Steel Plate And Sections Novices' Chase

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 5m 3.10s

Count Meribel¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: M D Grant| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 143| D

6/1

Progressive over hurdles this time last year and made an encouraging start to his chase career at Carlisle last week when getting the better of 12 rivals. Likely contender here.

Form: 1265P-1

Graasten²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 132

14/1

Won on chase debut at Fontwell and not disgraced here last month in a four runner event but more needed against these rivals and looks up against it.

Form: 74/16-13

Jenkins³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: David Bass| T: N J Henderson

7/2

Grade 3 over hurdles last year. Didn't get much of a test when 1/25fav at Stratford on his chase bow last month in a match race but he's a live player if he proves to be as good over fences as he was hurdles.

Form: 110P0-1

Le Breuil¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling| OR: 142| D

11/2

Wide margin winner of a match race at Huntingdon last week and while he was long odds on for that, he jumped well throughout. Tends to run well in small fields and expected to be bang there.

Form: 52015-1

Jerrysback⁶³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: B J Geraghty| T: P Hobbs & J White| D

6/1

Point-to-point winner who won twice over hurdles at the start of 2017. Has endured a long lay off since though and entitled to need the run here.

Form: 42F111/

Mr Whipped²⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J McGrath| T: N J Henderson

5/2

Won his first three starts over hurdles including a Grade 2 at Warwick but beaten at odds on next time and pulled up at the Festival. Interesting contender if he takes to this discipline but others in the line up have chase experience.

Form: 1/1112P-

White Moon^t³⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: R M Power| T: C L TizzardWS

13/2

Looked an exciting prospect last season prior to pulling up in a Sandown Grade 2 in December. Has had a wind operation in the interim and entitled to need the run on return.

Form: 5F/1117-

Forecasts

Mr Whipped (5/2), Jenkins (7/2), Le Breuil (11/2), Count Meribel (6/1), Jerrysback (6/1), White Moon (13/2), Graasten (14/1)

Hard to rule out any of the seven declared at the 24 hour stage and it might be worth siding with COUNT MERIBEL who has had the stiffest test over fences to date. He was impressive when winning at Carlisle and there's a strong chance he will come on for that run. Jenkins was useful over hurdles and rates as an exciting prospect over the larger obstacles while Le Breuil jumped well on chase debut and is another to consider.