Johnny Jeffreys Nightmare Chapter Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 5m 38.1s

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Selected odds by:

Black Jack Rover²⁵⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 112| D

8/1

Lightly raced for his age and off the track since August 2017, when finishing a one paced 6L second to Flying Eagle (2m5f Cartmel, good to soft). Clearly had his fair share of training troubles, but unexposed over fences.

Form: 2122/82-

Free Range^v1¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 111

9/2

Won a 2m maiden hurdle at Fakenham for Dan Skelton in November (good), but moved on for pastures new recently. Couldn't land a blow on recent stable debut at Sedgefield (fourth), but now visored on just his fifth ever start over fences.

Form: 422444

Always Tipsy²³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 110| CD

4/1

Returned to form with a narrow 1L C&D success last month (heavy) from the tenderly ridden Beau Sancy. Raised 5lb, so needs to up his game further, but evidently handles the forecast quicker ground.

Form: 11UUP1

Romulus Du Donjon²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: R Dobbin| OR: 108| BF

7/2

Largely consistent, but has seen plenty of racing over the past few months and the handicapper probably just about has his measure. Slightly disappointing latest, but quicker ground conditions are a plus.

Form: 445323

Robintheaulad^t³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: A M Thomson| OR: 98

4/1

Back from a break, and wind surgery with a spin over hurdles at Carlisle last month (2m1f soft), having fallen twice previously over fences. Worth another try over the larger obstacles, but hard to be overly confident.

Form: 44/FF-66

Bocasien Desbois⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Henry Brooke| T: M Todhunter| OR: 96

15/2

Made a winning chasing debut at Market Rasen in March (2m5f+ good to soft) when readily asserting late on accounting for Kings Temptation by 1¾L. Up 6lb, but should be thereabouts under similar conditions.

Form: 0/77261-

Royal Mandate^v1¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: C O'Farrell| T: R Menzies| OR: 93

9/1

Lightly raced, but still to break his duck for this trainer (ex Dan Skelton). Has shown glimmers of promise over hurdles, could appreciate a sound surface, and has the visor applied for his chasing debut.

Form: 556666

Non-Runners

Cherif De L'Isle¹⁵⁹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: Miss Lucinda V Russell J: D R Fox

Forecasts

Romulus Du Donjon (7/2), Always Tipsy (4/1), Robintheaulad (4/1), Free Range (9/2), Bocasien Desbois (15/2), Black Jack Rover (8/1), Cherif De L'Isle (8/1), Royal Mandate (9/1)

A fairly tight looking affair with the returning Black Jack Rover hopefully able to kick on over fences for Donald McCain and record a solid string of races under his belt. A few of these horses should appreciate the quicker underfoot conditions including the solid, but handicapper known, Romulus Du Donjon, and the first time visored chasing debutante Royal Mandate. However, the Market Rasen winner BOCASIEN DESBOIS is another who falls into that category, and whilst that form might not amount to all that much in terms of depth, he should be thereabouts at least off a 6lb higher mark.