15:30 Chepstow

Saturday 6 April 2019

All14:1514:5015:3016:0516:4017:3518:05

Bet On Course At Sid Hooper Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 15:31 | Winning time: 3m 58.9s

Khage¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: G Sheehan| T: H Whittington| OR: 134| CD

4/5

Easily accounted for a 125-rated handicapper over C&D last month and sets the clear standard. Will not mind the slightly softer ground and yard's horses continue to run well.

Form: F21721

Oleg³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Lorcan Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| D

7/2

Showed a good turn of foot to settle the argument on his Kelso debut. French form shows he will handle these softer conditions and he looks the obvious danger to the topweight.

Form: 21

Beau Haze¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: P C Dando

66/1

Third foal from a family that have done well for the yard. Tailed off on last two starts and out of his depth in this company.

Form: 407

Elton Des Mottes^h1⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: David England| T: D SkeltonWS

25/1

£65,000 purchase promised better following his debut but has failed to deliver. Has had wind surgery and a hood fitted so probably best watched for now.

Form: 5-90

Jimmy The Digger²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: H D Daly

9/4

Giant of a horse who fulfilled debut promise when landing a gamble in a 1m6f bumper at his local track. Paid the price for his exuberance when tipping up on his hurdles debut and he will need to settle a lot better here.

Form: 21F

Joey Steel¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Christian Williams

150/1

Shown little in any of his starts up to press and not too difficult to recommend looking elsewhere for the time being.

Form: 6880

Nordenfelt¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner

125/1

Modest stayer on the Flat (0-9) and may need some time to adapt to new discipline judged on last month's hurdles debut.

Form: 7

Pond Road¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls

16/1

Form has deteriorated with each run but he may at least do better now that conditions have turned slower. Still has a lot of catching up to do to match the principals.

Form: 3458

Beecher³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price

150/1

Shirocco gelding was tailed off on bumper debut a month ago and he faces a stiff task now his attentions are switched to hurdles.

Form: 0

Biscay Bay^t¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams

33/1

Has a Flat pedigree and has shown little aptitude for the winter game in either of his three starts. Handicaps will soon be an option.

Form: P06

Caviciana^h1⁷⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Brendan Powell| T: N P Mulholland

33/1

Court Cave mare related to a couple of winners. Makes hurdles debut in a first-time hood having pulled hard in her last bumper. Does not look good enough.

Form: 39

Crown Of Roses¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: Conor Shoemark| T: D Skelton

50/1

Beaten just one home in each of her three starts and looks one of the yard's more moderate sorts on current evidence.

Form: 700

Havana River¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Tom Cannon| T: J Farrelly

50/1

Awarded a point-to-point in the stewards room last May. Made rules debut last month when always behind and faces another tough task here.

Form: P16

Forecasts

Khage (4/5), Jimmy The Digger (9/4), Oleg (7/2), Pond Road (16/1), Elton Des Mottes (25/1), Biscay Bay (33/1), Caviciana (33/1), Havana River (50/1), Crown Of Roses (50/1), Beau Haze (66/1), Nordenfelt (125/1), Joey Steel (150/1), Beecher (150/1)

KHAGE and Oleg should dominate these despite their winner's penalties. The latter could do no more than dispose of his moderate rivals at Kelso with apparent ease. He faces a sterner examination today as the selection dominated his rivals over C&D last time. The runner-up, Antunes, had run well in a handicap on his previous start and there is every chance that KHAGE is a lot better than his official rating of 134.