13:50 Cheltenham

Friday 12 December 2025

All12:0512:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Turners Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:52 | Winning time: 6m 48.37s

L'Homme Presse³⁰⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 162| C

5/1

Classy chaser who has to concede plenty of weight all round, but last run in a handicap was when winning the 2022 Rehearsal Chase off a 2 lb higher mark. Made it 3-4 at Cheltenham when landing the Cotswold Chase (25.2f, soft) in January and his excellent record when fresh is another positive factor.

Form: 124/31P-

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Henry's Friend^p⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| OR: 146| D

6/1

Proved better than ever when landing a big pot on his seasonal reappearance at Ascot (23.8f, good) last month. Nudged up just 3 lb for that and while he has struggled on his 2 previous visits to this course, he will be a danger to all if able to reproduce the form of that Ascot effort back here.

Form: 45188-1

Gowel Road^p,t²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 146| C

9/1

Cleeve Hurdle winner here last winter and bettered his low-key reappearance display when third in 3m handicap hurdle here last time. Not seen out over fences since winning a small-field handicap at Ascot in October 2022, though, and this will be a tough reintroduction to the larger obstacles.

Form: 2218-03

Cruz Control^t¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey| OR: 142

22/1

Won 3 times over fences last season, culminating in a decisive victory in valuable Aintree handicap, a race he also captured in 2024. Reappearance run at Newcastle was probably needed, but it's likely that his campaign will once again be geared towards that same Aintree handicap during the spring.

Form: 14/7P1-6

The Doyen Chief¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A King| OR: 140

12/1

On the up with 3m handicap wins at Kempton and Warwick in March and shaped well when second on return at Bangor. Didn't end up taking part after going to post for a major Newbury handicap recently (pulled up at the start) and while his new 3 lb higher mark has now kicked in, he merits respect.

Form: 3211-2P

King Turgeon^p,t³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| OR: 135| CD

8/1

Took his form to a new level last season, winning first 3 starts of the campaign, including this race off a 3 lb lower mark 12 months ago. Ended that campaign on a downer, but reappearance sixth in the Grand Sefton at Aintree (21f, good) was encouraging and this step back up in trip will help.

Form: 113PP-6

Blaze The Way⁵⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Danny Mullins| T: Ms M Mullins| OR: 134

15/2

Fairly useful chaser who put his underwhelming reappearance behind him when second in a Sligo maiden (17.5, good to soft) in October. Wasn't disgraced in Grade 3 company next time and moving back up in trip won't hurt, but he's on a tough-looking mark now pitched into a handicap in this sphere.

Form: 48-5624

The Short Go^h,t1⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 134| BF

4/1

Mixed record last season, but performed with credit both visits here during that campaign and again when fourth in another valuable handicap at this course (25f, good) towards the end of October. Still, the first-time tongue strap will need to help eke out a bit more if he's to bag this prize.

Form: 42F5P-4

Herakles Westwood²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: S Bowen| T: W Greatrex| OR: 127

4/1

Improved switched to fences last season, winning at Newbury at Windsor, and wasn't entirely disgraced in the big festivals here and at Punchestown during the spring. Kick-started present campaign with a good second at this course (25f, soft), but he's 9 lb 'wrong' at the weights this time.

Form: 11375-2

Forecasts

The Short Go (4/1), Herakles Westwood (4/1), L'Homme Presse (5/1), Henry's Friend (6/1), Blaze The Way (15/2), King Turgeon (8/1), Gowel Road (9/1), The Doyen Chief (12/1), Cruz Control (22/1)

There was much to like about the way HENRY'S FRIEND stuck to his guns at Ascot where he landed a good prize in pretty decisive fashion in the end. A 3 lb rise is hardly the end of the world and while he still needs to prove that he can do it round here (no show both previous visits), his profile is otherwise an appealing one. Last year's winner King Turgeon is feared on the back of his encouraging run at Aintree, while The Doyen Chief and class angle L'Homme Presse also command respect.