14:10 Sedgefield

Friday 12 January 2018

All13:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:40

Brian Ellison Racing Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 5m 17.29s

Castletown^b¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: Miss P Robson| OR: 102| BF

3/1

A 14-race maiden over jumps (nine over fences) there have been more encouraging signs lately, though mostly over timber. No threat in Southwell novice handicap chase on good ground last month and heavy going an unknown factor.

Form: 64-3263

Bentons Lad³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Jamie Hamilton⁽³⁾| T: M Walford| OR: 100

14/1

First start for this yard and first sighting under rules since October 2016. Best watched on just second chase start based on prior evidence.

Form: 2232-35

Instant Replay¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Henry Brooke| T: B Ellison| OR: 99

5/2

Produced an improved effort here over hurdles on Boxing Day when 7L fourth of 13 over a similar trip. First start over these obstacles. Worth a second glance with yard in decent form recently.

Form: 265-764

Flemerina¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 97| BF| C

7/2

Modest hurdler, 2-13, with peak rating of 99. Has won over shorter around here jumping flights. Didn't run badly at Wetherby 16 days over 3m, makes chase debut now.

Form: 41-4483

Dun Faw Good⁴⁶⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-11| J: Miss C Walton⁽³⁾| T: J Walton| OR: 87| BF

20/1

Now 11-years-old and 0-10 in career (all runs over fences). Often well supported in the market and gone close without getting job done on couple of occasions. 469-day absence to contend with now.

Form: P35624-

Frankie Ballou^h¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: Brendan Powell| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 86

9/1

Yet to register in 20 career starts, though some promise recently in four chase outings. Most recently following home easy winner at Catterick (2m3f, good to soft) 15 days ago in first-time hood (retained). 2lb lower and has run well on soft before.

Form: P3P5-02

Eager To Know¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Finian O'Toole⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 84| BF

10/1

Point-to-point winner and related to useful chaser Zum See, so could have future in this sphere. Favourite for Musselburgh novice handicap chase (3m, good to soft) and yet to be asked for effort when falling five out. Down in trip, respected.

Form: 754-33F

Vodka Red^p,t²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 83

20/1

Sole career success in 23 starts came at Newcastle over hurdles (2m4f) in March 2014. Disappointing back there over timber last month and hard to forecast a big improvement on this belated chase debut.

Form: 23/4-470

Nelly La Rue^p³⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: Alex Chadwick⁽⁷⁾| T: V Thompson| OR: 60

66/1

11-year-old mare, yet to make the frame in her 12-race career. She was beaten 28L when finishing fourth of five in a Mares' Handicap Chase over C&D last month and is miles out of the handicap today. Faces a mammoth task.

Form: 43-5P54

Forecasts

Instant Replay (5/2), Castletown (3/1), Flemerina (7/2), Frankie Ballou (9/1), Eager To Know (10/1), Bentons Lad (14/1), Dun Faw Good (20/1), Vodka Red (20/1), Nelly La Rue (66/1)

Castletown went well last time out over hurdles and will have boosted his confidence in so doing but he has yet to convince he'll be as good jumping fences and is set to be short enough in the betting on that basis. Instant Replay also went well here last time over timber and is worth a look on what will be a first start over the larger obstacles, with Flemerina, another chase debutante, joining him in piquing interest. Eager To Know was well backed last time at Musselburgh and hadn't been posed any serious questions when coming to grief but this could go the way of FRANKIE BALLOU, who remains open to doing better on just his fifth chase outing. He followed home an easy winner at Catterick in a first-time hood recently and has form on soft ground, ensuring he earns the vote to go one better.