14:40 Ffos Las

Tuesday 26 February 2019

All14:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:40

starsports.bet Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:43 | Winning time: 6m 47.3s

Alminar^p,t³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Kieren Buckley⁽⁷⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 107

4/1

Ran much better when upped in trip and given cheekpieces (retained here) at Chepstow last time, not beaten far in a blanket finish. 2lb rise for that but only need repeat it to be on the premises once more. Looks a player.

Form: 569-843

Dara's Present³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: David Bass| T: H Whittington| OR: 105| D

6/1

Point-to-point winner but you have to go back to 2016 for that, only seen another three times since then but has got himself handicapped on three hurdles starts, so may well improve for the switch to bigger obstacles today. Interesting.

Form: 2316/06

Quieto Sol⁷¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: R Patrick⁽³⁾| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 105

4/1

Looking very well handicapped at present and turned in a better effort here (over slightly shorter) last time out. Of more interest is the fact the yard have come back to form after a very quiet year, so has to be taken seriously.

Form: 354/56-4

Sutter's Mill⁵⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 102| D

10/1

Scraped home at Ludlow three starts ago but handicapper didn't take kindly to it and raised him in the weights. Middling effort last time out now needs forgiving, and it may be he's reached his ceiling for the time being.

Form: 463127

Top And Drop⁵⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 100| D

9/2

Back to form at Chepstow last time, coming out on top in a competitive little race. Trip and ground no issue but may not be the most consistent around, so although an obvious chance on that win, needs treating with a touch of caution.

Form: U5/43P1

Colmers Hill^b1⁶⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Matt Griffiths| T: J Scott| OR: 97| BF| CD

8/1

C&D winner here back in November but a poor effort when trying to follow that up, not jumping as well and pulled up late in the day. Could bounce back now he's back at a track he clearly goes well at, so not discounted.

Form: FP4P-1P

Newlands Cross^p1⁷²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: David England| T: O Murphy| OR: 97| D

12/1

Won a three-runner point-to-point in Ireland last year, and has handicapped himself for this with three hurdles starts, so may well improve for the switch to fences today. Not shown much, but probably capable of better, so needs a look in the market

Form: 31-0704

Midnight Magic^p,t¹⁷⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: David Noonan| T: D Pipe| OR: 92

18/1

No win in 12 starts over hurdles and in truth, looks moderate, but does come from a family that has chase winners, so could do better for a yard that's found it's stride lately. Very risky, but not totally written off.

Form: 3B5-805

Highland Life^t⁶⁹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: James Davies| T: S Flook| OR: 89WS

100/1

Bangor hurdles winner but that was back in 2017, and she's not been seen out since finishing well beaten in the April of that year. Will surely need the outing, and others readily preferred.

Form: 55717P/

Buck Bravo^p²⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: S Bowen| T: D A Rees| OR: 82| D

9/2

Won a couple of small point-to-points in the spring of 2018 but well beaten on only start since then, back in June of last year, and looks sure to need this to blow a few cobwebs away. Easy enough to pass over.

Form: 34-2119

Forecasts

Alminar (4/1), Quieto Sol (4/1), Top And Drop (9/2), Buck Bravo (9/2), Dara's Present (6/1), Colmers Hill (8/1), Sutter's Mill (10/1), Newlands Cross (12/1), Midnight Magic (18/1), Highland Life (100/1)

A race that needs treating with a bit of caution as there's no natural front runner in the race and it might be run at a crawl. Dara's Present and Newlands Cross are both potential improvers for the switch to bigger obstacles and need noting in the market. Colmers Hill could put a poor run last time out behind him now he returns to a venue he seems to enjoy, but with Kerry Lee hitting form a chance is taken on the well-handicapped QUIETO SOL coming back to form. He dropped a bit of a hint that he might be on the way back to some better form last time, and is worth siding with.