15:20 Newcastle

Saturday 1 December 2018

All11:5012:2513:0013:3514:0514:4015:20

BetVictor Rehearsal Handicap Chase (Listed)

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 6m 7.5s

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Selected odds by:

Otago Trail⁶⁶⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 152| CD

11/1

Beat none other than Bristol De Mai and Definitly Red when a 3¼L winner of this race in 2016 (soft) but hasn't seen too much racing since; absent since February 2017 when a Class 2 scorer at Sandown (3m, soft).

Form: P31P21/

Baywing²³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 149| C| D

16/1

Posted a career best when plundering the Eider Chase (4m1f, heavy) here in February and despite a 9lb higher mark remains open to further improvement; would ideally be suited by softer ground.

Form: 3F5312-

Testify^t1²³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 145| DWS

12/1

Made a pleasing start to his chasing career winning three on the bounce as a novice (incl a Grade 2); relatively untested in handicaps but not obviously well-treated; stamina to prove decisively on first outing since a wind-op; tongue-tied.

Form: 9/1110P-

Templehills^h¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: J W Kennedy| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 143

16/1

Useful 2m4f-2m5f handicapper on his day (4-13 over fences); generally appreciates racing prominently but is unfortunately prone to the odd error or two, and the fences were his downfall at Bangor (3m, good to soft) recently.

Form: 41-414F

Big River^t²⁵⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 142| BF| D

5/1

Solid strike-rate (6-13) and has progressed as anticipated since switched to fences; solid novice form with both wins achieved at Kelso (2m7f+), handles variable ground conditions but this rates as a step up the ladder in terms of competitiveness.

Form: 1/1P312-

Lake View Lad²³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Henry Brooke| T: N W Alexander| OR: 139| CD

8/1

Likeable grey who was a C&D winner (novices' limited handicap) on this card 12 months ago; 7lb higher after concluding his season with a close-up third (Baywing second) at Kelso in April; trainer saddled a double at Ayr on Thursday.

Form: 132123-

Bishops Road^b,t⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: R M Power| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 137

6/1

Headed at the last when run down by Beware The Bear in the 2017 renewal of this race (soft) and competes today off a 7lb lower mark; his fencing isn't always 100% but merits much respect after a solid run at Haydock (3m4f) last weekend.

Form: 77-U632

Ballydine³⁰¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 134| C

13/2

Winner of the French Furze Novices Hurdle on this day in 2015 (soft) but unfortunately has had a few issues since; stamina once more was a key asset when getting off the mark over fences at Sandown (3m) in February; 3lb higher.

Form: 129/231-

Solighoster²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 133| C

25/1

Took his bumper at this track in November 2016 (good to soft) and has won on a further four occasions over hurdles and fences since, including at 3m (soft); out of his depth in the Grade 2 Sodexo Gold Cup (Ascot) on seasonal return.

Form: 3P15F-8

Ami Desbois^t³⁰¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 133| C| D

11/1

Won on his first couple of starts over fences at Wetherby (2m-2m3f), but those were fairly soft races; pulled up on both starts in Class 1 novice chases in 2018 (including in the Dipper); very tough introduction to handicapping.

Form: 51/11PP-

Sharp Response¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 133

10/1

Stronger for a seasonal pipe-opener over hurdles and duly hacked up back over fences next time at Carlisle (3m2f, good); hit with a hefty rise thereafter and struggled in the BetVictor Handicap Chase at Cheltenham latest, finishing 8th of 15.

Form: 321-418

Captain Chaos^b²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 130| C

13/2

Three-time winner over fences (3m-3m1f); has fallen sharply in the weights during the course of 2018 after a barren spell of form; not many positives to be taken from his three runs since October; the more rain the merrier.

Form: 415-008

Forecasts

Big River (5/1), Bishops Road (6/1), Captain Chaos (13/2), Ballydine (13/2), Lake View Lad (8/1), Sharp Response (10/1), Otago Trail (11/1), Ami Desbois (11/1), Testify (12/1), Baywing (16/1), Templehills (16/1), Solighoster (25/1)

A prestigious handicap which has been run at Gosforth Park for a number of years since being switched from Chepstow. The 2018 renewal sees the 2016 winner Otago Trail and the 2017 runner-up BISHOPS ROAD amongst those declared, along with the 2018 Eider Chase winner Baywing and the 2015 French Furze winner Ballydine, so there's ample previous Newcastle form on offer. The selection bids to go one better than 12 months ago, and his chance is obvious based on handicap ratings alone (7lb lower). His fencing isn't always his forte, but he jumped adequately around the much discussed Haydock obstacles (3m4f) last weekend when finishing an admirable second to Red Infantry.