Yeovil Town Football Club Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:55 | Winning time: 7m 36.6s

Guerrilla Tactics¹⁷¹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Scott| OR: 102| C

7/2

Won a weak race when given his first crack at this sort of trip over hurdles in a handicap and then this winning point-to-pointer was sent over fences to follow up. Not harshly handicapped on that form but will find conditions more testing.

Form: 334311

Saroque^b1¹⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Hugh Nugent⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 100

9/2

Not the most reliable sort and it's been a long time since he's been seen at his best and he's looked as though his attitude is getting the better of him. Does drop into this grade (0-100) for the first time and that gives him a chance to show more.

Form: 223-76P

Black Narcissus^p,t¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: H Cobden| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 99

4/1

Form is rather inconsistent but has looked on good terms with herself of late capping that with a win at Sedgefield last time off a 10lb lower mark than when last successful. Will handle conditions but not sure to be in the same form; won off higher.

Form: PP5021

Finish The Story^b,t¹¹

Age: 12| Weight: 11-1| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Farrelly| OR: 89| D

9/1

Looks well treated on his earlier form and did at least do better than his first two efforts after a break last time at Towcester. Ran better than final position suggests but had a tough race and may not want another hard race here so quickly.

Form: 43-24P5

Shanann Star^p¹²

Age: 12| Weight: 10-6| J: Sean Houlihan⁽⁵⁾| T: G F Edwards| OR: 80| C

6/1

Generally runs well here but can run in snatches and never looks an easy ride and wasn't on a going day last time out at Warwick. Continues to drop in the weights but would have needed to show more of late to be of real interest.

Form: 435334

Withoutdefavourite^p³²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 76

5/1

A record of 0/20 under Rules hardly has you rushing to back him although his third here last month was respectable. That was a step back in the right direction but he is very well handicapped; doubt about his ability to handle this ground.

Form: 4-P7643

What Larks^b1¹¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Tom Cheesman⁽⁵⁾| T: Dr J R J Naylor| OR: 72

12/1

Blinkers go on for the first time having run one of his better races on his penultimate start albeit in a poor race. Failed to repeat that effort last time having jumped poorly and not the most consistent of contenders.

Form: P4P42P

Forecasts

Guerrilla Tactics (7/2), Black Narcissus (4/1), Saroque (9/2), Withoutdefavourite (5/1), Shanann Star (6/1), Finish The Story (9/1), What Larks (12/1)

None of these are particularly trustworthy or consistent and all come here with chinks in their armour. Guerrilla Tactics isn’t harshly handicapped but has returns from a break with conditions looking tough. Black Narcissus is another who looks well-in at the weights but again isn’t the most consistent while Withoutdefavourite is still a maiden despite having the weights in his favour. SAROQUE isn’t the easiest to deal with but this is a major drop in class and if he gets an easy lead he could well be dangerous. Shanann Star tends to run well around here but hasn’t looked in the best of form lately and needs to travel better than of late to take a hand.