12:30 Hexham

Thursday 20 December 2018

All12:3013:0013:3014:0014:3015:00

Welcome To Our Christmas Raceday Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:30 | Winning time: 5m 32.5s

Well Above Par⁸^{(ex 7)}

Age: 6| Weight: 12-7| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 106| CD

4/6

Chasing has always looks his forte and returned from 375-day absence to score as he liked over C&D a week. Carries a 7lb penalty but still appears well-in.

Form: 23/2F6-1

Emerald Chieftan^p¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: R Menzies| OR: 104

6/1

Irish point-to-point winner in January, came to rules career quite late as an eight-year-old. Not that impressive over timber and faller on sole chase start at Ayr over his trip in October. Others more likely.

Form: 1266-F5

Outnumbered²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Callum Bewley| T: C Grant| OR: 102

22/1

Given a rather demanding mark when sent into handicaps over hurdles failing to make much of an impression. Failed to complete in two chase starts at Wetherby, drops once more in trip but hard to be confident.

Form: 7486-FP

Glittering Love²⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: N G Richards| OR: 92

9/5

Poor record in novice hurdles last season, impressive sequence of wins in point-to-points early this year, though again disappointing over timber at Sedgefield in April. Returns for first try over regulation fences, not written off.

Form: 311114-

Grimthorpe¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: Miss T Jackson| OR: 76

50/1

Desperately poor so far under rules, failing to get competitive in seven-race bumper/hurdles career. Tailed off here last month in latter sphere and looks an unlikely sort going chasing.

Form: 8PPP-00

Court Painter^p,t1⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: V Thompson| OR: 75| D

50/1

Has limited form which would give him an outside shout, including his May C&D second to Bafana Blue (good); however was 36L adrift of Well Above Par last week and all to do now.

Form: 642686

Scorpo²⁰²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: V Thompson| OR: 69

100/1

12-race maiden who competes from outside of the handicap after free-falling in the weights since March; off since June and no realistic chance on form.

Form: PP-096P

Non-Runners

Calivigny¹⁸

Weight: 11-12| Age: 9

T: N W Alexander J: Lucy Alexander

Forecasts

Well Above Par (4/6), Glittering Love (9/5), Calivigny (11/4), Emerald Chieftan (6/1), Outnumbered (22/1), Grimthorpe (50/1), Court Painter (50/1), Scorpo (100/1)

WELL ABOVE PAR returned to action with an easy success over C&D last week, delivering on the promise he threatened to have in this discipline. It will be disappointing if there isn't better to come from him and, despite the penalty, he looks the one to be with. Glittering Love's record under rules is poor but this multiple point-to-point winner could have more to say now jumping fences while exposed Carlisle winner Calivigny and Emerald Chieftan are best of the remainder.