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2026 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase (Amateur Riders)

….notice a bit of support for Sandor Clegane, maybe mentioned somewhere.
 
….Jamie Codd;

Have you got a big handicap fancy for the Festival?​

The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir is obviously a race I like to keep an eye on, and Prends Garde A Toi looks very interesting at 25-1. He’s gained quite a lot of experience over fences this season and the best of his form reads pretty well, including when beating King Alexander over a much shorter trip at Naas, and when finally proving his stamina off a big weight in second-time cheekpieces in Punchestown’s Grand National Trial last time. He fell at an early stage at the DRF the time before that, but was backed up quickly, and the Punchestown run was a big step in the right direction. I think he’s an improving horse, and he showed enough class to finish close to decent horses like The Passing Wife and The Yellow Clay in his bumper and hurdles runs. I like to see that in a horse’s profile, and it’s also a bonus that he’s proven on ground ranging from good to heavy. Coming from the Gordon Elliott yard, you’d expect him to have one of the top amateur pilots aboard, while it’s worth remembering Elliott and Gigginstown teamed up to win another seven-year-old in Milan Native back in 2020.
 
…..Stuart Edmunds has already won a Kim Muir just watched an interview with him in which he talks about Horantzau D’airy.

Not long ago he was running in £100k handicaps for W Mullins, indeed he had decent ones behind when finishing 13th in last years GN. Edmunds says he has a real touch of class about him, trouble is he bleeds but he’s being carefully managed for this and the best time to catch him is coming here fresh.

Bit of a leap of faith but maybe factored in the 75-1 NRNB with Lads boost.
 
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Came in here, fingers ready to start hammering away to make a case for a bit of a cliff horse and one at an each way price. Then I see above that Pricewise apparently already put forward Sandor Clegane for this race. Not so much the left field pick I thought he was, then.

Anyway, there are few things to encourage me beyond the fact that Paul Nolan trained the Kim Muir winner last year:
  • His Cheltenham record, old course and new, is decent: staying on 3rd in the Bartlett (ignore the banned substance...), 4th in a slowly run Brown Advisory, 10-length 10th in a Coral Cup off 147.
  • I think he is all stamina. A slight step up to 3m2f at Cheltenham will hopefully see some improvement.
  • He is 9, but 2 of the last 4 winners were aged 9 and 10.
  • Freshened up since Christmas, an angle I like, I'm start to convince myself he has been hiding all season. Two beginners over unsuitable trips and a couple of quiet handicap runs in good company to shed some weight.
  • Assuming he hasn't put his best foot forward this term, he is somewhat unexposed in chase handicaps having spent his novice season in behind good horses at Graded level. So he is technically a second-season novice if ignoring the year back over hurdles.
  • Yet he would run here off 138 after 4lbs tax. That's 9lb lower than his Coral Cup run last year. It's his lowest official rating IRE/GB. It feels like he is entering well-handicapped territory.
  • And the tongue tie has been left off all season. I suspect it'll go back on, as might the blinkers, and 5 of the last 10 KM winners wore the former.
Seems to like Cheltenham. Think he wants the trip. 138.

25/1 NRNB feels really fair. As does the 40/1 NRNB for the NHC, where I'd make a similar case.
 
Came in here, fingers ready to start hammering away to make a case for a bit of a cliff horse and one at an each way price. Then I see above that Pricewise apparently already put forward Sandor Clegane for this race. Not so much the left field pick I thought he was, then.

Anyway, there are few things to encourage me beyond the fact that Paul Nolan trained the Kim Muir winner last year:
  • His Cheltenham record, old course and new, is decent: staying on 3rd in the Bartlett (ignore the banned substance...), 4th in a slowly run Brown Advisory, 10-length 10th in a Coral Cup off 147.
  • I think he is all stamina. A slight step up to 3m2f at Cheltenham will hopefully see some improvement.
  • He is 9, but 2 of the last 4 winners were aged 9 and 10.
  • Freshened up since Christmas, an angle I like, I'm start to convince myself he has been hiding all season. Two beginners over unsuitable trips and a couple of quiet handicap runs in good company to shed some weight.
  • Assuming he hasn't put his best foot forward this term, he is somewhat unexposed in chase handicaps having spent his novice season in behind good horses at Graded level. So he is technically a second-season novice if ignoring the year back over hurdles.
  • Yet he would run here off 138 after 4lbs tax. That's 9lb lower than his Coral Cup run last year. It's his lowest official rating IRE/GB. It feels like he is entering well-handicapped territory.
  • And the tongue tie has been left off all season. I suspect it'll go back on, as might the blinkers, and 5 of the last 10 KM winners wore the former.
Seems to like Cheltenham. Think he wants the trip. 138.

25/1 NRNB feels really fair. As does the 40/1 NRNB for the NHC, where I'd make a similar case.
good write up, and potentially a good angle (other than Tom segal putting it up- always puts me off). The main concern I have is that previously he’s always come to Cheltenham off of fairly decent form, this year has been woeful, even the runs at 3m. Appreciate they may have been trying to knock a few pounds off, but has been beaten a mile….this horse still owes me money from prior years / races, so maybe biased 😂😂
 
Came in here, fingers ready to start hammering away to make a case for a bit of a cliff horse and one at an each way price. Then I see above that Pricewise apparently already put forward Sandor Clegane for this race. Not so much the left field pick I thought he was, then.

