17:10 Newton Abbot

Saturday 2 September 2017

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:1017:40

Bet toteWin Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 17:12 | Winning time: 6m 33.70s

Red Square Revival^p1,h,t²¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 102

12/1

Bumper winner on debut at Worcester but it's all unravelled very quickly after that, and he's not run to that form in four subsequent starts. Handicap debut today and a new combination of headgear/tongue tie tried. Comes with many risks now.

Form: 18687-

Guerrilla Tactics³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Scott| OR: 100

5/1

Has some solid point-to-point form to his name, and looks interesting on chasing handicap debut today. Not beaten far over hurdles at Stratford latest and this step up in tri looks sure to suit. Likely ground fine and a major player here.

Form: 2P-2334

Patsy Oriel^v1¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: S Bowen| T: N J Hawke| OR: 98

12/1

Won a minor point-to-point in Ireland earlier in the year (soft ground) but did little after that, and first run over hurdles for new yard revealed little. May do better now switched to fences but needs improvement. Others make more appeal.

Form: 17-3463

Bogoss Du Perret¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Bryony Le Clerc⁽⁵⁾| T: J D Frost| OR: 89

5/2

Multiple point-to-point winner and showed more than enough promise when second to Thegeegeezgeegee here a fortnight ago. This step up in trip looks sure to suit, ground is ideal and he must be taken seriously from a low-looking handicap mark.

Form: P2111-2

Backoftherock^h,t²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Aspell| T: D A Rees| OR: 88

16/1

Not a disastrous run when third over hurdles here in July but an early fall last time out hardly inspires confidence on chasing debut today. Has won a couple of small point-to-points this year so may do better, but on balance, others preferred.

Form: RU785F

Culm Counsellor¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: C Gethings⁽³⁾| T: C J Down| OR: 81| CD

5/4

Seems to have been around for ages and does pop up from time to time, made the most of the short-priced favourite making mistakes to win here last time out (but did jump well himself) but up 5lb for that and up in grade too. Needs to pull out more.

Form: 24P441

Supreme Ambition¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Benjamin Poste⁽³⁾| T: Katy Price| OR: 79

33/1

Tailed off on most of his recent starts and very hard to make a case for here, although only five and may improve a little for switch to fences (pedigree offers some hope).

Form: R-5B008

Golander¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Sean Houlihan⁽⁷⁾| T: C J Gray| OR: 78

66/1

Sent off a big price when pulled up behind Culm Counsellor here last time out and very hard to make any sort of case for on that.

Form: 8-PP4BP

Non-Runners

Bennys Girl⁴

Weight: 10-0| Age: 9

T: D L Williams J: J E Moore

Forecasts

Culm Counsellor (5/4), Bogoss Du Perret (5/2), Guerrilla Tactics (5/1), Bennys Girl (10/1), Red Square Revival (12/1), Patsy Oriel (12/1), Backoftherock (16/1), Supreme Ambition (33/1), Golander (66/1)

It's the two ex-pointers that make the most appeal here, and there's little to split Guerilla Tactics and BOGOSS DU PERRET but the vote just goes to the latter, who showed plenty of promise here last time and should do better again now given a longer trip. Guerilla Tactics could prove a hard nut to crack if allowed his own way on the front and he too should have more to offer from a low-looking handicap mark. Culm Counsellor put in a lovely round of jumping last time and a similar showing here should see him in the frame.