12:55 Bangor-on-Dee

Friday 15 December 2023

All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:3515:1015:42

Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:56 | Winning time: 5m 40.23s

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Selected odds by:

Lady Of The Night^p1,t²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: C Gethings| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 105

22/1

Novice hurdle winner during 2021/22 campaign. Lost her way over fences after a promising start last season, though, and reappearance effort at Lingfield was uninspiring. Cheekpieces applied.

Form:

Horacio Apple's^t²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Toby Wynne⁽³⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 105| C

6/4

Back-to-back hurdles winner last season, including at this course, and has shaped better than the bare result both starts switched to fences this time round (both at around 3m). Dropping back in trip here may help and he remains capable of better.

Form:

Fakir^t⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Reed| T: Anthony Charlton| OR: 103| D

7/1

Won a 3-runner handicap chase at Fontwell on debut for Milton Harris last September. Mixed bag since but reappearance second at Sedgefield (21f, soft) was a decent enough effort to suggest he could have a part to play off the same mark on debut for his new yard.

Form:

Billingsley^p²⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: Jay Tidball⁽⁵⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 102

20/1

Back on scoreboard when taking 7-runner handicap chase off this mark at Chepstow (19.4f, good to soft) in April. Not in same form both starts since, though, and he's probably worth taking on.

Form:

Our Friend Mo^p¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: K Brogan| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 91

12/1

Third in her sole Irish point and showed ability in trio of mares' maiden/novice events earlier this year. Safely held on return/handicap debut at Chepstow and unseated here next time but she's in good hands and is one to keep an eye on now switched to fences.

Form:

Henry Gray^t1²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 91

9/2

Just modest form at best in a trio of hurdling outings but this former point winner showed ability on chase debut at Market Rasen (21.4f, good to soft) where he possibly failed to stay under an attacking ride. This slightly shorter trip will help and he's open to improvement. Tongue strap applied.

Form:

Bells Of Stamford^t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 87| D

9/1

Made the frame on first 2 starts over fences before showing improvement for a wind op/fitting of tongue strap to score at Warwick in February. However, he failed to fire on return at Ffos Las and is opposable on the back of that display.

Form:

Nine Nine Nine¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: S-J Davies| OR: 84

9/2

Fell heavily on chase debut at Warwick following a 19-month absence but negotiated the obstacles well enough when runner-up at Uttoxeter (2½m, heavy) recently. Still, he was flattered by his proximity to the winner there and remains vulnerable from a win point of view.

Form:

Forecasts

Horacio Apple's (6/4), Henry Gray (9/2), Nine Nine Nine (9/2), Fakir (7/1), Bells Of Stamford (9/1), Our Friend Mo (12/1), Billingsley (20/1), Lady Of The Night (22/1)

It may well be a case of third time lucky over fences for HORACIO APPLE'S, who appeared to find 3m on deep ground too much of a slog at Wetherby last time. He's now 2 lb lower and, moreover, will be suited by this drop back in trip. Henry Gray can be expected to leave his chase debut form well behind in time and is nominated as the main danger, though Fakir also merits respect and chase debutante Our Friend Mo needs a second look, too.