12:20 Chepstow

Saturday 7 December 2019

All12:2012:5513:2513:5514:3015:0515:40

Rhys Howells Memorial Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:23 | Winning time: 5m 15.8s

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Selected odds by:

Domaine De L'Isle^t³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: G Sheehan| T: S Curran| OR: 120

9/2

Dual chase winner in France and stepped up on stable debut when finishing 7½L sixth in a 2m4f handicap chase at Newbury (good-to-soft) a month ago. Races off a 2lb lower mark here and tongue tie worn for the first time that day is retained.

Form:

Francky Du Berlais^b,t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 117

11/2

Good 8L second in a 2m6f handicap hurdle at Ffos Las (soft) last time out. Retains blinkers worn that day and is interesting racing off the same mark on his return to fences.

Form:

Dorking Cock^p1²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr Tommie M O'Brien⁽⁵⁾| T: T Lacey| OR: 117

11/2

Held in two starts over fences this campaign including when 24L fourth over an extended 2m4f at Kempton last time out. Wears cheekpieces for the first time.

Form:

Native Robin²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Scott| OR: 117| BF| D

11/2

Finished runner-up on his last three starts over fences including when beaten 4½L in a 2m4f handicap chase at Wincanton (good-to-soft) last time out. Softer ground forecast here no issue and looks likely to play a leading role once more.

Form:

Eclair De Guye²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Maxime Tissier⁽⁵⁾| T: L Wadham| OR: 115

4/1

Improved on chase debut when taking a novices' handicap contest over an extended 2m5f at Fontwell (soft) last month. Raised 3lb for that effort and remains open to improvement on just his third start over fences.

Form:

Louse Talk^p,t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 114| BF| D

15/2

Decent efforts in two chase starts this season including when 12½L fourth in a 3m handicap at Ffos Las (soft) just under a month ago. Interesting runner off a 1lb lower mark.

Form:

Envol De La Cour²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: C J Todd⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss C Dyson| OR: 113

40/1

Dual chase winner in 2018 when trained in France but has failed to figure in four starts on this side of the channel most recently when pulled up on stable debut and return to fences at Wincanton (2m4f, good-to-soft) last month.

Form:

Indian Brave^t1²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: R T Dunne| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 110

16/1

Had just two starts since winning a maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter (2m4f, soft) in April 2017. Beaten 24L over an extended 2m7f on stable debut at Kelso (heavy) last month and a tongue tie is fitted for the first time.

Form:

Mouseinthehouse²³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 98

12/1

Seven race maiden was beaten 23L having bled when third in a novices' handicap chase over 2m at Ludlow (soft) last time out. Probably best watched at present.

Form:

Forecasts

Eclair De Guye (4/1), Domaine De L'Isle (9/2), Dorking Cock (11/2), Native Robin (11/2), Francky Du Berlais (11/2), Louse Talk (15/2), Mouseinthehouse (12/1), Indian Brave (16/1), Envol De La Cour (40/1)

NATIVE ROBIN can register a victory by taking the opening handicap chase on the card. The oldest horse in the field has shown good form when placed on both previous starts this campaign and he can get the better of last time out winner Eclair De Guye who can finish runner-up off his revised mark. Third palce can go to Francky Du Berlais who returns to chasing following a couple of good efforts over hurdles.