13:50 Catterick

Friday 23 November 2018

All12:1512:4513:2013:5014:2515:0015:35

Injured Jockeys Fund Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 6m 16.3s

Straidnahanna²¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 135| CD

14/1

Unbeaten in four visits here and this easier than recent assignments. Off since the Scottish National and a lot of the yard's horses have needed their first run of the season.

Form: P/65P1P-

Pickamix^t,v²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Bannister| T: C J Mann| OR: 135

5/1

Gained a first win over fences at Newton Abbot in July and went well in better company at Warwick. Did not jump as well at Cheltenham last time, but this mark does require a career best.

Form: 5-42124

Red Giant^v²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 130| D

6/1

19lb above his last winning mark and held by Pickamix on Warwick running. Would have made the frame in the Durham National but for taking the wrong course and latest run may have come too soon.

Form: 1125R2

Jovial Joey^t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Alain Cawley| T: M A Barnes| OR: 127

14/1

Pulled up in this 12 months ago but arrives in better form this time off a 5lb lower mark.

Form: 331324

Rock On Fruity⁶⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: J M Quinlan| T: B Haslam| OR: 127| D

80/1

Won three races in Ireland and also placed in a Grade 3. Has rather lost his way in 2018 and, like many of the owner's similar regressive types, he has been shipped to Middleham for a change of scenery.

Form: 12U-PU5

Same Circus^p²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 127| CD

12/1

2-3 here although she is said to prefer a more galloping track. Usually hits a flat spot at some point and she may find it hard to claw her way back off this mark.

Form: 4114-5F

Ballycrystal⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Craig Nichol| T: B Ellison| OR: 125

13/2

Novice chase winner over 2m4f at Carlisle (good-to-soft) at the end of March, pulled up at Ayr next time and unconvincing in both starts this term.

Form: 321P-69

Cloth Cap²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 125

85/40

Has always looked the type to make a staying chaser and built on his reappearance to score handsomely at Stratford. Runner-up ran well yesterday but this a tough ask for one so inexperienced.

Form: 716F-31

The Paddy Pie²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 122

5/1

Appeared not to see out this trip at Wetherby last time in lower grade. Expect to see him ridden with more restraint. Progressing with each run for last year's winning yard, but conceding much in the way of experience.

Form: P-82122

Forecasts

Cloth Cap (85/40), The Paddy Pie (5/1), Pickamix (5/1), Red Giant (6/1), Ballycrystal (13/2), Same Circus (12/1), Straidnahanna (14/1), Jovial Joey (14/1), Rock On Fruity (80/1)

Sue Smith's chasers pay to follow here and last year's winning trainer is doubly represented. Straidhnahana is unbeaten here, but may need the run this time, whilst Paddy The Pie carries a stamina doubt and lacks the experience of most of his rivals. Cloth Cap is another young chaser but he is a proven stayer whose latest form looks solid enough. Five-time winner PICKAMIX had Red Giant behind at Warwick before facing a stiff task at Cheltenham. This requires a career best but there are more serious questions to be answered by his other rivals