12:30 Newcastle

Saturday 2 December 2017

All11:5512:3013:0513:4014:1014:4515:20

Equine Products UK Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:32 | Winning time: 5m 22.70s

Grove Silver^p³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 120| C| D

12/1

Dropped 3lb since finishing down the field in the Durham National at Sedgefield last month (3m5f). However, this combination of trip and ground conditions are much more suitable as he demonstrated when an all the way winner at Carlisle in March.

Form: P6135-9

Plus Jamais^p²⁷⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: Ross Chapman⁽⁵⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 117| C| D

3/1

Off the track since March when a game winner of what effectively became a match here over 3m (heavy). Raised just 1lb for that success which provides an opportunity for the hat-trick, but no more than that.

Form: 233211-

Spanish Fleet¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 116| D

14/1

Hasn't managed to strike over fences in nine previous attempts, despite knocking at the door for much of last season. Saves his very best form for Carlisle, and needs to be much stronger following a laboured seasonal return last month.

Form: 22259-9

Maxed Out King¹⁴⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 113| CD

7/1

Progressive as a novice around this time last year, looking the part when bossing his rivals twice in the space of a week at Sedgefield (2m) and over C&D. High in the weights now, so really needs to return in 'A1' condition.

Form: 113-136

Indian Voyage^t³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 112| D

10/1

Generally strongest over 2m with cut in the ground, but broke a lengthy losing run when keeping on to hold the fast finishing Captain Mowbray by ¾L at Sedgefield in October (2m5f). Up 5lb in a stronger contest.

Form: 6535P1

The Orange Rogue^t²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 112| C| D

10/1

Fitted with a tongue tie, and won his last two starts last term at Ayr and Kelso, and should have no problems with trip and ground conditions today. Stronger for his reappearance, dropped 3lb, but still 5lb above his last winning mark.

Form: 1/7411-5

Rouge Et Sage^t³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: James Corbett⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 112

33/1

Looks a shadow of the horse who won four hurdles and a chase in France prior to joining this yard. Little to take from either of his two starts in October, but falling in the weights, and the stable are in form.

Form: P4-7P80

Well Above Par³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 112

9/2

Chasing looks his forte, so it was disappointing to see him fall when in contention at Ayr latest. His rules chasing debut at Perth represents fair form, his mark looks okay and he should go well with conditions to suit.

Form: 4623-2F

Ronn The Conn²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Menzies| OR: 111

7/2

Formerly with Chris Grant, but was a notable eye-catcher on stable/chasing debut at Hexham last month (3m soft) when held close home by the progressive Western Jo. Trip fine, and every chance if fencing slightly more fluently.

Form: 522-2

Witness^p¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Finian O'Toole⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 102

14/1

Both of his career successes came over in France, and he's yet to make any obvious impression for this in-form trainer. Beaten 12½L when finishing sixth of ten to Un Guet Apens at Carlisle latest (2m4f soft). Down 3lb.

Form: 34P34-6

Rosquero^b,h²⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 10-0| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 88| C

33/1

Old boy who is a previous course winner (2m), and just about stays this trip. However, he's not the force of old and faces a tough task at these weights against much younger up and coming horses.

Form: 2-67587

Notonebuttwo^p¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: K Yeoman⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 78| C| D

50/1

Had some good days at Newcastle in the distant past for Chris Grant and David Armstrong, but despite a better effort at Kelso (3m good) in October, he looks fully exposed these days and couldn't be considered in any shape or form.

Form: 789430

Forecasts

Plus Jamais (3/1), Ronn The Conn (7/2), Well Above Par (9/2), Maxed Out King (7/1), Indian Voyage (10/1), The Orange Rogue (10/1), Grove Silver (12/1), Witness (14/1), Spanish Fleet (14/1), Rosquero (33/1), Rouge Et Sage (33/1), Notonebuttwo (50/1)

Plenty of runners, but also a fair bit of 'dead-wood' lower down the weights, whilst a few of those nearer the top of the handicap including the likes of Maxed Out King, Indian Voyage and The Orange Rogue appear a trifle high in the weights at present. Therefore, the pair to concentrate upon are the unexposed young chasers Well Above Par and RONN THE CONN. The former looks very much the type to do well over the larger obstacles for Lucinda Russell, and has the conditions to his liking assuming that he's fully recovered from his tumble at Ayr. However, the latter named was inked firmly into the notebook after a pleasing stable/chasing debut at Hexham last month, and should cope with a subsequent 5lb rise in the weights over an arguably more suitable 2m4f trip.