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Matty Bown Handicap Stakes

16:08 Pontefract Thu 17 Sep 2026 1m0f6y Class 4 Good 10 runners

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Mr Fox’s call

Walsingham silks

Walsingham

SPECULATIVE Advised 3/1 Est. 32%

🥉 3RD

Mr Fox says

Walsingham (SR 82, 3/1) is the standout selection. The market has firmed 43% since opening — the strongest steam in the field by a considerable margin — and David O'Meara's yard has designated him #1 over stablemate Capital Guarantee (who has drifted 161%). He carries 10-2 but his SR of 82 is second only to Venetian Lion, and crucially he holds a Course:W3P4 record at Pontefract that no rival can match, combined with a confirmed GoingFit:+ on today's good ground. Running off a mark 2lb below his last win (MarkMv:-2) at the same class level (ClassMv:=) means conditions are set up perfectly, and the experienced Jason Watson booking (13% career strike rate, 1,800 runners) confirms yard intent. Each-way alternative: Milteye. Main danger: Venetian Lion — Venetian Lion (SR 86, top-rated in the field) carries only 9-6, holds a form string of 796211 showing sharp recent improvement, and William Haggas (23% career strike rate) books Cieren Fallon (18%) — however the 23% market drift, class rise (ClassMv:↑1), unproven going (GoingFit:?), and MarkMv:+4 leave enough doubt to oppose at 9/4.

Verify· #18223

Full result

Winner: Venetian Lion (GB) at SP 11/4F. Mr Fox’s picks highlighted in gold.

  1. 1 Venetian Lion silks Venetian Lion Fox #2 William Haggas · Cieren Fallon 5/2
  2. 2 BillyB silks BillyB Craig Lidster · Shane Gray 18/1
  3. 3 Walsingham silks Walsingham Fox #1 David O'Meara · Jason Watson 3/1
  4. 4 Freddie Steady Go silks Freddie Steady Go Fox #4 Susan Corbett · Cam Hardie 7/1
  5. 5 Garden Oasis silks Garden Oasis Tim Easterby · Duran Fentiman 16/1
  6. 6 Milteye silks Milteye Fox #3 Harriet Bethell · Tom Kiely-Marshall(5) 9/2
  7. 7 Hale End silks Hale End Michael Dods · Rowan Scott 11/1
  8. 8 Perfect Part silks Perfect Part Brian Ellison · Sean Dylan Bowen 20/1
  9. 9 Zowal silks Zowal John & Sean Quinn · Warren Fentiman(3) 14/1
  10. 10 Capital Guarantee silks Capital Guarantee David O'Meara · Rhys Clutterbuck 25/1

Top 4 — how each finished

  1. 1 Walsingham silks Walsingham 3/1 🥉 3RD
  2. 2 Venetian Lion silks Venetian Lion 9/4 SP 11/4F 🏆 WON
  3. 3 Milteye silks Milteye 8/1 6TH
  4. 4 Freddie Steady Go silks Freddie Steady Go 11/1 🏁 4TH