Buy Your 2018 Annual Membership Beginners Chase

Off time: 12:35 | Winning time: 7m 25.8s

Augustin²⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| BF

15/8

Winner of a big field maiden hurdle earlier in the year but was then well-beaten by Monbeg Notorious in a novice event. Needs to reverse that form on chasing debut.

Form: 14/012P-

Champoleon^b1,t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 123

7/1

More experienced over fences than most of these but has so far failed to really make his mark, though didn't run badly on debut over fences when beaten 8L by Presenting Percy. Could place if at his best. Blinkers on.

Form: 143353

Monbeg Notorious^b¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott

8/11

Fairly lightly-raced and Grade 3 placed over hurdles. Represents top connections and could be the type to do better over the larger obstacles having run two solid races over fences so far. Of obvious interest over a trip which should suit.

Form: 1121-22

Seanathair²⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: S A Shortall⁽³⁾| T: I Madden

66/1

95 rated maiden hurdler who needs the switch to fences (and to this yard) to have a very positive effect if he isn't to be completely outclassed.

Form: 500P0-

Winter Lion^p,t²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: A E Lynch| T: M J Smith| OR: 125| C

25/1

Ran a promising race when not beaten far by Brio Conti on chase debut at Carlisle in November. Has finished down the field on the Flat since but should find this a much more suitable assignment and is considered.

Form: 00-2483

Non-Runners

Some Neck³⁴⁶

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: W P Mullins J: D J Mullins

Tinos Tank²⁹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 8

T: P M J Doyle J: James J Doyle

Forecasts

Monbeg Notorious (8/11), Augustin (15/8), Some Neck (9/2), Champoleon (7/1), Tinos Tank (10/1), Winter Lion (25/1), Seanathair (66/1)

Winter Lion ran a nice race at Carlisle in November and as a budding chaser a recent Flat performance can be all but ignored. Along with Willie Mullins representative Augustin he seems to be the contender most likely to put it up to MONBEG NOTORIOUS. Gordon Elliott's charge was much better than the rest of these over hurdles, and having run two nice races over fences so far he can build on those efforts and get off the mark here in what looks to be an easier race.