16:50 Catterick

Wednesday 6 March 2019

All14:2014:5015:2015:5016:2016:5017:20

Support Jack Berry House Novices' Hunters' Chase

Off time: 16:50 | Winning time: 6m 51.1s

Diplomate Sivola³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr D Maxwell| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 134

4/7

Plenty of experience over obstacles in France before coming to GB. Beaten in two Hunter Chase outings last year before being switched to handicaps winning at Lingfield; arguably should have won last time out, hard to beat back in this sphere.

Form: 43-3212

Ballinahow Bill¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss C R Crane⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss C Crane| OR: 113

8/1

3-6 in point-to-points although he was beaten a long way by the useful Arthur's Secret on his last run in that discipline. 0-18 under Rules though despite having started favourite for both Hunter Chase starts for a different yard.

Form: R-1F632

Bedford Forrest¹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr W J Milburn⁽⁷⁾| T: Andrew Nicholls| OR: 110

66/1

Back with one of his former yards (trained him for his two point-to-point wins) his Rules form is slightly patchy at best. His two best performances have both come at Cartmel (runner-up both times); pulled-up on his latest point-to-point start.

Form: 42F26-P

Buck Dancing^t¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss J I Bedi⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss J Bedi| OR: 104

25/1

Winner of his only two point-to-point starts that brace of wins bookending his career at the moment with his Rules form being of a variable quality. Only beat three rivals on his most recent start and faces a stiffer task here.

Form: 0P/U-931

Dance Of Time³⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss H Reveley

6/1

Dual bumper winner back in 2013 he's been mopping up in point-to-points since returning from an absence in 2017 winning eight from 10. His jumping let him down on his Hunter Chase debut at Kelso; looks to have limitations over regulation fences.

Form: 1111-21

Path To Freedom¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr John Dawson| T: Mrs C Coward

6/1

Half of his 14 Point-to-point runs have resulted in wins; has won both his starts in that sphere this year. Bumped into a smart sort (Hazel Hill) on his Hunter Chase debut over a year ago (beaten 10L); pulled-up other start in that sphere; respected.

Form: 212-P11

Pop The Champers⁵⁹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Tom Broughton⁽⁷⁾| T: N Kent

66/1

Not seen on the course for quite some time now having been last of four in a novice hurdle at Market Rasen in July 2017. Prior to that he had gone 2-4 in point-to-points but hard to imagine him troubling the principals here.

Form: P411/4-

Wither Or Not⁵²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr D Peters⁽⁵⁾| T: D Peters

10/1

Raced in Irish point-to-points before being placed once in a bumper (one of only two Rules runs). Prolific in GB points going 6-7 with the first defeat coming last time out; looks to be the one for early support, interesting on Hunter Chase debut.

Form: 11111/2

Forecasts

Diplomate Sivola (4/7), Path To Freedom (6/1), Dance Of Time (6/1), Ballinahow Bill (8/1), Wither Or Not (10/1), Buck Dancing (25/1), Bedford Forrest (66/1), Pop The Champers (66/1)

Unlike a lot of horses with lofty ratings that run in Hunter Chases DIPLOMATE SIVOLA has actually lived up to his recent and although he’s been beaten in two previous races in this sphere he looks more the finished article now. He arguably should have won last time out at Taunton and a repeat of anything like that form should see him home here. The battle for the places may well be a more absorbing contest with early support for Wither Or Not suggesting he can build on his impressive (in numbers at least) point-to-point form. Path To Freedom is another who should turn in a respectable display along with Ballinahow Bill who ran into a very useful sort in point-to-points last time.