Jigsaw Sports Branding Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:10 | Winning time: 7m 16.60s

Corner Creek^p¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: T Scudamore| T: M Scudamore| OR: 100| C

10/3

Despite two course wins on his CV in near enough the past year his overall profile is a patchy one with plenty of non-completions. Didn't see out the trip (3m1f) last time and the feeling is that the extra furlong will test him even more.

Form: PU-P1F4

Midnight Bliss^t¹⁸³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Bryony Le Clerc| T: C Fryer| OR: 99| D

4/1

Comes here seeking a hat-trick albeit a long range one with her last win coming back in June off an 8lb lower mark Kept on gamely on both occasions she's one but the handicapper may be catching up and the absence is a worry.

Form: 211-111

Packettotherafters^p⁷⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Nick Scholfield| T: G Hanmer| OR: 89

11/2

Another one with a rather in-and-out profile with four non-completions on his record since a Bangor win in August 2017 off a lowly mark (84). One effort over 3m here would give him a chance but that is flanked by two poor starts; risky candidate.

Form: F/2P-P3P

Apachee Prince^b,t⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: R Johnson| T: O Murphy| OR: 85

5/2

Strangely for a yard that is good with this type they have yet to find an opening for him over hurdles or fences. Ran respectably last time over the smaller obstacles but had disappointed on his last chasing start; has found a weak contest here.

Form: 8P3245

Midnight Mustang^p¹⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 10-4| J: M Hamill⁽³⁾| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 78

11/2

Sprang to life when taking a Market Rasen handicap in May (had run poorly a few days before); as yet to reproduce that form though. Not disgraced when last seen at Taunton and a repeat of that would see him go close here off his last winning mark.

Form: 514904

That's The Deal⁶¹

Age: 14| Weight: 10-2| J: Benjamin Poste| T: J R Cornwall| OR: 76| C

20/1

Struggling to find his form of late and ran poorly last time at Huntingdon in a race he had won the year before off a much higher mark. Now 15lb below his last winning mark but it would take a leap of faith to support him here even in a poor contest.

Form: 355895

Forecasts

Apachee Prince (5/2), Corner Creek (10/3), Midnight Bliss (4/1), Midnight Mustang (11/2), Packettotherafters (11/2), That's The Deal (20/1)

There is no doubt that this is a weak heat even for this grade and all of these come with some sort of risk attached. That said MIDNIGHT BLISS has won her last two races and although she has an absence and a rise in the weights to overcome she has at least scored lately. It’s a surprise that the Olly Murphy yard hasn’t as yet found an opening for Apachee Prince but he has stumbled across a suitably weak contest here. Corner Creek has two course wins to his name although this trip may stretch him and Midnight Mustang makes slightly more appeal for the minor place.