14:35 Catterick

Thursday 11 January 2018

All12:3013:0013:3014:0514:3515:1015:45

Watt Fences North Yorkshire Grand National Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 8m 6.98s

Gonalston Cloud^p³³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: N Kent| OR: 133| C

18/1

Won last season's Lincolnshire National (3m3½f) at Market Rasen from 8lb lower and was runner-up in last year's renewal of this from 3lb lower. Stays 4m1f and acts on soft, so ticks a few boxes. Yet to win from this mark but each-way claims.

Form: 51220-8

I Just Know⁶⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 131| C

4/1

Won on his only visit here (3m1f, soft) 11-months ago when 6lb lower and ran creditably from slightly higher marks to this at Ayr in April and on his reappearance at Carlisle. Shapes as though he will stay this far and enters calculations.

Form: 11P3-34

Milborough³²⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 11-6| J: P J Brennan| T: I A Duncan| OR: 127

16/1

Loves to get his toe in and stays well, having won the 2015 Eider at Newcastle (4m½f). Handicapper then had his measure, but he scored when dropped to mark of 125 at Carlisle last season and just 2lb higher here, though record when fresh offputting.

Form: 7/4U16P-

Sun Cloud⁷⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: B S Hughes| T: J M Jefferson| OR: 124| CD

4/1

Goes on any ground and won this race in 2014 when it was heavy. Been successful three times over hurdles since his last chase win in April 2015. 3lb lower today than latest hurdles win at Sedgefield in November and very interesting.

Form: 2P1-411

Alto Des Mottes^p¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Jamie Hamilton⁽³⁾| T: H Hogarth| OR: 123

20/1

All four wins have been on testing ground and he is another in the line-up who is back for more after being runner-up in this in 2016, beaten ½L from 2lb higher. Last win also came from this mark and he remains of interest despite reappearance run.

Form: 61FP-5P

Billy Bronco³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 122

11/2

Has won both a bumper and a maiden hurdle on heavy, the latter over 3m½f. Yet to race beyond that trip, but looks likely to stay further. Unexposed but also inexperienced over fences after just two runs and needs to improve.

Form: 3214-34

Point The Way^p¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Henry Brooke| T: B Ellison| OR: 121| C

13/2

Ran up a at-trick on testing ground over hurdles in 2015/16 campaign (stays 3m3f). Added a chase to that on debut at Kelso in October (2m7½f, good). Has looked well held by handicapper both starts since and 5lb drop here may not be sufficient.

Form: 635-135

Itstimeforapint^t⁷⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 118

12/1

Won over 4m (heavy) at Hexham in 2016 when 10lb lower, but has been unable to add to that. Even so, he has made progress and one of his best efforts came when 1½L third in this last year from today's mark. Not ruled out.

Form: 5323P-6

Golden Investment^h,t¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 111

4/1

Stays 3m1½f, though yet to prove himself beyond that. 5lb higher today than when winning at Wetherby (3m, good to soft) in November. Largely consistent, handles soft ground and could go very well with useful 5lb claimed.

Form: 22V144

Forecasts

I Just Know (4/1), Sun Cloud (4/1), Golden Investment (4/1), Billy Bronco (11/2), Point The Way (13/2), Itstimeforapint (12/1), Milborough (16/1), Gonalston Cloud (18/1), Alto Des Mottes (20/1)

Fascinating stuff here in the sense that several runners who have previously won or gone well in this race turn up for another crack. They include Gonalston Cloud, Alto Des Mottes and Itstimeforaprint, none of whom are taken on lightly. Golden Investment is very interesting under a feather weight while, like him, I Just Know has stamina over this trip to prove, but both look capable of seeing it out and have claims. Nonetheless, it is to those with previous form that we turn for the selection with Malcolm Jefferson's 2014 winner SUN CLOUD returning here in cracking from from a spell over hurdles and now back on an attractive mark over fences.