15:35 Wincanton

Thursday 17 January 2019

All12:5013:2013:5514:2515:0015:3516:10

Healthy Pets Chase (Novices' Limited Handicap)

Off time: 15:35 | Winning time: 5m 12.00s

Air Navigator²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: C Gethings| T: T R George| OR: 121

6/1

Strong traveller with a strike rate of 3-9 but those wins have come on deeper ground. Conditions probably too testing last time when taking on better company.

Form: U453-17

Joueur Bresilien³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Bryony Le Clerc| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 118| D

6/1

Ffos Las hurdle winner who has only achieved a modest level of form over fences. Jumped left last time and his mark looks high enough.

Form: 3-741S4

Balibour⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Adam Wedge| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 114

8/1

13-race maiden whose best performances have come on right-handed tracks such as this. One of the better handicapped horses in the race.

Form: 320-303

Canyouringmeback²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: James Davies| T: N J Gifford| OR: 113| D

20/1

Dual Huntingdon winner in 2018 who was going well when unseating late over 3m1f here in October. Has been poor since and likely he needs more help from the handicapper.

Form: 11UP74

All Kings^b¹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: R H Buckler| OR: 105

16/1

Produced a better effort last time but that was in a weaker race than this and he remains a 17-race maiden.

Form: 3245U3

Skellig Rocks⁶⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: James Best| T: R Walford| OR: 105

6/1

Up against on stable debut in November and gets a generous 5lb drop in the weights. Irish form suggests he wants some give and he is yet to win in 21 attempts.

Form: 5303P-5

Cracking Destiny⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 101

7/4

Irish point-to-point winner by 30L who cost £100,000 but achieved little for Nicky Henderson. Has improved lately but, having been produced full of running, he has found nothing when asked. Due to go up 3lb next week.

Form: 46-5732

Primal Focus¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Christian Williams| OR: 104

6/1

Had the useful Bright Forecast behind him when second on sole point-to-point start. Has a mixed bag of achievements over hurdles but seemed to be going the right way last time. Gelded prior to chase debut and worth a market check.

Form: 35F574

Non-Runners

First Du Charmil⁵¹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 7

T: S Drinkwater J: J E Moore

Forecasts

Cracking Destiny (7/4), Air Navigator (6/1), Primal Focus (6/1), Joueur Bresilien (6/1), Skellig Rocks (6/1), Balibour (8/1), First Du Charmil (8/1), All Kings (16/1), Canyouringmeback (20/1)

All of these carry a doubt going into this, most notably Cracking Destiny who could either win this on the bridle or give up in a battle. It is also guesswork to predict the sort of performances both Canyouringmeback and First Du Charmil might produce, whilst long term maidens Skellig Rocks and All Kings will find few easier openings. Air Navigator beat a subsequent winner on his chase debut before failing in stronger company. That earns him a spot on the shortlist, but preference is for BALIBOUR who has looked a better horse going right-handed and who has dropped in the weights after his last two starts on tracks that did not suit.