18:00 Market Rasen

Saturday 18 August 2018

All16:5517:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:00

Jane Clugston Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 18:02 | Winning time: 5m 30.4s

Settings

Selected odds by:

Opechee¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: T Scudamore| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 106

4/1

Back from a long break and not lacking for fitness he took advantage of a reduced mark to score at Stratford recently. Very-lightly raced of late so it remains to be seen if he can build on that here off a quick return.

Form: 5267/3-1

Ballycamp^t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: A Pogson| T: C T Pogson| OR: 105

6/1

Consistent sort but yet to win under Rules although his latest start here (beaten 1L) would give him a good chance of cancelling that position if repeated. This isn't a strong contest and he looks one for the shortlist back up in trip.

Form: 23-3363

Bendomingo¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 105| D

11/1

A wind op plus the handicapper giving him a chance saw him produce a decent display at Ffos Las in July (his only solid run of the year). Reverted to type last time making mistakes under a change of tactics (held up); something to prove.

Form: 2P6-827

Closest Friend^t²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Miss Gina Andrews⁽³⁾| T: J M P Eustace| OR: 104| C

10/1

Both outings since leaving Dan Skelton over fences have left question marks although there are excuses also. Features on a good mark if he could return to the form he showed for his former yard and not totally written off for a revival.

Form: 732P/4P

Dr Moloney^b1,t²²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Murphy| OR: 103

14/1

Gone to a yard that are good at turning underperformers around but his problem with weak finishes appears to remain. Sole success under Rules was back in 2014 and now tried in blinkers for the first-time; still one to be wary of.

Form: F248-44

Road To Freedom⁷⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Charlie Hammond⁽⁵⁾| T: S-J Davies| OR: 102

33/1

Chase record under Rules reads 0-9 and he now returns from running in point-to-points (made little impression in that sphere). Reasonably weighted on his old form but hard to make a sound enough case to support him.

Form: PP/P3-38

Affaire D'Honneur^b1,t⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: N de Boinville| T: K Frost| OR: 100

11/1

Winning hurdler for his previous yard his form since then has been way below that level and he fared no better last time after a wind op. Hard to recommend on his current form or rather lack of it and best watched.

Form: 34/58-09

Midnight Gem^p²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Paul O'Brien⁽⁵⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 98| D

8/1

Form for the most part has been more miss than hit and it was the miss version that ran at Worcester last time. Placed three times over fences he has yet to win though (0-10) but is well enough handicapped to do if he's on a going day.

Form: P-53535

Silent Account^t¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: T J O'Brien| T: C R Dore| OR: 94

16/1

Given some stiff tasks when trained in Ireland over fences but showed something to work on/with at Worcester last time. Up in trip now he finished with running left last time in a race that didn't go to plan; one to note in the market.

Form: 46-7485

Courtlands Prince^b,t²³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Farrelly| OR: 94

33/1

Ran with some promise last time at Worcester (brush hurdles) in this combination of headgear for the first-time. Kept on well after losing his place and quite well weighted on his old hurdles form; interesting.

Form: P3P-096

Wells Gold^p³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 90

3/1

Point-to-point winner who has won over hurdles an appeared to be a little more like his old self of late although the yard remain in a below-par state at the moment. 7lb above his last winning mark but may be able to make an impression.

Form: 81P-834

Grow Nasa Grow¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: P Winks| OR: 78| C

8/1

Course winner over a shorter trip in May off a lower mark he's 1lb out of the handicap here. Hasn't quite been able to repeat that winning form but may not have had the run of the race last time; outside chance.

Form: 5-71375

Forecasts

Wells Gold (3/1), Opechee (4/1), Ballycamp (6/1), Grow Nasa Grow (8/1), Midnight Gem (8/1), Closest Friend (10/1), Bendomingo (11/1), Affaire D'Honneur (11/1), Dr Moloney (14/1), Silent Account (16/1), Courtlands Prince (33/1), Road To Freedom (33/1)

Some of the more interesting contenders lie towards the foot of the handicap with SILENT ACCOUNT the pick of them having shown enough last time at Worcester where he finished with something in the tank and hinted at better to come. Courtlands Prince is of similar ilk and can be given a chance if he takes to chasing on his debut with Closest Friend another that it’s hard to write off. Opechee appears to be the biggest danger though if his fragile constitution allows him to run as well as he did at Stratford off a 9lb higher mark while Ballycamp is also given a chance if he can reproduce his latest start.