1

3rd Up

3: 1-1-0

4th Up

2: 1-0-1

Metro

8: 1-1-1

Non-Metro

6: 2-1-2

Turf

14: 3-2-3

Good

6: 2-2-0

Soft

6: 1-0-1

Heavy

2: 0-0-2

Clockwise

5: 1-1-1

Anti-Clockwise

8: 2-1-1

Hurdle

7: 3-0-1

Steeple

3: 0-1-0

Handicap Rating

133

Jockey Stats

Horse

7: 0-2-1

Trainer

W 0% P 0%

Distance

W 0% P 0%

Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Distance

W 0% P 0%

Distance Range Last 6 months

3822m - 4123m

Gear Changes

[Blinkers]

Comments

Useful gelding. Resumes off a 60 day letup. Last run ran last in a small field at Ascot in the G2 Noel Novices' Chase on December 19 over 3800m, slow track; 31 len behind Steel Ally carrying 71.5kg at $17. Run before pulled up at this track on November 29 over 4100m. Has been racing well. Cannot be written off.

Expected Settling Position: Pace

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Class	Barrier	Jockey	Weight	Cond.	Race Time	Avg. Speed	Margin	800/400	SP	Days	Prize	Prize Won	Result
5th of 5	19/12/25	Ascot Uk	3822m	G2 OPEN 4U	-	Richie Mclernon	71.5kg	Soft	4:48.10	47.8 km/h	31.3L	1-5	$17	20	$93,090	$2,572	1. Steel Ally 2. Push The Button 3. No Questions Asked
99th of 15	29/11/25	Newbury	4123m	HDLE HCP 4U	-	Ben Jones	71kg	Soft	5:08.63	48.1 km/h	99.0L	-	$7.00	27	$72,600	-	1. French Ship 2. Guard Duty 3. Lud'or
4th of 11	2/11/25	Carlisle	4021m	HCP HDLE 4U	-	Ben Jones	74kg	Soft	5:14.06	46.1 km/h	4.7L	1-1	$5.00	234	$64,580	$3,862	1. Hartington 2. Florida Dreams 3. Siog Geal
234 Day Spell
99th of 20	13/3/25	Cheltenham	4139m	HCP CHSE 5U	-	Ben Jones	67kg	Good Soft	5:15.50	47.2 km/h	99.0L	-	$10	55	$276,750	-	1. Jagwar 2. Thecompanysergeant 3. Masaccio
55 Day Freshen-Up
3rd of 4	17/1/25	Windsor	3248m	G2 OPEN 5U	-	Ben Jones	71kg	Soft	4:00.97	48.5 km/h	23.0L	3-3	$6.00	28	$138,380	$14,806	1. Gidleigh Park 2. Caldwell Potter 3. Personal Ambition
2nd of 4	20/12/24	Ascot Uk	3822m	G2 OPEN 4U	-	Ben Jones	71.5kg	Good Soft	4:48.69	47.7 km/h	2.3L	1-1	$3.25	21	$90,520	$20,502	1. Mark Of Gold 2. Personal Ambition 3. Johnnywho

Quebecois (2) x12421x242
Trainer: P F Nicholls(Ditcheat, Somerset)
Jockey: H Cobden
Weight: 71kg
Prize Money: $105,268
Win / Place: 27% / 72%

Jockey / Horse Combo

7 yo Chestnut Gelding

Sire: NO RISK AT ALL (FR)

Dam: MISS POUTINE (FR)

