14:30 Newbury

Friday 23 March 2018

All14:0014:3015:0515:4016:1016:45

Be Wiser Insurance Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:31 | Winning time: 5m 48.30s

Bally Longford³⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 126

5/1

Not won since 2015 and pulled-up on his last two starts he shaped better than the bare result last time. Handicapper has given him another chance dropped 5lb from his last run and now below his last winning mark but yet to win for this stable.

Form: 36-43PP

Halo Moon^p³⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 124

7/1

Fairly useful chaser who reeled off a hat-trick in early 2016 over fences off marks up to 117. Clearly hard to train he's hardly been seen since but ran with promise last time (runner-up) looking as though he can be competitive off this mark.

Form: 111/732

Private Malone^v⁴⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: G Sheehan| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 123| D

7/2

Has ability but can be hard to catch right although he has shaped better of late and produced a seasonal best last time in a first-time visor. No guarantee that he will repeat that here but left on the same mark although remains a maiden over fences.

Form: 3-52542

Dr Robin^v²⁰³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: James Bowen⁽³⁾| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 122| BF

33/1

Dual winner over fences but not the easiest sort to deal with and raced in a very lazy manner last time at Bangor. Now returns from a substantial break that may have freshen him up but still remains 6lb above his last winning mark; care needed.

Form: 12P-416

Kap Jazz^b1¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 121

12/1

Has never really lived up to the form he showed when winning back-to-back handicaps over fences around a year ago. Stable has been a little quiet all winter and he ran poorly last time out at Wincanton and more needed here off a 1lb lower mark.

Form: 113-028

Mystical Knight^t³³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 121

12/1

Made a successful chase debut but that remains his only win over fences and his form has looked regressive ever since. Pulled-up the last twice the handicapper has dropped him a further 5lb; hard to recommend in current form even off this mark.

Form: P36-3PP

Kincora Fort^t²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: Noel Williams| OR: 121

3/1

Comes here seeking his hat-trick having taken handicaps at Leicester and Huntingdon in good style. Given a short break he's upped a further 8lb for his last win but should be able to handle the increased mark and looks to have a sound chance.

Form: 1/46211

Highbury High^p,t¹⁷⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-4| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 116

50/1

Has shown some fair and consistent form over fences and returns from a winter break off the same career-high mark that saw him well beaten last time. Can travel strongly but can also be let down by his jumping and the mark makes life tough.

Form: 1-46216

Church Hall^t⁸³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Jamie Bargary⁽³⁾| T: Mrs E Bishop| OR: 116

14/1

May do better over fences having shown form as good as he had over hurdles when winning on his chase debut off a 10lb lower mark. Got no further than the 2nd when last seen off this mark; goes well fresh and is still of interest on his comeback run.

Form: 565/4-1U

Speedalong^t³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Scott| OR: 116

16/1

Benefitted from his first go over fences when winning on his second try over them at Wincanton in a small field (dominated race). Didn't quite get the same conditions over a longer trip next time and faces a similar task here off the same mark.

Form: 42-2614

Morning Reggie^b¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood| OR: 113

8/1

Made his comeback from recent wind surgery in a race he had won for the previous two years at Sandown but showed very little spark. Looked rather laboured and jumped poorly; dropped 5lb but far from convincing on that last run and best watched.

Form: 917-6P4

Forecasts

Kincora Fort (3/1), Private Malone (7/2), Bally Longford (5/1), Halo Moon (7/1), Morning Reggie (8/1), Mystical Knight (12/1), Kap Jazz (12/1), Church Hall (14/1), Speedalong (16/1), Dr Robin (33/1), Highbury High (50/1)

Quite a few of these would need to return to their best to have a chance and it looks as though it will pay to stay with the in form KINCORA FORT who although raised 8lb for his last win still looks to have some improvement in his locker. Halo Moon appears to be one of the biggest dangers if he can reproduce his Doncaster second which came in a strongly run race; he looks as though he can be competitive off this mark. Church Hall is worth noting after a break on the basis of his chasing debut while the handicapper has given Bally Longford a chance with Private Malone another to throw in the mix if the visor continues to work on this quirky type.