15:40 Newbury

Thursday 7 November 2019

All12:5513:3014:0514:3515:1015:4016:15

Micky Rawlings Memorial Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:43 | Winning time: 4m 59.0s

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Selected odds by:

Got Away^t¹⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood| OR: 137| D

20/1

5lb higher than when winning a small field mares' chase (Class 3) at Leicester (2m4f, good) in February; largely consistent thereafter until struggling in the Perth Gold Cup (3m) in June.

Form:

Forth Bridge^p,t⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 135| D

10/1

Frustrating until coming good in no uncertain manner at Kempton (2m4½f, good to soft) in March - beat Onefortheroadtom by 6L; the handicapper has had his say since; soundly beaten (lost a shoe) on seasonal reappearance at Perth.

Form:

Azzerti²⁰⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Adrian Heskin| T: A King| OR: 135| D

8/1

Won twice during his first season over fences, admittedly at odds of 1-10f at Ludlow (2m4f, good) in March; still has work to do in order to brush up his fencing technique, but isn't necessarily punitively weighted from a mark of 135.

Form:

Dustin Des Mottes²⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 133

5/1

Four times a winner in France (hurdles and fences) with cut underfoot prior to joining Dr Richard Newland; was always just held when runner-up to Azzerti at Ascot (2m1f, soft) in December, with that rival progressing more since.

Form:

Barton Knoll¹⁶⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: D A Jacob| T: J Mackie| OR: 132| BF| D

14/1

7lb higher than when landing a Class 3 Haydock handicap chase (2m3f, good) by 11L in May; requires a career best performance in order to make a winning seasonal reappearance; others thought more probable candidates.

Form:

Templehills^h,t²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Edward Austin⁽⁷⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 132| D

16/1

Capable at or around 2m4f (on good/good to soft ground) until gradually losing his way for Nigel Twiston-Davies - simply became a shade too high in the weights; should revive eventually for Jonjo O'Neill; fitter for his comeback run?

Form:

Chef D'Equipe^h,t²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr D Maxwell⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 130| D

10/1

A short odds winner over hurdles at Taunton (2m3f, good) in January, but hasn't won over the larger obstacles for the best part of two years; few obvious excuses in the Bobby Renton (fifth) at Wetherby three weeks ago.

Form:

Molineaux¹⁹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 130| DWS

6/1

January Wincanton scorer (2m4f, good); soundly beaten (third of five) by Huntsman Son over C&D in March & didn't exactly set the world alight in the Red Rum Handicap Chase (2m) at Aintree either; vulnerable on first start for 194 days; wind surgery.

Form:

Air Navigator^t1²⁰¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 126WS

6/1

Progressed after making a winning chasing debut at Ffos Las (2m5f, soft), posting some fair form lines over fences at this track (Class 3, 2m4f-2m7½f); returns from wind surgery and a 201-day absence for an in-form trainer; chance.

Form:

Amoola Gold³²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 124

4/1

Steadily improving over fences (1-2) when last in competitive action (late 2018); 7lb higher than when comfortably accounting for the now 138-rated Brelan D'As at Hereford (2m, good); stamina reserves/well-being arguably both a slight concern.

Form:

Domaine De L'Isle^t1¹⁸⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: David Bass| T: S Curran| OR: 122| D

50/1

Former French racer (2-10 for Emmanuel Clayeux); didn't appear to quite stay the 3m+ trip on UK/stable debut at Kempton in May; switches to fences and sports a tongue-tie on his second start for Sean Curran.

Form:

Forecasts

Amoola Gold (4/1), Dustin Des Mottes (5/1), Molineaux (6/1), Air Navigator (6/1), Azzerti (8/1), Chef D'Equipe (10/1), Forth Bridge (10/1), Barton Knoll (14/1), Templehills (16/1), Got Away (20/1), Domaine De L'Isle (50/1)

In a word, tough. With the Tom George string in excellent order, there's at least scope to expect a relatively strong showing from the Newbury regular Air Navigator who has recently had his wind tinkered with (also wears a tongue-tie). Meanwhile, the likes of Amoola Gold and Templehills are also considered as possible contenders. However, the horse to stick is the Alan King-trained AZZERTI. Although on a strict interpretation of weights and measures he would appear hard pushed to confirm Ascot placings with Dustin Des Mottes, he's clearly progressed quickly since that clash, and remains reasonably weighted from an official BHA handicap mark of 135.