14:10 Warwick

Saturday 31 December 2022

All11:5512:2513:0013:3514:1014:4515:20

Poundland Conditional Jockeys' Veterans' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 6m 47.4s

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Selected odds by:

La Cavsa Nostra^b1³⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Thomas Doggrell⁽⁶⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 120| D

16/1

Low-mileage veteran who completed his third success over fences at Hereford (25.2f) in February. However, it tends to be all-or-nothing with this 10-y-o and he has failed to complete both starts since. Blinkers applied.

Form: U1/P1-PP

Gwencily Berbas^b1²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Philip Armson⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 120

6/1

Relished the marathon trip when ending losing run at Exeter (30.7f) last December. Largely struggled since but this is not so hot as the handicaps he typically contests and a second look is needed off a reduced mark here with first-time blinkers enlisted.

Form: 1P59-56

Go Steady^t²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Tristan Durrell⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 120| C

5/1

Travelled well for a long way over hurdles on return here last month and showed the benefit of that run when scoring in good style back in this sphere at Lingfield (2½m, good to soft). 4 lb rise fair and though yet to conclusively prove that he stays this far, he has to enter calculations.

Form: 2333-41

The Kings Writ⁴¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-9| J: Ben Godfrey| T: K Woollacott| OR: 115| D

11/1

On a good mark if it could be guaranteed that he was on a going day but losing run stretches back 4 years and it's hard to draw any positives from his reappearance effort at Exeter.

Form: 3/5PU6-P

Smuggler's Blues^p³⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: Finn Lambert| T: T R George| OR: 114| C| D

5/1

Snapped a losing run in first-time cheekpieces here in January and would've gone close but for falling at the second-last at Wincanton (25f, good to soft) last time. Remains on a feasible mark and a bold show is anticipated.

Form: 1524-4F

Stamp Your Feet^p,t²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: Miss Thomosina Eyston⁽⁵⁾| T: R Mitford-Slade| OR: 114| D

18/1

Fairly useful during his time with Enda Bolger and scored twice in points for Stuart Crawford during the spring. However, put in his place when third on debut for new yard behind Go Steady at Lingfield and he looks vulnerable.

Form: 021-123

Midnight Moss^p,t²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Toby Wynne⁽³⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 111| BF| D

5/2

Very lightly-raced since opening chase account at Doncaster in February 2020 but there's clearly plenty of ability still there, as he demonstrated when runner-up back on Town Moor earlier this month. Likely player off the same mark.

Form: 21/P32-2

Cuban Pete^b1⁴⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: Ned Fox⁽⁶⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 104

7/1

Dual chase winner in 2020 but last season's efforts were uninspiring and it was much the same on his reappearance at Uttoxeter. Still, yard won this last year and he's dipped to an attractive mark, so he would be a danger to all should the new headgear do the trick.

Form: 7P54P-P

High Counsel^b⁹⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 10-2| J: Alexander Thorne| T: G Hanmer| OR: 87| CD

16/1

Notched third success over this C&D in May and added to his tally at Southwell in July. Good third in a Uttoxeter handicap following a break but probably worth taking on given that he's 7 lb 'wrong' at the weights.

Form: 4-141P3

Forecasts

Midnight Moss (5/2), Go Steady (5/1), Smuggler's Blues (5/1), Gwencily Berbas (6/1), Cuban Pete (7/1), The Kings Writ (11/1), High Counsel (16/1), La Cavsa Nostra (16/1), Stamp Your Feet (18/1)

The vote goes to SMUGGLER'S BLUES, who was bang there when departing 2 out at Wincanton at the beginning of the month and, providing that fall hasn't left a mark, he can make amends here. Go Steady will likely prove popular on the back of his Lingfield success but he has yet to prove that he stays this far. Conversely, there are no stamina concerns surrounding Gwencily Berbas and Midnight Moss, with the former feared most now eased in grade off an attractive mark.