Newark Festival 15 & 16th June 2018 Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 17:35 | Winning time: 4m 0.70s

Sword Of Fate¹³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: N de Boinville| T: T Lacey| OR: 120| D

5/4

Dotted up in a couple of weak novice hurdles last year although didn't always look straightforward, and form went off the boil a little after that. Bred for fences, so may improve for the switch, but needs a fluent round on chase debut tonight.

Form: 211970-

Copper West⁹³

4/6

Plenty of good chasing winners on the dam's side, and connections wasting little time in getting him over fences. Excuses for some moderate efforts over hurdles (soft ground) and likely to leave hurdles form behind now tackling the bigger obstacles.

Form: 5/44335-

Non-Runners

Joueur Bresilien¹⁶

Weight: 11-11| Age: 6

T: Miss R Curtis J: Adam Wedge

Free Stone Hill¹⁶

Weight: 11-5| Age: 8

T: D Skelton J: Harry Skelton

Le Precieux¹⁶

Weight: 11-3| Age: 5

T: G & J Moore J: A Glassonbury

Forecasts

Copper West (4/6), Sword Of Fate (5/4), Free Stone Hill (7/4), Joueur Bresilien (6/1), Le Precieux (10/1)

With both Free Stone Hill and Sword Of Fate having their quirks, a chance is taken on COPPER WEST to leave his hurdles form behind now he tackles fences. He's always looked the sort to thrive over the bigger obstacles and can take this. Free Stone Hill will need to be brought with his challenge as late as possible, as he finds little for pressure. Sword Of Fate needs to jump better than he did over hurdles (at times) if hes to throw down a serious challenge.