✅ Result In

Jimmy Hunter 60th Birthday Celebration Novices' Handicap Chase (Qualifier) (GBB Race)

Newcastle · Sat 21st Feb 2026 · 14:10
📏 2m½f 🏷️ Class Class 4 🌿 Good To Soft 🏟️ Turf 🐎 Chase
2nd
Spadestep (IRE)
2/1J
Derek Fox
1st
The Grafter
2/1J
Jonathan England
3rd
Galidam (FR)
10/1
Callum Bewley
🏷️
Class
Class 4
📏
Distance
2m½f
🌿
Going
Good To Soft
🏟️
Surface
Turf
🐎
Runners
6
🔖
Type
Chase
Pos Horse / Form Age/Wgt Jockey / Trainer OR Odds
🥈 2nd 7y
lbs
Derek Fox
Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore
2/1J
🥇 1st
The Grafter Form:
7y
lbs
Jonathan England
Sam England
2/1J
4 8y
lbs
Jonathan Burke
Fergal O'Brien
11/1
5 7y
lbs
Ross Chapman
Rebecca Menzies
11/2
6 7y
lbs
Brian Hughes
Tom Gretton
8/1
🥉 3rd
Galidam (FR) Form:
6y
lbs
Callum Bewley
Micky Hammond
10/1

Today's NAP of The Day

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15:05 Ascot
Racecard
Horse Silk
Confucius
J : Ryan Moore
T : A P O'Brien
15:05
Age: 2
Form: 21
Weight: 129 lbs
OR:
This 22-runner contest looks an absolute minefield and there is 1 horse that immediately grabbed my attention
- CONFUCIUS. I watched his win in Ireland and what stood out most was how green he looked during the early stages of the race. However, once he started to understand what was being asked of him, he simply took off and won almost on the bridle by nearly four lengths.

As always, Ryan Moore has had plenty of options and the fact he has chosen to ride this €1.7 million colt speaks volumes. Out of all the runners Aidan O\'Brien sends to the race, this is the one Moore wants to be on. If CONFUCIUS improves again from his debut effort, we could be looking at a very special performance.