14:50 Sedgefield

Friday 23 March 2018

All13:4513:5014:2014:5015:2516:0016:3017:05

ROA/Racing Post Owners' Jackpot Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:50 | Winning time: 4m 21.32s

Paddling¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Finian O'Toole⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 99

15/2

A decisive winner at Catterick in December (2m3f good to soft), when beating Frankie Ballou by 14L. However, readily held on a couple of recent starts at this track. Drops back to 2m and that looks worth a try.

Form: 431323

Charlie Snow Angel^t⁵²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: Miss S E Forster| OR: 97| D

11/1

Not seen masses of racing for his age, but has the profile of an in and out performer. Picked up a soft race at Newcastle in January (2m soft), profiting on some modest efforts from better fancied rivals. 2lb higher.

Form: 1-2P251

Frankie Ballou¹⁰^{(ex 7)}

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Danny Cook| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 89| CD

7/2

Has kicked on since being dispatched by Paddling at Catterick in December, and seeks a hat-trick of C&D victories. Up 5lb for his latest success against some fairly limited rivals, but this looks much tougher against his old foe.

Form: 5-02P11

Oak Vintage³²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: Mrs A Hamilton| OR: 95| C| D

7/2

Can take a few liberties with his fences, but he's now 2 from 12 over the larger obstacles following Kelso and Catterick victories earlier this campaign. Struggled off a similar mark at Carlisle latest, but 2m suits best and this is weaker.

Form: 212713

Scorpo⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: V Thompson| OR: 93

40/1

Now 0 from 5 under rules, and has yet to finish in front of a single rival. Impossible to stake a claim for this seven-year-old, despite his Northumberland based trainer saddling a double at Hexham last week.

Form: 5-PU354

Miss Amelia³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Henry Brooke| T: M Walford| OR: 91

11/1

Modest over hurdles, and doesn't look like she brings anything more to the table over fences. Difficult to make a case for this seven race maiden.

Form: 054568

Minella Voucher^t¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: R P McLernon| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 90| D

9/2

Well backed when rediscovering a spark over hurdles at Towcester last month (2m3f soft), and followed up with a debut success over fences at Southwell (2m soft) beating the longstanding maiden Peppay Le Pugh by 2L. Up 5lb.

Form: 569611

Rain In The Face^t¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: S England| OR: 83

40/1

Regressed over hurdles and posted a dismal chasing debut at Southwell earlier this month when beaten out of sight (finished last of six) by today's rival Minella Voucher.

Form: 064P-P6

Simply Business^t¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: David England| T: S England| OR: 70

9/2

Not fully exposed and hasn't been with this trainer for all that long. Runner up over hurdles here latest (2m1f heavy), and whilst racing from out of the weights on chasing debut is worthy of market monitoring.

Form: 7P6P42

Forecasts

Oak Vintage (7/2), Frankie Ballou (7/2), Minella Voucher (9/2), Simply Business (9/2), Paddling (15/2), Miss Amelia (11/1), Charlie Snow Angel (11/1), Scorpo (40/1), Rain In The Face (40/1)

Both Frankie Ballou and Minella Voucher seek to top up their recent gains, arriving on hat-trick missions. The former is a dual C&D winner, but he has plenty on with Paddling if judged on earlier Catterick form from December 2017. Alex Dunn's improving seven-year-old made a proficient switch to fences at Southwell, but whilst only 5lb higher today, that level of form isn't the strongest. Similarly, the suspicion was that Charlie Snow Angel found a weak race at Newcastle, whilst Oak Vintage isn't a wholly convincing fencer, so we'll aim a speculative dart at the lowly-rated chasing debutante SIMPLY BUSINESS for the much respected England partnership.