16:45 Chepstow

Saturday 14 October 2017

All13:5514:3015:0515:3516:1016:4517:20

toteexacta Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:45 | Winning time: 6m 6.8s

Sizing Codelco¹⁶⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Cooper| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 160

12/1

A winner of valuable contests at the Aintree (3m1f good) and Punchestown (3m½f good) Festivals in April, but has shot up the weights as a result. Hard to know if he'll be fully tuned up, but ground fine and an exciting season ahead.

Form: P24011-

Label Des Obeaux¹⁷⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 154| D

10/1

Has won three of his last four races over fences (novices) and wrapped up the season accounting for Calett Mad by a head at Ayr in April (3m+ good). Up a further 6lb, but a strong stayer and improvement likely.

Form: 321101-

Indian Stream^t¹⁷⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 148| C| D

20/1

Finished a surprise fourth to Apple's Jade in the Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham in March following a six month break. Ran well in a Listed hurdle the following month and goes back over fences for the first time since winning at Wetherby last October.

Form: 218143-

Bigbadjohn²¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Adrian Heskin| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 144| D

12/1

Slipped up when favourite for the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster in January, but made amends with a short-head success in the Grade 2 Reynoldstown at Ascot (3m soft) on his next start. 8lb higher but respected.

Form: 312S1P-

Junction Fourteen^t,v1¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: D A Jacob| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 143

20/1

Runner up over 3m at Ascot in the Grade 3 Sodexho Gold Cup last October, and absent for many months thereafter. Disappointing on his last two starts (pulled up), but falling in the weights and now visored for the first time.

Form: 1/062P-P

Rock The Kasbah¹⁶⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 142| CD

2/1

C&D winner in February (soft), holding onto a dwindling lead from a 100/1 poke in a novices chase. However, did okay subsequently including in the end of season Bet 365 Gold Cup at Sandown in April (sixth). Good career record here (2,2,1,1).

Form: 324126-

Potters Legend^p¹⁸⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: L P Aspell| T: L Wadham| OR: 139| BF| D

5/1

Beaten 2½L when fourth to Domesday Book in the 3m2f Kim Muir at Cheltenham in March, and not disgraced (beaten favourite) in a Listed contest at Aintree subsequently. Solid off this mark and seems to go well fresh.

Form: 124244-

Minellacelebration¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price| OR: 138| CD

12/1

C&D winner in April (beat Pawn Star by ½L), but 10lb higher now having followed up at Uttoxeter in May (3m good). Every chance when brought down on his reappearance at Warwick last month (3m1½f), and hopefully no ill-effects.

Form: 341-12B

Ballykan^p,t¹³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 137| BF| CD

8/1

Pulled up in the Perth Gold Cup in June (3m) when last seen in action, but that run came at the end of a tough campaign. Has won from this mark in the past (August 2016) and has also won over C&D previously.

Form: 456F4-P

Relentless Dreamer^p,t¹⁶⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Jonathan Moore⁽³⁾| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 134| C

10/1

In good order in 2016 winning three times (Ffos Las, Newton Abbot and Taunton), but found out at the main NH Festivals after a break, including when pulled up behind Sizing Codelco at Aintree in April.

Form: 2167P8-

Marcilhac²²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 133| D

16/1

9lb higher than when winning at Ludlow in March (3m soft), beating Nansaroy by 8L. However, still sits just outside the handicap and this looks a trifle to competitive on his seasonal reappearance.

Form: 96/6451-

Boa Island^b1,t¹⁷⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 132| CD

33/1

Started off well enough over fences in a lower grade, but struggled upped in class until successful over C&D in April. However, unable to cope with a 7lb rise next time at Taunton and now sports the first time blinkers.

Form: F3661P-

Petrou²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Bridget Andrews⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 128

25/1

The winning run came to an end at Cartmel in mid July, but he'd served his connections well winning four in a month (three hurdles, one chase) prior to that. Ran well enough at Stratford last month (runner up) but handicapped not to win now.

Form: 1111P2

Non-Runners

Henryville⁴²

Weight: 11-1| Age: 9

T: H Fry J: N P Madden

Forecasts

Rock The Kasbah (2/1), Potters Legend (5/1), Ballykan (8/1), Relentless Dreamer (10/1), Label Des Obeaux (10/1), Minellacelebration (12/1), Bigbadjohn (12/1), Sizing Codelco (12/1), Henryville (14/1), Marcilhac (16/1), Junction Fourteen (20/1), Indian Stream (20/1), Petrou (25/1), Boa Island (33/1)

A race in which very few can be confidently ruled out and it's not difficult to build a respectable case for any number of the runners. The weights are headed by the returning Aintree and Punchestown hero Sizing Codelco, who along with the strong stayer Label Des Obeaux faces a much tougher assignment on his seasonal reappearance from a hastily recalculated handicap mark. However, ROCK THE KASBAH is more handily weighted and has a fine career record at this track (2,2,1,1). Furthermore, he goes well fresh, the forecast ground conditions are ideal and he has the best in the business on his back.