14:10 Worcester

Thursday 10 May 2018

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:2516:5517:25

Martin & Co (Worcester) Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 5m 2.46s

Great Tempo^b³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 105

9/2

Chase debut here having shown some patchy form over hurdles, but possibly the type to make a better chaser and this looks a good starting point for him.

Form: 70/7939-

Soulsaver^t²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: R P McLernon| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 105

4/1

Makes his chase debut here having shown some good form in handicap hurdles. Trip/ground likely to suit and should be able to operate off his hurdles mark.

Form: 312361-

Le Curieux⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Brendan Powell| T: B G Powell| OR: 104

4/1

Never came into his own over hurdles, and needs to improve over fences to seriously challenge. In the meantime this mark looks too hefty for now.

Form: 50P654-

Tudors Treasure^p²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: James Best| T: R Stephens| OR: 103

17/2

Down the field in staying races over hurdles the last twice but probably better over intermediate trips and now switches to fences. This distance looks more suitable but needs to improve for chasing.

Form: 6/7P255-

Dark Invader⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 103

9/1

Only four runs over hurdles and failed to get off the mark, but still ran solid races. The face he switches to fences so soon suggests his trainer expects improvement to come over the larger obstacles.

Form: 42/3444-

One Leader⁹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: David Noonan| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 97

18/1

Down the field in all starts in bumpers/hurdles so far. Lightly raced but still tough to build a case for on the basis of that form.

Form: 7505-

Youngoconnor¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: Christian Williams| OR: 93

10/1

Well-beaten in all starts in hurdles, but previous placed effort in a point-to-point gives some hope that she may be slightly better over the larger obstacles.

Form: 225B55-

Rule The Ocean⁴²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Stan Sheppard⁽³⁾| T: M Sheppard| OR: 89

20/1

Has her first start for this trainer having spent some time in a point-to-points, but didn't show enough there to suggest she can get off the mark under rules in a contest of this nature.

Form: 664623/

Cropley^p¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: R T Dunne| T: D Burchell| OR: 86

5/1

Maiden on the Flat and won just one race over hurdles, and general form so far suggests he'll probably prefer a staying distance over fences in time.

Form: 18/3075-

Non-Runners

Findusatgorcombe¹⁶

Weight: 10-3| Age: 6

T: J D Frost J: Bryony Frost

Forecasts

Le Curieux (4/1), Soulsaver (4/1), Great Tempo (9/2), Cropley (5/1), Tudors Treasure (17/2), Dark Invader (9/1), Youngoconnor (10/1), Findusatgorcombe (12/1), One Leader (18/1), Rule The Ocean (20/1)

None of these have particularly exciting form, but DARK INVADER was lightly-raced over hurdles and improvement can be expected now he switches to fences. He may have failed to get off the mark over the smaller obstacles, but he shaped somewhat encouragingly, and conditions here are unlikely to pose a problem. With so many chasing newcomers it's difficult to tell who will appreciate the switch to fence, but others who could go well are Soulsaver and Great Tempo.