12:50 Doncaster

Friday 26 January 2018

All12:5013:2513:5514:3015:0515:4016:10

Sky Bet Britain's Most Popular Online Bookmaker Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:50 | Winning time: 4m 54.96s

Spiritual Man⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 105

16/1

Has made the frame just once in eight attempts over hurdles and now switches to chasing. Mark has slipped 15lb since initially rated, so possibly more interesting now, but probably one to watch again on debut in this sphere.

Form: 42-6704

Doktor Glaz^v¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: R Dobbin| OR: 104

7/2

Won a Wetherby novices' handicap hurdle over this trip (good) last year and was runner-up from this mark back there (3m, good to soft) over fences in November. Disappointed here last time (soft) and now drops in trip. Not ruled out.

Form: 34-4235

Thomas Blossom^t⁵⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: N D Fehily| T: A Stronge| OR: 103WS

5/1

Won a handicap hurdle at Exeter (2m1f, good) last season when 1lb higher. Unable to win from that same mark at Hereford last time when racing over this trip, which is a concern on switch to chasing, where he has a bit to prove after wind surgery.

Form: 93103-4

Blakerigg⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Craig Nichol| T: N G Richards| OR: 96

5/1

Has thus far been unable to match his debut bumper effort at Newcastle in 2016, but he ran reasonably well on his chase debut at Kelso in November (2m1f, good). Something to build on now back up in trip and he handles cut in the ground.

Form: 2/5P-75

Glimpse Of Gold^t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 94

16/1

Won back-to-back races at Uttoxeter and Fakenham on good to soft/good in April and ran well from 5lb higher than this mark next time. Has yet to get to grips with chasing and we need to see more before he can be recommended.

Form: 112-75U

Red Tortue^p¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 91

13/2

Has not managed to add to his debut novices' hurdle success (2m4f, soft) at Hexham in 2014 when with Mark Walford. Apart from his defeats under rules, he has been beaten in point-to-points and others are preferred on this occasion.

Form: B3/6-5P5

Dalkadam⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Brendan Powell| T: J R Jenkins| OR: 90

5/1

Won a heavy ground handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter (2m) from a mark of 91 last season. Has shown that he can probably pick up a race over fences, though his two runs this season give him a bit to prove at present.

Form: 23-8034

Lickpenny Larry^t³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: R T Dunne| T: T R Gretton| OR: 85

8/1

Well beaten in all starts, including the last three over fences. 5lb drop won't do his cause any harm and could bring him into this weak contest, so check the market for clues.

Form: 48-64R5

Grow Nasa Grow³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Ryan Winks⁽⁵⁾| T: P Winks| OR: 76

28/1

Beaten 79L in his only completed start from three attempts over fences and has been unable to complete the last two. Goes into this 3lb 'wrong' and very difficult to make a case for him.

Form: 0-357PP

Non-Runners

Presenting Berkley²³⁶

Weight: 10-11| Age: 8

T: Tim Vaughan J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Doktor Glaz (7/2), Blakerigg (5/1), Dalkadam (5/1), Thomas Blossom (5/1), Presenting Berkley (11/2), Red Tortue (13/2), Lickpenny Larry (8/1), Spiritual Man (16/1), Glimpse Of Gold (16/1), Grow Nasa Grow (28/1)

Very moderate stuff here and a race to treat with caution. DOKTOR GLAZ is far from being bombproof, but he has a more solid profile than most in this field and therefore gets the vote. Presenting Berkley is bred to do better over fences, so if he is fit first time back from a break he looks an interesting proposition, while a market check looks prudent for Thomas Blossom after his wind op. Blakerigg is another who is not ruled out.