Dam's Sire: Chamberlin

100

Rating

Stats

Career

11: 3-5-0

Distance

2: 1-0-0

Season

1: 0-1-0

1st Up

5: 2-2-0

2nd Up

2: 0-1-0

3rd Up

2: 0-1-0

4th Up

1: 0-1-0

Metro

6: 0-3-0

Non-Metro

5: 3-2-0

Turf

11: 3-5-0

Good

5: 1-3-0

Soft

6: 2-2-0

Clockwise

2: 0-1-0

Anti-Clockwise

8: 3-3-0

Hurdle

3: 2-1-0

Steeple

2: 0-2-0

Handicap Rating

139

Jockey Stats

Horse

7: 3-2-0

Trainer

W 0% P 0%

Distance

W 0% P 0%

Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Track

W 0% P 0%

Trainer/Distance

W 0% P 0%

Distance Range Last 6 months

4123m - 4828m

Gear Changes

[Tongue Strap]

Comments

Recent form impressive for this race. Last start held ground to the line finished second of 9 runners at Cheltenham on January 24 over 4100m, on slow going a nose behind Jordans Cross with 75.5kg at $13. Run before came from midfield; ran last in a small field at Sandown Park in the G2 on December 5 over 4800m, 60 len behind Salver carrying 71.5kg at $4.50. Will prove hard to beat on that form.

Expected Settling Position: Off Pace

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Class	Barrier	Jockey	Weight	Cond.	Race Time	Avg. Speed	Margin	800/400	SP	Days	Prize	Prize Won	Result
2nd of 9	24/1/26	Cheltenham	4123m	STPLE HCP 5U	-	Freddie Gingell	75.5kg	Soft	5:22.09	46.1 km/h	0.1L	2-1	$13	50	$72,600	$18,517	1. Jordans Cross 2. Quebecois 3. Scorsese
50 Day Freshen-Up
4th of 4	5/12/25	Sandown Park Uk	4828m	G2 OPEN 4U	-	Harry Cobden	71.5kg	Good Soft	6:29.16	44.7 km/h	60.3L	2-4	$4.50	28	$113,150	$6,391	1. Salver 2. Doyen Quest 3. Laurens Bay
2nd of 4	7/11/25	Exeter	4828m	CHSE 4U	-	Harry Cobden	71kg	Good	6:11.30	46.8 km/h	10.0L	2-2	$1.83f	209	$72,600	$18,517	1. Doyen Quest 2. Quebecois 3. Tiny Tetley
209 Day Spell
1st of 5	12/4/25	Ayr	4892m	HCP HDLE 4U	-	Harry Cobden	74.5kg	Good Soft	6:08.61	47.8 km/h	4.8L	1-1	$5.00	28	$36,900	$19,487	1. Quebecois 2. Jump Allen 3. Baratablet
2nd of 4	15/3/25	Kempton Park	4224m	HDLE 4U	-	Liam Harrison	73kg	Good	5:09.19	49.2 km/h	5.0L	1-1	$1.00	49	$14,520	$4,013	1. Kingston Pride 2. Quebecois 3. Kicks And Ale
49 Day Freshen-Up
4th of 7	25/1/25	Cheltenham	4074m	G2 OPEN 4U	-	Harry Cobden	72kg	Soft	5:12.27	47.0 km/h	13.0L	7-4	$21	50	$138,380	$7,376	1. Sixmilebridge 2. Potters Charm 3. Bill Joyce
50 Day Freshen-Up

Race Review Abbreviations

3WNC: Three wide no cover, Awk: Awkwardly away, Bk: Back, Blkd: Blocked, Btld: Battled, Chal: Challenged, Chkd: Checked, Cvr: Cover, Fdd: Faded, Fght: Fought, Fin: Finish, Hdd: Headed, Hld up: Held up, Hmprd: Hampered, Hndy: Handy, Kikd: Kicked, Kn: Keen, Ld: Led/Lead, Midf: Midfield, Mod pc: Moderate pace, Otf: On the Fence, ROS: Ran on strongly, Slow: Slow away, Snagd: Snagged, Stld: Settled, Tn: Turn, Trld: Trailed, Under pres: Under pressure, Under rd: Under riding, Urgd: Urged, Wd: Wide, Wdr: Wider, Weavd: Weaved, Wknd: Weakened, Wrkd: Worked

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