13:30 Warwick

Monday 31 December 2018

All12:2512:5513:3014:0014:3515:0515:35

Local Parking Security Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:30 | Winning time: 4m 16.60s

Bredon Hill Lad^p,t²⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Lucy Gardner⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 98| D

8/1

Has a decent strike-rate over fences (6-22) and goes best on genuine soft ground. Dropped back into a Class 5 for the first time this campaign following a couple of modest runs at Ffos Las (2m) and Fontwell (2m5f+).

Form: 1P33-4P

Bound Hill⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: David Noonan| T: Mrs F M Shaw| OR: 95

12/1

Keen going sort who is a two-time hurdles winner at Fontwell (2m3f); likely to try and force the pace from the outset but with plenty to prove in terms of fitness and fencing (0-3).

Form: 11/P83-P

Mountain Chimes³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: L Heard| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 91

5/1

Has broadly run okay in each of his three previous attempts over fences (343) without necessarily threatening to trouble those placed ahead; place contender but no more despite a slightly reduced handicap mark.

Form: 878343

Scrupuleux^h³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: A Glassonbury| T: C J Down| OR: 91| D

16/1

Game winner off a 3lb lower mark at Worcester (2m+, good) in June, but has run increasingly poorly since and rates as risky at this stage of his racing career.

Form: 451607

Royal Act^p¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Ben Godfrey⁽⁷⁾| T: S-J Davies| OR: 90| D

5/1

Won twice in testing conditions at Taunton (2m-2m2f) in March and has fallen back to a reasonable mark following some lesser efforts this campaign; versatile in terms of tactics; runner-up in the 2m novices' chase on this card in 2017.

Form: 11P-R45

Lightentertainment^p²⁶⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: David Bass| T: F Brennan| OR: 90| D

18/1

Ploughed through deep winter ground when scoring by 10L at Lingfield (2m, heavy) in February and returns to action fresh from a summer break; 5lb above his last winning mark (not handicapped out of things); chance.

Form: 355135-

Hurricane Rita^p²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: R T Dunne| T: C R Dore| OR: 89| D

12/1

Not the most reliable of performers but she does possess ability as shown previously for Stuart Coltherd and Olly Murphy; overlooked on the balance of probability.

Form: P25485

Wisecracker^p,t²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Kielan Woods| T: B I Case| OR: 83

7/2

Regularly placed over fences of late (at 2m) without quite managing to break the maiden tag; versatile in terms of ground conditions; viable contender.

Form: 5-P6223

St Merryn^t³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: James Best| T: B R Summers| OR: 74

10/1

Seven-race chasing maiden; weakened from the 12th when finishing sixth of nine to Cuddles McGraw over 2m4f (soft) here last month; shorter trip worth trying.

Form: P3-64P6

River Purple^t¹²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-2| J: Miss L Brooke⁽⁷⁾| T: Lady S Brooke| OR: 74| D

50/1

Pulled-up on five of his eight starts since winning at odds of 33/1 at Ludlow (2m, good) in April 2017; very unlikely.

Form: P-P668P

Yourholidayisover^b,t²⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: S Bowen| T: T R Gretton| OR: 72

11/2

As difficult to win with as any other horse in training; blew another golden opportunity when unbelievably throwing in the towel late-on at Fakenham of all places (2m, good to soft) latest; Sean Bowen has the pleasure/test in the saddle today.

Form: 647-522

Midnight Owle^t⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: C J Todd⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss C Dyson| OR: 63

20/1

18-race maiden (0-6 over fences) who competes from out of the weights; can't be realistically considered.

Form: P23PP4

Forecasts

Wisecracker (7/2), Royal Act (5/1), Mountain Chimes (5/1), Yourholidayisover (11/2), Bredon Hill Lad (8/1), St Merryn (10/1), Hurricane Rita (12/1), Bound Hill (12/1), Scrupuleux (16/1), Lightentertainment (18/1), Midnight Owle (20/1), River Purple (50/1)

Not a strong contest with the enigmatic Yourholidayisover likely to provide much of the equine entertainment throughout. He has the ability to win from his current mark of 74, but almost certainly not the required resolution with one of racing's unique tests of jockeyship now falling to Sean Bowen. Bredon Hill Lad could be of some interest on past form now dropping back into a Class 5 handicap, but he's run below-par this season, so safer options are Wisecracker and LIGHTENTERTAINMENT. The selection is ideally suited by softer ground than is forecast but is far from handicapped out of contention assuming that a lengthy summer break has freshened him up.