12:50 Newcastle

Monday 26 December 2022

All11:4512:1512:5013:2514:0014:3515:10

Gary Wood Memorial Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:52 | Winning time: 4m 22.2s

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Selected odds by:

Ritson^p³³

Age: 7| Weight: 12-2| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁵⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 102

5/1

Fair hurdler who showed aptitude when fifth in a handicap at Hexham on his first try over the larger obstacles last month. Failed to come forward from that at Wetherby subsequently but his mark has eased a little more and it remains early days in this sphere.

Form: 2342-55

Edmond Dantes^p1⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: B S Hughes| T: Ruth Jefferson| OR: 100

10/3

Made a successful chase debut at Market Rasen (19f) in February and consistency hard to knock since, again finding only one too good at Kelso (17f) early last month. Should be in the mix again.

Form: 1F22-42

Mcgarry⁴¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Coltherd| T: W Coltherd| OR: 96

7/4

Point winner who capitalised on much-reduced mark when making final hurdles start for Phil Kirby a winning one at Hexham (23.3f) 13 months ago, landing a significant gamble in the process. Has since switched yard and not underestimated now chasing on return.

Form: 95904/1-

Coolmoyne⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: J Kington| T: S Waugh| OR: 90

28/1

Best effort when third on second chase start at Hexham (15.6f) in April but not in anything like the same form either start this winter.

Form: 03F3-5P

Fourth Of July^t⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Ryan Mania| T: R M Smith| OR: 88

10/1

Dual winner over fences at Kelso in early 2021. Drawn a blank since but likely to be sharper for his latest outing when third at Hexham (15.6f) in November. Not out of things.

Form: 3-46233

Six One Nine^p¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Midgley⁽⁵⁾| T: C Grant| OR: 87| CD

18/1

C&D winner in February who returned to form when runner-up at Musselburgh (15.8f) at the start of last month. However, only added to his patchy record with a lesser display over hurdles here 18 days ago.

Form: 2F7F26

Choix Des Armes^h²⁵⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs A C Hamilton| OR: 84| BF

33/1

Winning hurdler for Paul Nicholls in 2018 who came good over fences for new yard in a 2m Wetherby novice handicap in March. Similar form despite finishing last of 5 at Hexham (15.6f) a month later. Absent subsequently.

Form: 7U/9515-

Roxyfet²²³

Age: 12| Weight: 10-9| J: Miss Becky Smith| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 81| D

50/1

Veteran campaigner who capitalised on much-reduced mark to regain winning thread at Hexham in April. Well held back there a month later, though, and passed over here following a 7-month break.

Form: 4U441-5

Budarri^p,t³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: Danny McMenamin| T: W Coltherd| OR: 80| CD

16/1

Fallen plenty in the weights and capitalised to land a weak race at Musselburgh (15.8f, soft) last month. Not discredited when third at Sedgefield since and likely to be on the premises again.

Form: 5F7413

Chemical Warfare¹⁹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: Craig Nichol| T: T Collier| OR: 78

13/2

Modest maiden hurdler who strung together a trio of solid efforts over hurdles earlier this year, runner-up at Hexham (16.2f) in June. May raise his game now chasing, so worth monitoring in the betting.

Form: 306-432

Non-Runners

Rocco Storm³⁴

Weight: 11-10| Age: 7

T: D Brooke J: Henry Brooke

Forecasts

Mcgarry (7/4), Edmond Dantes (10/3), Rocco Storm (7/2), Ritson (5/1), Chemical Warfare (13/2), Fourth Of July (10/1), Budarri (16/1), Six One Nine (18/1), Coolmoyne (28/1), Choix Des Armes (33/1), Roxyfet (50/1)

Already a dual winner this autumn, ROCCO STORM again ran well when runner-up to one potentially thrown-in at Sedgefield 5 weeks ago. Nicely on top of the remainder that day, he remains one to be positive about and gets the nod. Edmond Dantes looks a live threat under Brian Hughes, whilst chase-debutant McGarry and Fourth of July are others making the shortlist.