18:45 | Wetherby | Saturday 27th December 2025 | Racing971

5 18:45 Wetherby 27 Dec 2025

William Hill Castleford Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus)

1m 7f 36y Soft-good to soft in places

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Winner £15,843

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Cloudy

Temp: 4.1° - 7.6°

Rain: 0.04mm

Wind: 9.4 mph NE

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Haddex Des Obeaux (FR) 43

b g ; Saddex - Shifra

- -

B S Hughes

D McCain Jnr

Star rating: 2

211F3/P 8 12-0 148

G Cl

Form Snapshot: Winner of two hurdle races, a NH flat race and two chases from 1m 5f to 2m 3f on ground varying from good to heavy, but last win was over two years ago. Pulled up 3 out when 40-1 in the Group 2 Shloer Chase at Cheltenham over 2m (soft) in a Grade 2 chase won by L'eau Du Sud last month on his latest outing.

Madara (FR) 378

b g ; Doctor Dino - Becquascenthe

- -

C J Todd

Dan Skelton

Star rating: 4

119/842- 6 11-6 140

G Cl Hcp BF

Form Snapshot: Winner of a hurdle race and four chases from 2m to 2m 3f on soft and heavy ground. Beaten 1l by Gemirande when second of 11 at 11-4fav on his latest outing in a chase at Cheltenham over 2m 5f (good to soft) in December last year.

Homme Public (FR) 28

b g ; Cokoriko - Uddy

- -

Craig Nichol

O Greenall & J Guerriero

Star rating: 3

6222-66 8 11-3 137

CD G HG Cl Hcp

Form Snapshot: Has won five hurdle races and three chases from 1m 7f to 2m 3f on ground varying from good to soft. Well beaten at 8-1 behind Serious Operator when last of 6 on his latest outing in a hurdle race at Newcastle over 2m 4f (good to soft) last month.

Harper's Brook (IRE) 22

b g ; Ask - Un Jour D Ete

- -

Harry Atkins (7)

Dan Skelton

Star rating: 3

143P7-5 9 10-13 133

CD G HG Cl Hcp

Form Snapshot: Winner of two hurdle races, three chases and a point-to-point from 1m 7f to 2m 4f on ground varying from good to heavy. Well beaten at 25-1 when fifth of 6 on his latest outing in a chase at Exeter over 2m 3f (good to soft) earlier this month.

Doyen Du Bar (IRE) 28

b g ; Doyen - Hollygrove Native

- -

Callum Bewley

N G Richards

Star rating: 5

31121-3 9 10-12 132

D G

Form Snapshot: Winner of two hurdle races, a NH flat race and three chases from 2m to 2m 1f on ground varying from good to soft to heavy. Third of 10 behind Ryan's Rocket beaten 3 1/2l at 7-2 on his latest outing in a chase at Newbury over 2m (good to soft) last month.

Traprain Law (FR) 20

gr g ; Martaline - Pina

- -

P W Wadge

L Russell & M Scudamore

Star rating: 4

37P-242 7 10-10 130

G HG Cl Hcp

Form Snapshot: Winner of three hurdle races and two chases from 2m to 2m 1f on ground varying from good to heavy. Beaten 6l by Saint Segal when second of 9 at 11-2 on his latest outing in a chase at Kelso over 2m 1f (soft) earlier this month.

2024: (4 ran) Harper's Brook , Age 8 , Wgt 11-8 , SP 9/4 - Kielan Woods / D Skelton

Forecast: 6/4 Madara , 11/4 Doyen Du Bar , 4/1 Traprain Law , 8/1 Haddex Des Obeaux , 8/1 Homme Public , 25/1 Harper's Brook

Last Updated: 26 Dec 2025 17:48:31

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CD Course & Distance
D Distance
C Course
Hcp Today’s Official Rating or Higher

G Going
HG Headgear
Cl Class
S Surface

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Blue icons indicate horses that have won under those conditions.
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Other Information

BF Beaten favourite last time out
MM Horse is within the top 10 steamers for the day
MM Horse is within the top 10 drifters for the day
ATR Horse is being backed by one of our tipsters

90 Official Rating

v/b/h Visor / Blinkers / Hood
es/ec Eye Shield / Eye Cover
p Cheek Pieces
t Tongue Strap

The following symbols sometimes appear alongside an Official Rating:

WS This horse received Wind Surgery prior to this run
WS2 This was the horse's second outing after receiving Wind Surgery

2 Horse is due to go xlb down in future race
2 Horse is due to go xlb up in future races

Bookies best price percentage = 110.86%

AT THE RACES is not liable for any services or information offered or provided by its bookmaker partners. Please note: Whilst every effort is made to ensure odds and information are up to date and correct, differences between these and actual odds/information available from bookmakers at time of placing a bet may occur. Read more

Verdict

Verdict

Dan Skelton has won three of the last five runnings of this and has two declared, with Madara the pick as an improving six-year-old last seen finishing second at Cheltenham. He can go well but the absence is a concern and DOYEN DU BAR gets the nod after a promising November third on his first start since February. Haddex Des Obeaux would be interesting if he can get back to his 2023 form.

Top Tip: Doyen Du Bar (5)
Watch out for: Madara (2)

Dan Skelton's yard won this last time it was run in 2024 and they have two to go to war with this time in a small field. Both though are off long breaks and are risky propositions, Madara perhaps being the better of them. A safer bet could be DOYEN DU BAR who has been in really good form and remains competitively handicapped. Traprain Law similarly has been running well and should be in the shake-up again.

1-2-3 Selections

Previous winners

Year	Going	Ran	Winner	Age	Weight	OR	Form	Last run	Trainer (Distance)	Jockey	SP	Time
2024	Good to Soft	4	Harper's Brook	8	11 8	136	210-P52	9 days	D Skelton (146 miles)	Kielan Woods	9/ 4	3:59.40
2022	Soft	9	Malystic	8	11 10	142	2U2-42P	46 days	P D Niven (32 miles)	Danny McMenamin	13/ 2	4:02.17
2021	Soft	6	Eclair D'Ainay	7	10 2	134	F122-4P	30 days	D Skelton (146 miles)	Harry Skelton	4/ 1	4:07.90
2020	Heavy	5	First Flow	8	11 7	154	32111-1	36 days	K Bailey & M Nicholls (170 miles)	David Bass	11/ 10	4:24.20
2019	Soft	7	Marracudja	8	11 1	134	283-855	34 days	D Skelton (146 miles)	Bridget Andrews	6/ 1	4:09.80
2018	Good to Soft	7	Cracking Find	7	10 3	127	16-3232	40 days	J Parkinson & S Smith (27 miles)	Sean Quinlan	7/ 2	3:51.20
2017	Soft	6	Just Cameron	10	11 12	143	6314-67	25 days	Micky Hammond (38 miles)	Joe Colliver	10/ 1	4:02.80
2016	Good to Soft	8	Yorkist	8	10 4	130	44235-6	59 days	D Skelton (146 miles)	Harry Skelton	9/ 4	3:53.83