William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase
Cheltenham 14:20
£100,000 guaranteed,
4yo plus,
3m 1f, Class 2   
Saturday 25th October 2025

BoyleSports

1 Three Card Brag 6/1
2 Backmersackme 13/2
3 Hoe Joly Smoke 12/1
4 The Short Go 4/1F
18 ran Distances: 2¾l, ¾l, hd
Time: 6m 28.38s (slow by 11.38s)

There was a blend of joy, relief and no little redemption at Cheltenham on Saturday as Three Card Brag stepped forward with a display of authority to take the headline event on day two of The William Hill Showcase.

For owner Max McNeill, it was the sort of moment that lands deep—success at the track he cherishes with a horse he has long championed as being “nearly Graded class.” Sent off at 6-1, the Gordon Elliott-trained challenger travelled with the ease of a horse entirely at home over the three miles and a furlong, Jack Kennedy nursing him round before asking him to lengthen in the straight. When he did, the response was immediate, stretching on to win by two and three-quarter lengths from fellow Irish visitor Backmersackme.

“He’s a proper horse,” McNeill said with a smile. “I thought he was a bit high in the weights, but Jack gave him a brilliant ride. This win feels special—Cheltenham means everything to us National Hunt fans.”

McNeill, who also sits on Cheltenham’s racecourse committee, was quick to salute the atmosphere. “There were over 20,000 here today, including 6,000 students—it’s where you want to have winners,” he added.

For Jack Kennedy, the victory carried its own subtext. Much of last season had been wiped out by injury—an injury, as it happens, sustained aboard one of McNeill’s horses—so this was a neat and satisfying circle closed. He rode with trademark poise, allowing Three Card Brag to shadow the pace before easing into the argument and, despite a hint of idling late, always having matters covered.

Elliott, too, was more than content with what he’d seen. “Jack gave him a confident ride. We’ve always felt Three Card Brag had the engine, and this was a lovely way to start his season.”

BetPlay

William Hill Handicap Chase
£100,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 2
18 ran
Going: Good

POS. DIST HORSE AGE TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Three Card Brag 8 11-13 Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy 6/1
2 2¾ Backmersackme 6 10-2 Emmet Mullins Sean Bowen 13/2
3 ¾ Hoe Joly Smoke 7 10-7 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 12/1
4 hd The Short Go 8 10-10 Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe 4/1F
5 5½ Dunboyne 10 10-13 Ian Patrick Donoghue James Smith 18/1
6 nse Inch House 8 10-10 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 18/1
7 ¾ Ballycamus 8 10-5 2 Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 22/1
8 nk Fascile Mode 7 10-13 Thomas Mullins Danny Mullins 12/1
9 1 Hyland 8 11-11 Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville 11/2
10 6½ Rock My Way 7 10-11 Joe Tizzard Brendan Powell 11/1
11 4¼ King's Threshold 8 10-12 Emma Lavelle Ben Jones 20/1
12 ¾ Transmission 8 10-10 Neil Mulholland Conor O'Farrell 9/1
13 23 Manothepeople 10 10-13 Fergal O'Brien Jonathan Burke 20/1
14 19 Light N Strike 14 11-1 Mickey Bowen James Bowen 66/1
FELL Sea Music 7 11-2 Emmet Mullins Donagh Meyler 28/1
PU Escaria Ten 11 10-10 Martin Keighley Freddie Keighley 80/1
PU Nassalam 8 12-0 Gary & Josh Moore Freddie Mitchell 66/1
PU Minella Blueway 7 10-2 Evan Williams Isabel Williams 18/1