Bathwick Tyres Midsomer Norton Chase (Novices' Limited Handicap)

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 4m 43.9s

In On The Act³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 119

17/2

Winner over hurdles off 4lb lower mark at Worcester in july but held off this mark in that sphere since and pulled up on chasing debut here in december. Yard do well here (19% strike rate in recent seasons) and market support would be interesting.

Form: 34P446-

Contre Tous^t¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: S Bowen| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 120

5/1

Bumper winner in France but well held on debut for this top yard at Exeter in first time tongue tie last month. Interesting that he's switched to fences so quickly following that defeat.

Form: 24-5511

Wade Harper^t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Aidan Coleman| T: David Dennis| OR: 116

9/4

Dual novice hurdle winner last season but well beaten in all starts since including over fences the last four times. Hopes appear to lie with sliding handicap mark and drop in trip suiting.

Form: F11P0-4

Speredek^p²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: C Gethings⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 115

5/1

Winner over hurdles at Exeter last year but has shown only moderate form so far over fences. This drop down in trip is a positive however given how he's been finishing his races of late.

Form: 6-PP111

Big Windmill¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T R George| OR: 112

15/8

Winning point-to-pointer but limited form over hurdles thus far and unseated early on when making chasing (and handicap) debut at Ludlow latest. Interesting contender for decent yard.

Form: 14-308U

Monte Wildhorn⁵¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: T Scudamore| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 106

22/1

Winner off 2lb lower mark at Newton Abbot in june 2015, beaten favourite three times subsequently and unraced since tailed off at Worcester in september that year. Best watched on chasing bow.

Form: P46444-

Non-Runners

The Geegeez Geegee¹³¹

Weight: 10-3| Age: 8

T: A J Honeyball J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Big Windmill (15/8), Wade Harper (9/4), Speredek (5/1), Contre Tous (5/1), The Geegeez Geegee (13/2), In On The Act (17/2), Monte Wildhorn (22/1)

The drop in trip looks highly likely to suit confirmed front runner SPEREDEK, the gelding has been contesting handicap and novice events over further of late, most recently when weakening three from home at Sandown and he is taken to cause a surprise in this by defeating Contre Tous who had some fair form in France and Wade Harper is the selection to fill the third placed berth. 1. Speredek 2. Contre Tous 3. Wade Harper