racingtv.com/freetrial Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:30 | Winning time: 5m 26.1s

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Selected odds by:

Go Steady^t²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 105

9/4

Lightly-raced sort; well supported on his debut over fences (wore first-time hood/tongue-tie) at Leicester (2m) in December looking a likely improver. Race didn't fall his way when attempting follow up (minus hood); steps up in trip, holds claims.

Form: 44/0813

Ballyart^v1⁸⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 103

2/1

Consistent type who has got a string of placed efforts to his name over obstacles but hardly looks a winner waiting to happen. Often makes mistakes (kept to a minimum last time); now tried in a first-time visor, others appeal more.

Form: 57-3423

Vicenzo Mio^p,t²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon| OR: 100

8/1

Unreliable sort who has yet to win over fences (0-11); ran creditably in a first-time visor at Plumpton last time (reverts to normal headgear this time). Despite the third last time he's another who didn't look a winner in waiting; best watched.

Form: 26-6273

Little Ginge⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: James Nixon⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 93

3/1

Gradually getting the hang of things over hurdles producing a better performance in that sphere on handicap debut although still looking inexperienced. Quickly switched to fences in good hands, could well take a hand.

Form: 88-4903

Glorious Boru⁴⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: James Bowen| T: Miss Z C Davison| OR: 90

8/1

Disappointed on his second chasing effort having shown promise when first tried in this sphere at Fakenham. James Bowen replaces a conditional this time around but he does need to find his debt form to take a hand.

Form: 3-52036

Hume Lough^h,t⁵²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Lee Edwards| T: S-J Davies| OR: 71

40/1

8lb out of the handicap won't make life easy and neither does his form having finished well held in all four starts for this yard. Back over fences last time its hard to evidence to suggest he would have a chance of taking this.

Form: 4/3-456P

Non-Runners

Calypso Jack²⁸

Weight: 10-0| Age: 7

T: Mrs L C Jewell J: Brendan Powell

Forecasts

Ballyart (2/1), Go Steady (9/4), Little Ginge (3/1), Glorious Boru (8/1), Vicenzo Mio (8/1), Hume Lough (40/1), Calypso Jack (50/1)

Not an enormous amount of strength in depth with Dan Skelton’s GO STEADY taken to regain the winning thread having shown up well over fences twice at shorter trips. Far from ideally placed when finishing third last time over 2m this extra distance that he faces today will prove a positive. It says something for the race that Ballyart can be given a chance despite his usually mistake-laden rounds of jumping, another placing looks on the cards. If there is a danger to the selection it may well come in the shape of Little Ginge who improved over hurdles when going handicapping and it may be the switch to fences could spark some further progress.