Horse Comes First Novices' Chase

Off time: 12:47 | Winning time: 6m 36.2s

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Selected odds by:

Coastal Tiep^p³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 139

11/2

Made a winning debut over fences at Exeter (3m, good) in October but proved a little disappointing when finishing a well beaten second at Aintree (3m1f, soft) subsequently. Needs to brush up a little on his jumping if he's to land this contest.

Form: 4234-12

Duel At Dawn^p¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Kielan Woods| T: A M Hales| OR: 141

9/4

Hard to know what to make of the form of his latest win in a three-runner field but stays this trip well and he relishes this kind of ground. May need to improve to take this conceding weight but that's entirely possible and he's very consistent.

Form: 5131-21

Sizing Tennessee²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: B J Cooper| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 139| BF

2/1

Running a big race against subsequent winner when falling two out at the Showcase meeting and blundered the second when falling next time at Ascot. Must jump better but clearly smart and can't be ruled out in receipt of weight from two smart types.

Form: 34P-2FU

Tintern Theatre²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 134

5/2

Won twice over hurdles last season and shaped well on return at Chepstow on first start over fences. Fell here next time but put that behind him when fourth of 15 here last month. More needed in this and his rivals possibly have more potential.

Form: 501-2F4

Forecasts

Sizing Tennessee (2/1), Duel At Dawn (9/4), Tintern Theatre (5/2), Coastal Tiep (11/2)

SIZING TENNESSEE clearly comes with risks attached having fell on his last two starts but two of his rivals have to concede weight to him here and if he can stay upright, he's likely to take some beating. Duel At Dawn looks the main danger and he seemingly doesn't know how to run a bad race while Coastal Tiep has plenty of potential but may want better ground than what he's likely to get here.