13:10 Hereford

Saturday 15 December 2018

All12:0012:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

George Smith Horseboxes Mares' Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:10 | Winning time: 6m 59.10s

Still Believing^p³⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 114

9/1

Completed a double when winning at Exeter (3m, good-to-firm) in October. Well beaten back over hurdles at Ludlow (2m5f, good) last month and return to fences should suit.

Form: 567118

The Wicket Chicken^p⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: R T Dunne| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 114| BF

6/1

Dual hurdles winner finished 1L second to Still Believing over an extended 2m7f at Chepstow (good) in October. Returning from a break and a repeat of that should see her play a hand in the finish.

Form: 522342

Sheneededtherun^t²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: J Kington| T: M Scudamore| OR: 107WS

12/1

Had wind surgery since finishing 26L last of three over an extended 2m7f at Newcastle (good) a month ago. Worth a check in the market.

Form: 213-963

Miss Yeats¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Tom Cannon| T: Mrs L J Mongan| OR: 106

7/2

Returning from a break when winning by 14L over 2m4f at Lingfield (good-to-soft) last time out. Raised 11lb for that victory and interesting to how she fares upped in trip.

Form: 3054-41

Misty Mai³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: James Bowen| T: D A Rees| OR: 105| CD

3/1

Well held on both starts this season including when 49L fourth over 3m at Ffos Las (heavy) last time out. Others hold stronger claims.

Form: 515P-64

Top And Drop⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Hugh Nugent⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 95

5/2

Placed in a heavy ground handicap chase over an extended 2m3f at Chepstow last weekend. Stamina to prove stepping up in distance.

Form: 22U5/43

Bennys Girl²²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Shane Quinlan⁽⁷⁾| T: D L Williams| OR: 88| C

16/1

Sole finisher when winning over 2m4f at Towcester (soft) in April. Making her first appearance since finishing 13L fourth of five over an extended 2m5f at Fontwell (good) the following month.

Form: 34111-4

Shanann Star^p⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 10-0| J: Page Fuller⁽³⁾| T: G F Edwards| OR: 77| D

20/1

Making her seasonal debut when beaten 24L over an extended 3m2f at Wincanton (good) recently. Racing from out of the handicap.

Form: 33426-3

Non-Runners

Pulling Power²⁴

Weight: 11-12| Age: 8

T: J Scott J: Non Runner

Silent Steps¹

Weight: 11-10| Age: 7

T: N B King J: Jack Andrews

Troubled Soul¹

Weight: 11-7| Age: 9

T: F O'Brien J: C Brace

Dawnieriver¹¹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 8

T: M Scudamore J: Benjamin Poste

Forecasts

Top And Drop (5/2), Misty Mai (3/1), Miss Yeats (7/2), Silent Steps (4/1), Troubled Soul (5/1), The Wicket Chicken (6/1), Dawnieriver (8/1), Still Believing (9/1), Pulling Power (10/1), Sheneededtherun (12/1), Bennys Girl (16/1), Shanann Star (20/1)

MISS YEATS is stepping up in distance here but she is taken to follow-up her Lingfield victory last time out. That effort came on her return from a break and she can take this at the chief expense of The Wicket Chicken who ran well when runner-up at Chepstow in October and can reverse that form with top weight Still Believing who finished in front of her that day.