totepool Happy New Year Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:26 | Winning time: 6m 22.94s

Apachee Prince^t¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Kieron Edgar⁽³⁾| T: A C Whillans| OR: 94| BF

7/1

Close second over hurdles this C&D on penultimate start, then sent off favourite back here last month when finishing just over 5L fourth of 10. Up another 2lb now sent chasing again, 0-3 so far over fences and must improve.

Form: 154624

Misfits^h1,t⁵¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 94| D

9/2

Is 0-15 under rules (four of them chasing) but did show some promise in this sphere last term. Perhaps needed the run at Kelso (2m1f, good) on seasonal bow in November. May improve.

Form: U3545-4

Eager To Know²¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Finian O'Toole⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 84| D

3/1

Point-to-point winner and related to useful chaser Zum See, so may do better over fences. Not seen out since running respectably over hurdles in the spring, so may need this. Staying trip suits.

Form: 5754-33

Smiling Jessica^p²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Grant Cockburn⁽³⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 81| D

9/2

Runner-up in first two starts over fences in minor events at Southwell (3m, good) and Doncaster (3m2f, good to soft), since fallen at Sedgefield when held in soft-ground novice handicap. More needed on that evidence.

Form: 4VP22F

Robins Legend^v⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: B S Hughes| T: C Grant| OR: 78

4/1

Hasn't impressed in chase starts so far at Hexham (2m4f, heavy) or Sedgefield (2m5f, good to soft), eased another 3lb for this but plenty to work on at the moment.

Form: 35P4-P7

Dutch Canyon^p²¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 70

4/1

Ran one of his better races at Kelso (2m5½f, good) in April but overall profile remains patchy. 0-23 all told and no reason to suspect major turnaround on seasonal reappearance it seems.

Form: 3P34-65

Forecasts

Eager To Know (3/1), Dutch Canyon (4/1), Robins Legend (4/1), Smiling Jessica (9/2), Misfits (9/2), Apachee Prince (7/1)

This finale isn't a strong contest so any traction in the betting behind chase debutant Eager To Know would be worth paying attention to. He was running well over timber in the spring and wouldn't need to improve much for the switch to this discipline in order to get involved. Apachee Prince has been showing some positives over timber recently, though must prove he's as effective negotiating these obstacles. Misfits should be fitter now after a poor show at Kelso on reappearance while a first-time hood may also help. A tentative vote lands with SMILING JESSICA however. She ran her best race (from three) over fences at Southwell and might be able to take a step forward now.