18:25 Southwell

Friday 20 April 2018

All16:5017:2517:5518:2518:5519:2519:55

Bloomfield Horse Boxes Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 18:26 | Winning time: 5m 9.40s

Galway Jack⁴⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr T A McClorey⁽⁵⁾| T: G Bailey| OR: 130| CD

9/4

Proven performer in these contests with a record of 5-7, including over this trip. Goes on most ground and comes into this after another easy success at Warwick last time. Should give a very good account.

Form: 1P2-111

Argot^b¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr Rory Bevin⁽⁷⁾| T: J R Barlow| OR: 114

16/1

Scored in a rare 2m hunter chase at Leicester (heavy) last month. Level of that form was below several of this field and he could not follow up over this trip at Ludlow last time. Others make more appeal.

Form: 1-4R315

Shotavodka³⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 12-2| J: Hugh Nugent⁽³⁾| T: Miss H Brookshaw| OR: 128

11/4

Stays 3m2f and was last seen winning over 2m5f (soft) at Hereford in January. Went close in a decent Haydock contest next time. Couldn't get competitive at Cheltenham when last seen but entitled to plenty of respect at this level.

Form: 736-120

Bambi Du Noyer^p²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Lewis Stones⁽⁵⁾| T: Sean Conway| OR: 104

40/1

Made a decent start for this yard when in the frame at Ffos Las (2m5f, heavy) in February but below that level since. Even if at his best he will probably struggle against a few of these and he looks best watched.

Form: 475345

Edeiff's Lad^h¹³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr L Humphrey⁽⁷⁾| T: L Humphrey| OR: 72| D

150/1

Chasing CV reads 1-18 and that success was two years ago. Well beaten or failed to complete in all four point-to-points/hunter chases this year and impossible to recommend him.

Form: UPP33U

Grouse Lodge¹²

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr J Teal⁽⁷⁾| T: E Clark| OR: 100| D

66/1

Won a point-to-point last month (3m, good to soft), though well beaten in one of those when last seen earlier in April. Not completely ruled out of the prizes if back to his best though not easy to see him winning this.

Form: 3146-13

Noble Friend^h,t⁴⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr N Lawton⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss B Childs| OR: 109

100/1

Won four chases at 2m1f-2m3½f (on good/good to soft) in 2015. Pulled up in four out of five point-to-point since beginning of 2017 and well beaten in the other. Makes little appeal on that evidence.

Form: 4PPP-4P

Royalraise^b⁷⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss Gina Andrews| T: O Sherwood| OR: 119

11/2

Handles some cut although all his wins have been on good ground. Decent effort when third in a Taunton handicap chase (2m7f, soft) in January. Fell at first last time but a clear round should see him involved.

Form: 11P-73F

Shimla Dawn¹²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss E Todd⁽³⁾| T: Mrs C Drury| OR: 127| D

2/1

Arrives from point-to-points in good form after wins in both starts in that sphere this season (both on good to soft), the latter an easy 20L open race success. Short-listed on the back of that.

Form: P23-611

Non-Runners

O Maonlai¹²

Weight: 11-12| Age: 10

T: Alexandra Dunn J: Miss H Welch

Forecasts

Shimla Dawn (2/1), Galway Jack (9/4), Shotavodka (11/4), O Maonlai (4/1), Royalraise (11/2), Argot (16/1), Bambi Du Noyer (40/1), Grouse Lodge (66/1), Noble Friend (100/1), Edeiff's Lad (150/1)

Shimla Dawn arrives in excellent form from between the flags and is very much respected going into this, though preference is for the veteran GALWAY JACK who is a thoroughly consistent performer who is also in good heart. Shotavodka and the enigmatic O Maonlai both have claims and Royalraise is not ruled out.