16:00 Cartmel

Saturday 24 August 2019

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:1017:45

Station Yard Garage Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 5m 24.9s

Ever So Much^p⁴⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 99| CD

5/1

Grabbed a good opportunity to score over C&D back in June when taking advantage of a much reduced mark (stayed on to lead close home). Disappointed back over hurdles last time highlighting his inconsistent nature; hard to totally dismiss.

Form: PP-8316

Jeu De Mots¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: C O'Farrell| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 97| BF| C| D

4/1

Well supported when cashing in on a fall in the weights to win over 2m1f here in July before failing to follow up two days later back in headgear under a penalty in better company. Back in the right grade now, chance judged on his winning form here.

Form: 6P-8613

Samtu^p³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: F P Murtagh| OR: 95

15/2

Regressed over fences having won a small-field handicap chase at Musselburgh on his debut in this sphere; possibly affected by a heavy fall on second chasing start. Starting to look well handicapped if he could stage a revival; jumping still a worry.

Form: F5P-P95

Trumps Benefit⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: James Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 93

5/1

Off the mark in Irish point-to-points (seventh attempt) before showing modest form over hurdles (0-6). Easy to back on his chasing debut at Newton Abbot (pulled up), struggled early (reportedly bled); watching brief advised.

Form: 638-43P

Mash Potato^p,t³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: S Bowen| T: N C Kelly| OR: 90

9/4

Not won since April 2017 (off a 6lb lower mark); yet to win in four chase starts but has attracted support in two recent efforts here over (3m1f). Ease in distance plus slightly lower mark may assist in him getting even closer this time.

Form: 40-8064

Burning Issues²²

Age: 12| Weight: 11-2| J: Sam Coltherd⁽³⁾| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 89

10/1

Won on debut for his former yard (Joanne Foster) over a 2f shorter trip at Sedgefield in April but failed to go on from that success. Continued out of sorts on stable debut last time; two previous visits here have proved disappointing.

Form: F1-45P5

Kingston^p³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Harry Bannister| T: A W Carroll| OR: 88| D

8/1

Hit a rich seam of hurdles form last autumn winning off mark at up to 100 but appears in decline now. Offered little when returned to fences last time at Worcester (turned in a lack-lustre performance); hard to recommend currently.

Form: P-96049

Ska Ridge^b1,t³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 69

22/1

0-10 in the jumps sphere having shown nothing but very modest form; pulled up twice since returning from wind surgery. Showed nothing at all last time; hopes now pinned on first-time blinkers from 4lb out of the weights; fails to excite.

Form: 96PP-PP

Forecasts

Mash Potato (9/4), Jeu De Mots (4/1), Trumps Benefit (5/1), Ever So Much (5/1), Samtu (15/2), Kingston (8/1), Burning Issues (10/1), Ska Ridge (22/1)

This race went the way of an Irish challenger last year in the shape of the well backed Toosey and Mash Potato has a decent chance of taking the prize in that direction again with this trip looking to suit him a little better than his last two starts around here over further. Ever So Much is inconsistent but capable of popping up again while Samtu lurks on an attractive mark if you could be sure of him getting his jumping act together. JEU DE MOTS had a spin on the Flat recently and that should have prepared him nicely for this test having won over C&D before this year. He’s no back in the right grade from a yard that do well around here.