Wodewose (Wildman) Novices' Chase

Off time: 16:02 | Winning time: 4m 17.9s

Eyes Of A Tiger^h¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽⁵⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 130| D

14/1

Hasn't found life all that easy over fences under the double penalty for his early season Sedgefield and Fakenham successes. Not so fluent on his last couple of starts and vulnerable despite having the ground conditions suitable.

Form: 50-1173

Capitaine¹⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 139

1/1

Grade 2 winning novice hurdler (Ascot's The Kennel Gate) who carries a 6lb penalty for his easy 10L Newton Abbot Beginners Chase success (2m good). His jumping improved as that race progressed. Top rated over hurdles.

Form: 124P1-1

Western Miller^t¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Paul O'Brien⁽⁵⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 133| BF| C

13/2

Useful hurdler who has won at this track (2m4½f). Off to a most impressive winning start over fences at Stratford in September when a 23L scorer (jumped well), but hit the deck early on under a penalty on his next start at Sedgefield.

Form: 11541F

Atomix¹⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: T J O'Brien| T: P D Niven| OR: 118

22/1

Promised to be a fair sort after making a pleasing start in bumpers, but slow to make his mark over hurdles before eventually winning at Hexham in May (2m good). Makes his chasing debut in deep against some useful rivals.

Form: F0728-1

Bordeaux Bill¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny Cook| T: B Ellison| OR: 136

7/2

Stablemate of Eyes Of A Tiger. Point-to-Point winner and a useful novice hurdler (dual Sedgefield scorer). Fell at the seventh on his chasing debut at Sedgefield earlier this month, three fences after being hampered by the fall of Western Miller.

Form: 1311P-F

Lithic¹⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 125| C

5/1

Course winner (2m4½f) on his final start over hurdles in early June beating Rebel Yeats by 2L (Blue Comet third). Switched to fences for the first time with a fraction to do against some of these rivals based upon hurdles ratings.

Form: 6102-F1

Postbridge¹⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: J M Quinlan| T: Mrs S J Humphrey| OR: 117

100/1

Likes to race prominently, and did well enough in her own grade over hurdles, winning twice for previous trainer Warren Greatrex (2m soft, 2m3f good to firm). Moved on for £20,000 in May, but faces a tough assignment on her fencing debut.

Form: 93121-9

Forecasts

Capitaine (1/1), Bordeaux Bill (7/2), Lithic (5/1), Western Miller (13/2), Eyes Of A Tiger (14/1), Atomix (22/1), Postbridge (100/1)

An early season novices chase of some considerable interest, with the majority of the field capable of (and some having already done so) winning races over the larger obstacles. Western Miller created a very taking impression when making all and fencing with precision to score on debut at Stratford in September, so it was a major surprise to see him hit the deck on his next start at Sedgefield, in a race which also claimed chasing newcomer Bordeaux Bill at the seventh. Lithic is the most interesting of today's newcomers, but he has a shade too find on hurdles ratings with a few of these runners including the selection CAPITAINE. The Grade 2 winning hurdler made a successful chasing debut at Newton Abbot in May, and whilst this is far tougher, he has had a summer break in order to further strengthen, and he should be capable of shouldering a 6lb penalty.