Anyway, there are few things to encourage me beyond the fact that Paul Nolan trained the Kim Muir winner last year:
  • His Cheltenham record, old course and new, is decent: staying on 3rd in the Bartlett (ignore the banned substance...), 4th in a slowly run Brown Advisory, 10-length 10th in a Coral Cup off 147.
  • I think he is all stamina. A slight step up to 3m2f at Cheltenham will hopefully see some improvement.
  • He is 9, but 2 of the last 4 winners were aged 9 and 10.
  • Freshened up since Christmas, an angle I like, I'm start to convince myself he has been hiding all season. Two beginners over unsuitable trips and a couple of quiet handicap runs in good company to shed some weight.
  • Assuming he hasn't put his best foot forward this term, he is somewhat unexposed in chase handicaps having spent his novice season in behind good horses at Graded level. So he is technically a second-season novice if ignoring the year back over hurdles.
  • Yet he would run here off 138 after 4lbs tax. That's 9lb lower than his Coral Cup run last year. It's his lowest official rating IRE/GB. It feels like he is entering well-handicapped territory.
  • And the tongue tie has been left off all season. I suspect it'll go back on, as might the blinkers, and 5 of the last 10 KM winners wore the former.
Seems to like Cheltenham. Think he wants the trip. 138.

25/1 NRNB feels really fair. As does the 40/1 NRNB for the NHC, where I'd make a similar case.

Assuming Daily Present runs here again for the stable.
Who do you think would ride if they run him here ?
 
Came in here, fingers ready to start hammering away to make a case for a bit of a cliff horse and one at an each way price. Then I see above that Pricewise apparently already put forward Sandor Clegane for this race. Not so much the left field pick I thought he was, then.

Anyway, there are few things to encourage me beyond the fact that Paul Nolan trained the Kim Muir winner last year:
  • His Cheltenham record, old course and new, is decent: staying on 3rd in the Bartlett (ignore the banned substance...), 4th in a slowly run Brown Advisory, 10-length 10th in a Coral Cup off 147.
  • I think he is all stamina. A slight step up to 3m2f at Cheltenham will hopefully see some improvement.
  • He is 9, but 2 of the last 4 winners were aged 9 and 10.
  • Freshened up since Christmas, an angle I like, I'm start to convince myself he has been hiding all season. Two beginners over unsuitable trips and a couple of quiet handicap runs in good company to shed some weight.
  • Assuming he hasn't put his best foot forward this term, he is somewhat unexposed in chase handicaps having spent his novice season in behind good horses at Graded level. So he is technically a second-season novice if ignoring the year back over hurdles.
  • Yet he would run here off 138 after 4lbs tax. That's 9lb lower than his Coral Cup run last year. It's his lowest official rating IRE/GB. It feels like he is entering well-handicapped territory.
  • And the tongue tie has been left off all season. I suspect it'll go back on, as might the blinkers, and 5 of the last 10 KM winners wore the former.
Seems to like Cheltenham. Think he wants the trip. 138.

25/1 NRNB feels really fair. As does the 40/1 NRNB for the NHC, where I'd make a similar case.
A good case, but I can’t help but ask - are you Andrew Blair White in disguise…?
 
Assuming Daily Present runs here again for the stable.
Who do you think would ride if they run him here ?
Yeah it’s a fair question, and I wouldn’t have a clue to be frank. Paul’s had two different jockeys on Daily Present the last two years. And Tiernan Power Roche also claimed 7 back in 2023 on his other recent runner (7th, Western Zara).

But if they can get a half decent p2p amateur, it didn’t stop Daily Present winning last year, nor Angels Dawn for Sam Curling before him.
 
Think Waterford is the one they fancy for this?
Derek riding Jeriko

So would presume it is him

Recent interview sounded like he was winding down the riding under rules

Wonder if Jeriko or Its on the line winning would make him call it
 
Derek riding Jeriko

So would presume it is him

Recent interview sounded like he was winding down the riding under rules

Wonder if Jeriko or Its on the line winning would make him call it
Yeah sounds fair. Can’t have Jeriko at the prices now. It’s on the line deserves a win, the horse is a monkey though and I’ve been hurt by him twice already. Probably am each way bet to nothing though.
 
….uhavemeinstitches not confirmed for this today.
 
Trying to work out whether J'arrive de L'est will get a run

Currently needs 8 to come out ahead of him

If we presume

Hyland is Ultima
Insurrection of Nicholls' a NR? He's quoted as saying Il Ridoto will go with Olive on

Elliott has 7 above J'arrive at the minute

Anyone know/heard plans for any others above?
 
Trying to work out whether J'arrive de L'est will get a run

Currently needs 8 to come out ahead of him

If we presume

Hyland is Ultima
Insurrection of Nicholls' a NR? He's quoted as saying Il Ridoto will go with Olive on

Elliott has 7 above J'arrive at the minute

Anyone know/heard plans for any others above?
he's only mentioned prends garde