13:55 Chepstow

Saturday 8 December 2018

All12:2012:5513:2513:5514:3015:0515:40

Ron Mills 70th Birthday Chase (Novices' Limited Handicap)

Off time: 13:57 | Winning time: 6m 27.3s

Steely Addition²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 137| CD

10/3

Good third in a 3m novice chase at Ffos Las (heavy) on debut over fences last time out. Repeat of that can see him go well switched to handicaps.

Form: 4/F118-3

Flemcara^t²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Patrick Cowley⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 133| CD

8/1

Three time winner over hurdles but well beaten in a heavy ground novice chase at Ffos Las last month. Worth a check in the market on handicap debut.

Form: 11190-8

Noble Robin²⁹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 130| BF| D

8/1

Dual hurdles winner including on soft ground over an extended 2m3f at Wetherby in January. Pulled up on subsequent handicap debut over around this distance and interesting to see how he fares on chase debut.

Form: 14/11P-

Yalltari³¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 130

7/1

Completed a hat-trick when winning over 2m4f at Uttoxeter (heavy) in a handicap hurdle in January. Market support would be notable on debut over fences.

Form: 33/111-

Kayf Blanco¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 127

10/1

Placed on seven of his ten chase starts including when third over an extended 2m5f at Market Rasen (good-to-soft) last month. Likely to find at least one too good once more.

Form: 23226-3

Vodka All The Way⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: C Gethings| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 125| BF

14/1

Good-to-soft ground hurdles winner over 2m7f at Exeter in April. Well beaten upped to an extended 3m2f last time out and drop in trip should suit on chase debut.

Form: 68221-6

Merry Milan¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Matt Griffiths| T: Nicky Martin| OR: 125| D

6/1

Maiden hurdle winner over 2m7f on good-to-soft ground at Bangor in April. Ran well until falling on chase debut at Ascot (3m, good-to-soft) last month and interesting to see how he fares.

Form: 5/161-2F

Louse Talk²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 125| D

25/1

Dual hurdles winner most recently over an extended 2m3f at Carlisle (heavy) in March. Highly tried subsequently and disappointed on last months seasonal reappearance. Debuting over fences.

Form: P/111P-0

Mount Rushmoore²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: David Noonan| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 123| D

10/1

Point-to-point winner and placed in a bumper and over hurdles so far. Struggled over 2m4f on seasonal debut last month and worth a check in the market on chase and handicap debut.

Form: 13224-7

Book of Gold³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood| OR: 123

7/1

Ten race maiden finished well held in a chase over an extended 2m6f at Newbury (good) last month. Switch to handicaps in his favour.

Form: 4239P-5

Holdbacktheriver¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 122

20/1

Heavy ground novices' handicap hurdle winner over an extended 2m5f at Exeter in April. Fair fifth on seasonal debut here last time out and market support would be notable on chase debut.

Form: 25261-5

Forecasts

Steely Addition (10/3), Merry Milan (6/1), Yalltari (7/1), Book of Gold (7/1), Noble Robin (8/1), Flemcara (8/1), Kayf Blanco (10/1), Mount Rushmoore (10/1), Vodka All The Way (14/1), Holdbacktheriver (20/1), Louse Talk (25/1)

STEELY ADDITION represents a yard with a 29% strike-rate (10/35) in recent weeks and he is taken to get off the mark at the second time of asking over fences in this novices' handicap. The selection has the trip and ground to suit and he can get the better of Yalltari who showed decent form in hurdles last season. Third place can go to Vodka All The Way, a stablemate of the selection who looks capable of going well dropping back in distance.