13:15 Musselburgh

Friday 19 January 2018

All12:4013:1513:4514:2014:5515:3016:00

Gerry McGladery 50th Birthday Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:15 | Winning time: 6m 15.0s

So Satisfied^p¹⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Ross Chapman⁽⁵⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 99| C

17/2

Doesn't win all that often, with his 'latest' success coming at Ayr in October 2016 (2m4f). Has won at this track over hurdles in the more distant past (2m soft), and that represents his only other victory in 22 starts. Likely to need the race.

Form: 846-576

Misfits^t¹⁸

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

11/2

Arguably well named being a 16 race maiden, but now races off a joint career low mark. Beaten ¾L by Smiling Jessica over C&D on New Years Day, so has a chance on the strength of that effort.

Form: 3545-42

Attention Please^p²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: R Dobbin| OR: 93

5/1

Improving over the larger obstacles, and arrives on a hat-trick following victories at Doncaster (3m2f) and Catterick (3m1f). Up a combined total of 17lb; 6lb for his latest success, and More Madness renews rivalry on better terms.

Form: 32-0711

Havana Jack³²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Danny Cook| T: L Kerr| OR: 93| D

7/2

Made the transition from the Hunter Chase ranks, and was a gritty winner at Kelso in October (2m7f+ good). Ran well enough off this mark over C&D latest when beaten ½L by Rancher Lass.

Form: 1-4P162

More Madness^p²²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-1| J: B S Hughes| T: Julia Brooke| OR: 88| D

17/2

Has a very poor overall strike rate (2 from 61 career; 1 from 33 over fences under rules). Never appears a particularly easy ride, and lived up to that billing when going down by a fast diminishing neck to Attention Please at Catterick latest.

Form: 462742

Smiling Jessica^p¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Grant Cockburn⁽³⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 84| CD

9/2

Her career has moved forward since switched to fences, and she was off the mark for this trainer over C&D on New Years Day when beating Misfits by ¾L. Raised 3lb, and that should bring the pair even closer together.

Form: VP22F1

Court Painter⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Mr Kit Alexander⁽⁵⁾| T: V Thompson| OR: 78

25/1

Lightly raced under rules, and makes his handicap debut in this race off the back of a recent second placed effort in a point-to-point. Hard to imagine he'll be strong enough in this company.

Form: PP/U48-2

Captain Sharpe^b,t⁵²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-4| J: Harry Reed⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 77| D

50/1

Has plenty of letters amongst his form figures since winning under an unbelievable ride by Thomas Dowson at Hexham in May (3m good), and whilst now just 1lb above his last winning mark, makes precious little appeal.

Form: 2-P1P5P

Under The Red Sky^b²²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-1| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 74| D

12/1

The handicapper is giving him some slack, but he's not always entirely convinced in terms of his attitude, and remains a 24 race maiden under rules. Denied a chance at Newcastle earlier in the month (second in 2017) by an abandonment.

Form: 3-P3048

Dutch Canyon^p¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 66

14/1

A 24 race maiden, who in all fairness is slightly less exposed over fences (0 from 6). Plenty to do with both Smiling Jessica and Misfits based upon their New Years Day C&D clash, and also races from out of the handicap.

Form: P34-653

Nelly La Rue^p⁷

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

66/1

An 11 year-old-mare who has failed to make the frame in 13 attempts under rules, and that's a trend that looks almost certain to continue today. No conceivable chance.

Form: 3-5P546

Forecasts

Havana Jack (7/2), Smiling Jessica (9/2), Attention Please (5/1), Misfits (11/2), So Satisfied (17/2), More Madness (17/2), Under The Red Sky (12/1), Dutch Canyon (14/1), Court Painter (25/1), Captain Sharpe (50/1), Nelly La Rue (66/1)

Perfectly fair to say that this isn't the strongest of events, and that is best demonstrated by the fact that the infrequent winner So Satisfied carries top-weight. A few of these horses have clashed against each other recently, including Smiling Jessica and Misfits (first and second over C&D on New Years Day), and the hat-trick seeker Attention Please and More Madness (fought out a protracted battle at Catterick in late December). With no clear standout angle on offer, small stakes are advised on the improving former Hunter Chaser HAVANA JACK. This dual Kelso scorer also boasts C&D experience, and residing from a handy mark, might just prove toughest of all when the chips are well and truly thrown down.