13:50 Exeter

Sunday 25 November 2018

All12:5013:2013:5014:2014:5015:2015:50

Smarkets Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 6m 7.10s

Looks Like Power^h²²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Stan Sheppard⁽³⁾| T: Mrs D A Hamer| OR: 127| D

20/1

Progressive last season, ending his campaign with a clear-cut victory at Chepstow. Up 13lb so clearly needs to improve on his seasonal reappearance.

Form: 423141-

Abbreviate^p³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: H Cobden| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 123

7/1

Still looking for his first win over fences after nine attempts, but has been placed four times. Beaten a long way on his first run of the season at Wincanton and has a bit to prove.

Form: 523-2P6

Bells 'n' Banjos^p³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 122

4/1

In good form with successive wins at the beginning of last year, but his form has tailed off since. Needs to step up on his comeback run at Cheltenham last month.

Form: 5/5P7-49

Royal Palladium²²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 120| CD

5/1

Pulled up on his last two starts earlier this year. Needs to show much more on this reappearance outing, but has dropped to a fair mark and has winning form over C&D.

Form: 1P6/3PP-

Court Frontier¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: T J O'Brien| T: Christian Williams| OR: 117| D

16/1

Decent effort to finish third in a veterans' chase at Sandown last time. Races off 1lb lower and enters calculations.

Form: 747-0U3

Monbeg Gold^p⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: R Johnson| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 115| C| D

7/4

First outing following a long absence and a wind operation when fourth of 12 over hurdles at Uttoxeter. Returns to fences and has claims if building on that comeback run.

Form: 8554/7-4

Only Gorgeous¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-1| J: Lucy Gardner⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 100| CD

9/2

Best effort for a long time when staying on well into second over C&D recently. Runs off the same mark and has to be considered.

Form: P43-652

Non-Runners

Deauville Dancer²⁴

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: David Dennis J: N D Fehily

Forecasts

Monbeg Gold (7/4), Bells 'n' Banjos (4/1), Only Gorgeous (9/2), Royal Palladium (5/1), Abbreviate (7/1), Deauville Dancer (7/1), Court Frontier (16/1), Looks Like Power (20/1)

At either end of the weights, Looks Like Power and Only Gorgeous have claims, while Monbeg Gold could be dangerous following an encouraging return to action at Uttoxeter. However, all three have question marks against them and a more solid option may be COURT FRONTIER, who ran well in a veterans' chase last time and is nicely handicapped. Others to consider in an open contest are Deauville Dancer and Royal Palladium.