14:35 Newcastle
Saturday 18 March 2017
All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30
Bet & Watch At sunbets.co.uk Handicap Chase
- 5YO plus  |  Class 4  |  2m 7f 91y  |  Heavy (Soft in places)  |  7 Runners  |  Turf  |   Weighed In
- Off time: 14:35Â Â |Â Â Winning time: 6m 39.63s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Five time winner on the Northern circuit, with the last of those wins coming from a 5lb higher mark over C&D back in February 2015 (heavy). He also boasts another couple of Newcastle victories (including in this race in 2014), but drops back to this level following some below par efforts this winter.
Upped 3lb after getting the better of Bacchanel by 1L in a protracted battle at Warwick last month (3m soft). That victory came on just his second start over fences (also successful over hurdles at Kelso in October 2016), and an obvious contender with a wily veteran jockey booked for this long distance traveller.
Stayed on strongly when winning a course (2m6f) novices hurdle back in February 2014, and has been very lightly raced since; racing only a further six times. Returned from over a year off at this track last month, but could only finish a tailed off fifth of six to subsequent winner Gold Opera. Rating falling and worth a market check.
Getting long in the tooth but generally runs his race at this track, and races from the same mark as when an 8L runner up to The Orange Rogue at Kelso (2m6f) last time. However, this trip is a relative unknown, so he's opposable in this grade with that in mind.
Wears the first time blinkers, but needs them to have a revolutionary impact having been pulled up as recently as Thursday in testing conditions at Hexham. Generally out of sorts in his three career starts over fences, and very difficult to fancy despite being fairly reliable over hurdles during the 2014/15 campaign.
Looks a difficult horse to assess given his two ways of running. Holds an obvious chance despite an 11lb rise for his Boxing Day Wetherby debut chase success, but lacked any enthusiasm over fences thereafter at both Catterick and Uttoxeter, and returns to the larger obstacles following a confidence builder back over hurdles (runner up) at Carlisle ten days ago.
In good form over timber during the month of February, making all to win twice in very testing conditions at Sedgefield (both 3m3f), and again delivered the goods from a much higher mark (102) earlier this month when seeing off all bar Askamore Darsi. Seemingly not so effective over fences (0 from 9), but worth another go from a much lower mark (89) now that he's in fine fettle.
Forecasts
Joseph Mercer (2/1), Sharney Sike (4/1), Bassarabad (9/2), The Ramblin Kid (15/2), Bankhall (9/1), Allez Cool (11/1), Rosquero (18/1)
Joseph Mercer is thrown in from this mark if able to translate his improvement over hurdles to fences, but this is a shorter trip than he's been winning over at Sedgefield, with the ground despite being largely soft, now nowhere near as testing. The evergreen Brian Harding is an excellent booking for BASSARABAD, with Tim Vaughan never afraid to send his runners the length of the country for an ideal opportunity is taken to follow up his gritty Warwick success on just his third career start over fences. 2014 winner Sharney Sike is likely to give the long distance traveller most to think about if able to recapture his best form now dropped in grade.
- Bassarabad
- Sharney Sike
- Joseph Mercer
Prize Money
1st: £3,769.002nd: £1,107.003rd: £553.004th: £277.00
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