J S Hubbuck Agricultural Merchants Beginners' Chase

Off time: 18:00 | Winning time: 5m 13.3s

Alfie's Choice²¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 132| CD

4/5

On the rise over hurdles in 2018 winning three of his last four starts, including when justifying favouritism over C&D (good); off since October; makes his debut over fences with every chance that he'll go close.

Form: 85/1151-

Call Me¹⁷⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Grant Cockburn⁽³⁾| T: Mrs L B Normile| OR: 87

50/1

PTP winner (May 2017); has drawn a blank over hurdles (0-9) for the Glenfarg-based trainer Lucy Normille; very tough task at these weights on rules chasing debut; likely to struggle.

Form: P/4PP05-

Notwhatiam^t³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Conor Shoemark| T: D Skelton| OR: 133| D

15/8

With Robbie McNamara when making his sole start over fences at Limerick in December 2017 (unseated rider); 2-7 over hurdles since switched to Dan Skelton (pulled up in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival); chance.

Form: F134P4-

Squouateur⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 135| D

6/1

15-race chasing maiden; has failed to complete on his last five starts over the larger obstacles (BD,P,P,F,P); still early days for Ben Haslam, and the standout form horse based upon his 2018 Kim Muir third to Missed Approach.

Form: BP/P0FP-

The Conn²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Colm McCormack⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Walton| OR: 69

125/1

0-13 over hurdles; makes the switch to chasing late at the age of nine; unlikely to be competitive.

Form: 3455/57-

Non-Runners

Louloumills¹⁴

Weight: 10-5| Age: 9

T: M A Barnes J: D B Hurst

Forecasts

Alfie's Choice (4/5), Notwhatiam (15/8), Squouateur (6/1), Louloumills (25/1), Call Me (50/1), The Conn (125/1)

A Beginners' Chase in which only three of the six declared runners can be considered as possible winners. Alfie's Choice makes his debut over fences following a productive year in 2018 (C&D winner in October) and should go close with a safe round of jumping. However, when delving into SQUOUATEUR's past (formerly with Gordon Elliott), his chance becomes all too obvious. Although ideally suited by a softer racing surface than is forecast, his 2018 Kim Muir third to Missed Approach shines like the proverbial beacon at this level.