Stables Business Park Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:45 | Winning time: 4m 43.8s

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Selected odds by:

Jonagold^t⁸⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 110

6/1

Maiden after eight career outings under rules including three second placed efforts over hurdles. Runner-up off a 1lb higher mark in first time tongue tie and cheekpieces in selling handicap at Fakenham in November but well beaten when cheekpieces left off (absent again here) at Ffos Las over fences and a bit to prove here.

Form: 25475-2

Starkie^p1¹¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: T J O'Brien| T: C Gordon| OR: 106

11/4

Winner four times in Ireland but latest success came in April 2014 and well beaten the last twice. Best run for this outing came when fourth at Newbury in April 2016, races off a 15lb lower mark here but a bit to prove at present. Wears first time cheekpieces here.

Form: P3P4-46

Monte Wildhorn^p,t¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: T Scudamore| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 101

10/1

First run for 17 months when pulled up here a month ago but well beaten at Leicester subsequently. Return to likely better ground may suit and now rated 7lb lower than for his most recent success at Newton Abbot in June 2015.

Form: P46444-

Norse Light^p,t³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: N D Fehily| T: David Dennis| OR: 101

7/2

Finished runner-up in first time tongue tie and cheekpieces on his penultimate outing at Market Rasen though well held subsequently. Predicted decent ground should help him here and won off this mark at Leicester in January 2016.

Form: 526525

Irish Thistle¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: James Banks| T: D L Williams| OR: 100

9/2

Finished third on his penultimate outing at Huntingdon last month but always behind until falling at Sandown over 3m subsequently. Now rated 18lb lower than for his latest success and interesting off a 6lb lower mark than for that Huntingdon effort.

Form: F3232-4

Bally Lagan^v¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: R Dickin| OR: 84

7/2

Successful over 2m4f at Leicester two months ago for his second career success. Handicapper has raised him 9lb for that success and drop in trip to 2m2f shouldn't inconvenience him too much here though this looks tougher than the races he's been contesting of late.

Form: 46111P-

Forecasts

Starkie (11/4), Bally Lagan (7/2), Norse Light (7/2), Irish Thistle (9/2), Jonagold (6/1), Monte Wildhorn (10/1)

IRISH THISTLE struggled against considerably higher rated rivals than he'll encounter here when falling at Sandown last time out but has been dropped 6lb for that effort and can take advantage of that drop by registering his fifth career success in this competitive event. Bally Lagan has been in good form while contesting weaker races than this of late and can claim second while the first time cheekpieces can see Starkie claim third. 1. Irish Thistle 2. Bally Lagan 3. Starkie