13:15 Bangor

Thursday 4 January 2018

All13:1513:4514:1514:5015:2015:55

Stella Artois Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:17 | Winning time: 5m 44.2s

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Selected odds by:

The Kings Writ²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: D A Jacob| T: R Woollacott| OR: 105

9/4

Showed some promise in a soft ground Exeter novices' hurdle in February and after a break he won a couple of point-to-points in recent months. Trip should be fine for starters over fences and mark looks fair, so could make a competitive debut.

Form: P840-11

Parlour Maid^p,t²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: R T Dunne| T: R G Hawker| OR: 102| D

3/1

Soft ground point-to-point winner who added a Towcester handicap hurdle (1m7½f, good to soft) to her CV in May. Put in her best effort yet when 4L second at Ludlow (2m5f) last time. Looks capable of getting involved on chase debut from a fair mark.

Form: 09-10B2

Oneida Tribe¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Adrian Heskin| T: R Dickin| OR: 101

7/1

Soft ground Irish point-to-point winner (at fifth attempt) in 2015 and has shaped with promise on his belated introduction to chasing. Most recent effort suggested that this flatter track might help and from 2lb lower he is not ruled out.

Form: 377/U4-5

Pinch Of Ginger²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 99

6/1

Maiden after six starts under rules but has shown promise on occasions and was still going well enough when falling five out on his chase debut at Sedgefield last month. Takes considerable drop in trip and 2lb drop for this and market check advised.

Form: 4632-3F

Grays Choice³¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 90

14/1

Has not been able to live up to the promise of a wide margin bumper win at Ayr in 2016 since going hurdling. Now tries chasing on his first start for 11-months and looks one to watch on this occasion.

Form: PP4550-

Lightentertainment³¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: T Dowling⁽⁵⁾| T: F Brennan| OR: 90| D

10/1

Won twice over hurdles on heavy ground and at similar trips to this and was rated as high as 131 two years ago. Nowhere near that level these days and pulled up on both chase starts last summer. Worth another try but clearly a bit to prove.

Form: P44235

Spirit Of Hale^p1³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 89

20/1

Yet to make frame from 10 attempts and his chase debut at Ludlow when last seen in November did not suggest that he would be breaking his maiden this time around. Cheekpieces may help along with 5lb drop, but plenty of improvement needed.

Form: 57475-4

Ballyegan Warrior³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Aidan Coleman| T: David Dennis| OR: 85

10/1

Showed little in bumpers/hurdles in Ireland and probably his best effort was as a faller when he looked like winning a point-to-point over there in October. Since changed hands and now makes stable/chase debut from lowly mark. Market check advised.

Form: 00-0PF3

Heavenly Promise²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Lee Edwards| T: J Groucott| OR: 73

16/1

Would probably have made the frame here when a faller over 3m last May and slightly unlucky to slip/unseat at Ludlow last time. Conditions/trip fine but she goes into this 6lb 'wrong' and seems likely to find a few too good.

Form: 655-F5U

Result Amended

Oneida Tribe - Original Position 1st. Amended Position 2nd.

Forecasts

The Kings Writ (9/4), Parlour Maid (3/1), Pinch Of Ginger (6/1), Oneida Tribe (7/1), Lightentertainment (10/1), Ballyegan Warrior (10/1), Grays Choice (14/1), Heavenly Promise (16/1), Spirit Of Hale (20/1)

Very modest fayre on offer here and despite top weight it could be worth siding with THE KINGS WRIT, who has shown promise over hurdles and comes into this chase debut on the back of a couple of confidence-boosting point-to-point wins. Parlour Maid ran well at Ludlow last time and she should be competitive on her introduction to chasing, while Oneida Tribe, Pinch Of Ginger and Ballyegan Warrior are the more eyecatching of the remainder on paper.