12:45 Leicester

Thursday 11 January 2018

All12:4513:1513:4514:2014:5015:25

Groby Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:45 | Winning time: 4m 9.65s

Ruby Rambler²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 0-0| J: L P Aspell| T: L Wadham| OR: 122| D

20/1

Tailed off on last two starts which have come 22 months apart. Best left alone until proving her wellbeing.

Form: 1314P/4

Not Another Muddle²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 0-0| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 120

5/4

Caused a turn up when readily accounting for a long odds-on favourite at Plumpton. The runner-up clearly underachieved and the handicapper has treated the form with caution. Hit a few that day and he could be ahead of this mark.

Form: 2/2125-1

Bestwork¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 0-0| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 116| D

8/1

Made all on Boxing Day to make it four wins from his last seven starts. His revised mark and drop to 2m make this a more difficult test.

Form: 511451

Accord³⁴

Age: 16| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 120

Form: 33-1496

Prairie Town²⁰

Age: 15| Weight: 0-0| J: Lee Edwards| T: A W Carroll| OR: 119| D

Form: F33-034

Free Range¹⁶

Age: 16| Weight: 0-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 116| D

Form: 511-124

Diamond Rock³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 0-0| J: R Johnson| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 108

2/1

Has been in good form lately scoring at Bangor and stepping up on that when clear of the third here last time. Looks a strong contender under champion jockey if handling softer ground better than he has done in the past.

Form: 50P-712

Vocaliser³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 0-0| J: C Poste| T: R Dickin| OR: 105| CD

5/1

Beat Diamond Rock here with something to spare and probably more versatile than his rival in terms of ground. That was his first run for seven months and there may be more to come.

Form: 2430-21

Skipping On¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 0-0| J: R P McLernon| T: Laura Morgan| OR: 97

66/1

Returned from a year on the sidelines to finish well-beaten in a Catterick seller over Christmas. Looks up against it in this company.

Form: 6P642-8

Old Salt²²

Age: 14| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: Evan Williams| OR: 115| D

Form: 5435-P3

Glance Back^t⁵⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 0-0| J: James Banks| T: Mrs E Bishop| OR: 96

25/1

Keen front-runner who rarely has anything left for the business end. Mark is dropping but not enough to make him look attractive.

Form: 6/8067-9

Dark Mahler⁵⁶

Age: 15| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 112| D

Form: 3/P64-1

Midnight Walk³⁴

Age: 16| Weight: 0-0| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 112

Form: 651521

Gregarious³⁴

Age: 13| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: L Wadham| OR: 114| D

Form: 3119-P4

Must Havea Flutter¹²

Age: 14| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: D Skelton| OR: 108

Form: 23-4687

Thomas Blossom⁴³

Age: 16| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: A Stronge| OR: 103

Form: 93103/4

Hurry Henry²¹

Age: 17| Weight: 0-0| J: R P McLernon| T: Mrs R Ford| OR: 99| D

Form: P44-PPP

Fit For Fifty⁷⁰

Age: 14| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 86| BF

Form: 556-374

Brother Bennett²⁰

Age: 16| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: Miss Z C Davison| OR: 84

Form: 3U4-343

Forecasts

Not Another Muddle (5/4), Diamond Rock (2/1), Vocaliser (5/1), Bestwork (8/1), Ruby Rambler (20/1), Glance Back (25/1), Skipping On (66/1)

Diamond Rock and Vocaliser met here last month with the latter coming out on top. It could be a similar story this time with the latter proven on the ground and having won with a bit in hand. NOT ANOTHER MUDDLE arrives having beaten Fixe La Cap at Plumpton. He was meeting that rival on 19b worse terms than when they clashed in the Imperial Cup and beat him comfortably. Although the form cannot be taken at face value, the handicapper has left him totally untouched and that generosity makes him an attractive proposition.