15:20 Uttoxeter

Saturday 5 May 2018

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:40

bet365 Beginners' Chase

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 4m 3.2s

Bags Groove^t¹¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: N P Madden| T: H Fry| OR: 145

5/2

Completed a double over hurdles when winning at Kempton (2m5f, good) in November. Held over the same C&D subsequently and he is one for the shortlist on chasing debut.

Form: 51/8110-

Diable De Sivola¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Lizzie Kelly⁽³⁾| T: Nick Williams| OR: 132| CD

9/1

Useful hurdle on his day including when finishing 6L third at Chepstow (2m, soft) on his penultimate outing. Held at Cheltenham subsequently and making his chase debut in this contest.

Form: 5/24F30-

Don Bersy²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: T Symonds| OR: 135| D

5/1

Successful four times over hurdles including over 2m1f at Carlisle (good-to-soft) in March. Fair fourth subsequently and he is one to note on his first start over fences.

Form: 3/79214-

Militarian¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: J Martin⁽⁷⁾| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 118

25/1

Point-to-point winner and finished runner-up off a mark of 114 at Southwell (good) in a handicap chase last time out. Bit to find with a few of these on ratings.

Form: 744/2P2-

Native Gamut²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Lee Edwards| T: A Ralph

66/1

Point-to-point winner on good ground in March last year but struggled in three outings over fences for this yard. Others make more appeal.

Form: 221/33P-

Storm Home²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 137| D

11/4

Dual novice hurdle winner this season most recently on soft ground at Wincanton in March. Held on handicap debut at Aintree last time out and he is an interesting runner on chase debut.

Form: 25F110-

Verni¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 136

11/4

Finished runner-up in a couple of novice chases earlier this year including on soft ground at Catterick in March. Finished a close sixth back over hurdles at Cheltenham last time and interesting int his contest.

Form: 12/5226-

Vetoncall²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: T J O'Brien| T: A E Jones

100/1

Point-to-point winner on soft-to-heavy ground in February but was pulled up over hurdles on debut for this yard and is probably best watched switched to fences.

Form: 3/5211P-

Forecasts

Bags Groove (5/2), Verni (11/4), Storm Home (11/4), Don Bersy (5/1), Diable De Sivola (9/1), Militarian (25/1), Native Gamut (66/1), Vetoncall (100/1)

Trainer Philip Hobbs has his yard in great form at present (9/39) and his representative here VERNI can put his experience to good use by winning over fences at the third time of asking with forecast underfoot conditions likely to suit here. Bags Groove brings some useful hurdles form into this contest and he can take second ahead of Don Bersy who is another making his first appearance over fences.