16:35 Chepstow

Thursday 21 March 2019

All14:2014:5015:2516:0016:3517:0517:40

Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:36 | Winning time: 4m 53.5s

Treasure Dillon^p⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-1| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 107

15/8

This will only be his seventh start so far, so open to more improvement, and looks about ready to win one after a staying-on second at Sedgefield last time out. Handles the ground and wouldn't need much more to be very competitive here.

Form: 842292

Versifier²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Harrison Beswick⁽⁷⁾| T: O Sherwood| OR: 106

16/1

Winner at Hereford last October but has found life a bit harder since then and she's still 9lb higher than that win. Well beaten at Plumpton last time and although drying ground would help her cause, others make a bit more appeal.

Form: 251220

Kestrel Valley^h¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Stan Sheppard⁽³⁾| T: M Sheppard| OR: 104

16/1

Early faller at Warwick last time, but had looked to be going the right way in two handicap starts before that, despite being a bit keen at times. Yard a little out of form, which is a worry, but conditions fine and she has a chance.

Form: 734-36F

Colonel Keating²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: A Glassonbury| T: R Rowe| OR: 104

11/1

Point-to-point winner last April, shown little in three starts so far but now goes handicapping and given the way she stayed on late last time, it suggested there was more to come. A market move for him needs taking seriously.

Form: 21-876

Calarules^t²³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: R Johnson| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 103

16/1

Was in decent form when last seen but that was last summer and he's not been seen since. May need this run and likely to find the ground plenty slow enough as well. Best watched.

Form: 43-2153

El Hageb Rose⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 103

8/1

Nice looker that ran with plenty of promise at Lingfield in January but very disappointing he couldn't do better on handicap debut at Sandown last time. Early days though, so could put that behind him and run better here.

Form: 67667

Whin Park⁸⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Hugh Nugent⁽⁵⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 103WS

20/1

Looking for a confidence booster here after some poor efforts over fences last three starts, well enough handicapped but this ground plenty slow enough for his tastes and not hard to look elsewhere.

Form: 1-31FPP

Great Fairy¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 102

20/1

Too many letters in his recent form for comfort but if he can reproduce his fifth (in soft ground) from here in November it would give him a squeak. Very risky, but not to be totally discounted.

Form: 94P4PF

Helford River²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 100

7/1

Not a bad effort in a bumper at Uttoxeter last November but three hurdles starts have been less encouraging. However, goes handicapping on a realistic mark and may do better on this galloping track. Watch market.

Form: 5857

Hawkerland³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: L P Aspell| T: N J Gifford| OR: 98| C

12/1

Twice a winner on the Flat for Marcus Tregoning but hasn't shown much in three hurdles starts for new yard. Handicaps at least offers him a better chance of success but likely to want better ground than today anyway.

Form: 080

Brigadier Bob^p1³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: R Patrick⁽³⁾| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 96| BF

15/2

Well backed to score at Wetherby last time but disappointed and was well beaten. Yard continue to struggle for winners this year, and this one now has a bit to prove.

Form: 244-276

Flints Legacy⁷²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: S Bowen| T: N J Hawke| OR: 95

11/1

Looked moderate when last seen out, and that was getting on for two years. Can only be watched after such a long absence, and others readily preferred.

Form: 23P207/

Celer Et Audax^h⁹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Benjamin Poste| T: J G M O'Shea| OR: 78

33/1

Went close to springing a 100-1 surprise at Warwick in September, beaten a length into fourth. Moderate since then, and although suspicion is there's a race in her somewhere, is very risky today after a break.

Form: 894644

Non-Runners

Chloe's Court¹⁰

Weight: 11-9| Age: 6

T: R Walford J: Rex Dingle

Forecasts

Treasure Dillon (15/8), Helford River (7/1), Brigadier Bob (15/2), El Hageb Rose (8/1), Colonel Keating (11/1), Flints Legacy (11/1), Hawkerland (12/1), Chloe's Court (14/1), Calarules (16/1), Versifier (16/1), Kestrel Valley (16/1), Whin Park (20/1), Great Fairy (20/1), Celer Et Audax (33/1)

TREASURE DILLON has the weight to carry but he's the one in form, won't mind the ground and probably has more improvement to come. He looks the pick in a race full of horses that have question marks against them. Colonel Keating dropped a bit of a hint last time out and there may well be more to come, so he rates the danger, and Chloe's Court is another that may be coming back to form.