Smarkets Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:50 | Winning time: 7m 15.4s

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Selected odds by:

Sutter's Mill^p¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 105

7/1

Won over a similar trip when hurdling last spring (soft) and again at Newton Abbot (3m2½f, good to soft) in July. Went close over fences for the first time at Ffos Las (2m3½f, heavy) last month and has a squeak from just 2lb higher.

Form: 278452

Cucklington^b,t¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 103| CD

3/1

Scored over C&D (soft) in November when 4lb lower. Comfortably held in all three starts since then but not a bad effort behind a stablemate who runs earlier on the card last time out at Taunton and from 2lb lower is no forlorn hope.

Form: 211355

Clondaw Westie^p,t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Mrs L Hill| OR: 103

7/2

Irish point-to-point winner who couldn't repeat that over hurdles. Came good on his chase debut at Leicester (2m4f, soft) last month by 8L. Has to cope with a 9lb rise for that, but this step up in trip offer hope of improvement and he can go close.

Form: 975-381

Clondaw Rigger^t³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price| OR: 94| D

6/1

Another Irish point-to-point winner who could not do the same over hurdles, but who has broken his rules duck over fences. That 18L Hereford win (3m1f, soft) in January caught the attention of the handicapper, who appeared to expose him last time.

Form: 477215

Big Time Frank²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Nick Scholfield| T: P Gundry| OR: 85

3/1

Maiden from nine starts under rules. Stays 3m½f at the stiffer Towcester circuit, so should get this trip and a 2lb drop will help, but probably needs improve nonetheless if he is to better his two recent placed efforts.

Form: 063P33

Withoutdefavourite^p¹¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 76

9/1

Dual point-to-point winner, but 0-19 under rules now and has shown nothing like enough to arouse much interest here from 3lb out of the handicap.

Form: 6/4-P764

Kostaquarta^p,t⁴⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: Tom Cheesman⁽⁵⁾| T: Mark Gillard| OR: 76

33/1

Very moderate performer who is yet to make the frame in any race under rules and whose point-to-points successes were all on good/fast ground. Readily opposed from 3lb 'wrong'.

Form: 9667-PP

Forecasts

Cucklington (3/1), Big Time Frank (3/1), Clondaw Westie (7/2), Clondaw Rigger (6/1), Sutter's Mill (7/1), Withoutdefavourite (9/1), Kostaquarta (33/1)

Lawney Hill wasted no time in sending CLONDAW WESTIE chasing and he shaped up very well first time with an authoritative Leicester success. He will need improvement to follow up from 9lb higher, but he may well be able to find that over this longer trip and he is suggested. Cucklington hinted at a revival last time and could do better again at a track where he has won, while Sutter's Mill is respected along with Big Time Frank.