2025 Maghull Novices' Chase Tips

L’Eau du Sud was putting together an impressive winning run until finishing fourth last time out. Dan Skelton’s charge racked up victories at Stratford, Cheltenham, Sandown and Warwick before lining up in the Arkle Chase where he could only finish fourth out of five runners. However, the horse was only one and a half lengths off the pace.

Gidleigh Park picked up a victory at Windsor back in January, with the 15/2 chance enjoying a four length success when chinning Caldwell Potter. It was a smart performance considering that the latter was the 4/6 favourite, with the horse having run in the Albert Bartlett at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.

Kalif Du Berlais is a younger adversary and the five-year-old could go well for Paul Nicholls. Last November, there was a success for the horse at Newbury and that was followed up by a New Year’s Day win at Cheltenham. However, the runner underwhelmed at Sandown in a Grade One encounter where the horse finished well behind Handstands and Jango Baie.

Only By Night has also been earning wins this season, with the horse running really well at the Cheltenham Festival when finishing second in the Arkle Challenge Trophy. The runner really outperformed his odds of 25/1 and beat favourite Majborough, with a previous success coming in a novices’ chase at Exeter.

2024 Maghull Novices' Chase Tips

Found A Fifty looks set to go off as favourite when it comes to the Maghull Novices' Chase, with the seven-year-old having run well at the recent Cheltenham Festival. On that occasion, there was a second-placed finish behind Gaelic Warrior, with the horse having run well in the Arkle Challenge Trophy.

Previously to this, the horse was second in the Irish Arkle Chase, with a victory coming in the Racing Post Novice Chase on Boxing Day. However, Etalon is a horse boasting a string of wins and he will be bidding to land a fourth consecutive triumph. Dan Skelton’s runner was last seen winning a handicap chase at Sandown.

Hercule Du Seuil has achieved five consecutive wins and the latest of these successes came at Punchestown in October, with five other runners beaten on that occasion. Willie Mullins will hope that his runner can make the step up to this encounter, with Matata having been in the frame in all his races this season.

The horse was well behind Gaelic Warrior in the Arkle Chase, having finished second out of five horses at Lingfield Park and the same thing happened at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. On that occasion, it was a one-length defeat at the hands of Libberty Hunter where the horse performed well on heavy ground.