16:05 Chepstow

Saturday 6 April 2019

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

Sid Hooper On Course Bookmaker Chase (Novices' Limited Handicap)

Off time: 16:06 | Winning time: 6m 5.12s

Snuff Box¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: James Nixon⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 127

5/1

Wide margin Wincanton hurdles winner suited to forcing tactics. Learned a lot form his chasing debut to go down narrowly at Exeter last month. Found little from the last and this slightly shorter trip on a less gruelling track should help.

Form: 92F1-02

Barbrook Star^p³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 123

5/1

Sauntered home at Wincanton in first time cheekpieces when proving suited to this distance on testing ground. A 7lb rise in the handicap could have been a lot worse and his stable have been in tremendous form.

Form: 443381

Mr Mcgo²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 122| C| D

5/1

Beat the useful Templehills in a point-to-point and one his two hurdle wins came here in 2017. Was going well until falling two out on penultimate start and although last of five finishers last time, he was only a short-head behind a future winner.

Form: 179/PF5

Christmas In April¹¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Brendan Powell| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 120| BF

11/1

Won two races for Nicky Henderson and shaped well on his debut for this yard in October. Disappointing since and would appreciate quicker ground.

Form: 4P-1300

Pop Rockstar^t⁹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: G Sheehan| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 118| BF| D

7/2

Both wins have come over this trip on testing ground. Mistakes have been costly on his last two starts but he has a lot going for him in an ordinary race if his confidence remains intact.

Form: 76-572F

Lord In Red²²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Christian Williams| OR: 118

25/1

Roscommon hurdle winner for Noel Meade. Looked rather hesitant at Fakenham on stable debut and would appreciate faster ground. Stamina unproven and others have more going for them.

Form: 534735

Broadclyst¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: James Davies| T: C J Down| OR: 117| D

33/1

Winning point-to-pointer on good ground who showed promise on Rules bow for new yard on at Ludlow. Poor twice since though on slower surfaces.

Form: 3-12397

Never Equalled^b¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: C Brace⁽⁷⁾| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 112

6/1

Suited to testing ground and Ffos Las. Has not tackled fences for two years and although he has slipped to an attractive mark, he definitely needs to show more than has been the case.

Form: 4-75545

Stockburn⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 111

13/2

Arguably well-handicapped on the pick of his hurdling form but he has found little for pressure recently. Tackles fences for the first time and a watching brief is advised.

Form: 544-774

Forecasts

Pop Rockstar (7/2), Mr Mcgo (5/1), Snuff Box (5/1), Barbrook Star (5/1), Never Equalled (6/1), Stockburn (13/2), Christmas In April (11/1), Lord In Red (25/1), Broadclyst (33/1)

Barbrook Star was highly impressive last time and the handicapper has been generous in only raising him 7lb. Cheekpieces had the desired effect but it remains to be seen if they will work again and this is a better race. Snuff Box is up steeply in the weights for finishing second last time, but Mr Mcgo is dropping to a weight where he could cause some damage if staying this far. POP ROCKSTAR is ideally suited to 3m on soft ground and, although his jumping has let him down lately, he showed enough on his penultimate start to suggest he can take this even allowing for an occasional error.