13:45 Taunton

Monday 30 December 2024

All12:4513:1513:4514:1714:5215:2716:00

Racing TV Novices' Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:45 | Winning time: 6m 4.29s

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Selected odds by:

Micro Millions⁶²

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Callum Pritchard⁽⁷⁾| T: Sheila Lewis| OR: 107

50/1

£40,000 buy after winning an Irish point and made the frame 3 times over hurdles at up to 25f for Dan Skelton last term. However, pulled up at Bangor on his debut over fences for new yard in October and now finds himself with a fair bit to prove.

Form: 33P24-P

Shakeyatailfeather¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Tristan Durrell⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 107

20/1

Scored over hurdles at Newton Abbot in September and made an encouraging start over fences when fourth at Doncaster (19f, good) on penultimate start. Failed to build on that next time but it's still early days for this 5-y-o and she's not discounted.

Form: 612640

Just One Surf^t²³²

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: James Bowen| T: W Greatrex| OR: 107| C

7/1

Placed in Irish points/bumper and left his first 2 hurdle runs behind when springing a 40/1 surprise in a maiden here (2m, soft) in March. However, followed that with a heavy defeat on handicap bow at Sandown and subsequent chase debut display at Plumpton was inauspicious, to put it mildly.

Form: 35P10-P

Exmoor Forest^p⁶²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: James Davies| T: N J Hawke| OR: 106WS

14/1

Opened chase account in first-time cheekpieces when landing 9-runner handicap at Bangor (3m, good) in July. Poor efforts on 2 of his 3 subsequent starts and needs to bounce back having undergone a second wind op last month.

Form: 231P37

Tout Sur Moi^t¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: David Noonan| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 103

10/3

Showed promise in bumpers and also displayed a fair level of ability in 5 runs over hurdles. Encouraging start over fences when fourth in a 9-runner C&D handicap recently and he's one for the shortlist off this 1 lb lower mark with improvement likely.

Form: 673-324

Kit's Coty²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: H Cobden| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 103| BF

9/1

Hereford maiden hurdle winner last winter and finished hot on the heals of the first 2 when third in a 3m mares' handicap on chase debut at Ludlow. Major backward step at Leicester since, though, and it's hard to know which way she will go from this point.

Form: 41P-336

Langley Hundred^p,t¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 102| D

11/4

Bounced back to capitalise on a reduced mark and end a losing run at Hereford (25f, good) last month. Just touched off over this C&D next time and, still on a fair mark, this 7-y-o has to enter calculations.

Form: 275512

Ri Na Cuirte³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Kimber| T: Ben Clarke| OR: 98| BF

11/2

Again very well backed and proved a different proposition after 6 months off when narrowly landing a 3¼m Fontwell handicap hurdle in November. Good third in stronger race at Ascot a fortnight on (first 2 winners next time) and lots to like now sent chasing (second in a point).

Form: 628-813

Always Busy²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams| OR: 93

7/1

Modest handicap hurdler (1-12 in that sphere) but he did at least leave his low-key chase debut behind when runner-up at Wincanton (26.7f, heavy) earlier this month. Place possibilities here off the same mark, provided he is able to build on that.

Form: 82F-052

Horizon D'or^t⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Lee Edwards| T: A West| OR: 90

25/1

Successful twice over hurdles in 2023 and made the frame first 2 starts since returning from an 11-month absence in September. However, he failed to fire last time and is probably worth taking on now switched to fences.

Form: 717-420

Forecasts

Langley Hundred (11/4), Tout Sur Moi (10/3), Ri Na Cuirte (11/2), Always Busy (7/1), Just One Surf (7/1), Kit's Coty (9/1), Exmoor Forest (14/1), Shakeyatailfeather (20/1), Horizon D'or (25/1), Micro Millions (50/1)

A winning chase debut could be on the cards for RI NA CUIRTE, who looked an improved model over hurdles last month, striking at Fontwell prior to finishing a solid third at Ascot. The latter form has been boosted (the winner of that handicap has won again since, and the second also scored next time) and the fact that this 6-y-o was runner-up between the flags augurs well ahead of this switch to fences. The in-form Langley Hundred and likely improver Tout Sur Moi rate the main dangers.