Sportpesa Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:46 | Winning time: 4m 27.30s

Beni Light¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Ben Jones⁽⁷⁾| T: D A Rees| OR: 99| BF

5/4

Easily won a couple of poiunt-to-points in the spring and has made a solid return to Rules racing, successful at Uttoxeter and then bumped into Phoenix Rock on a going day at Worcester. Question mark is the trip, which is a bare minimum for him.

Form: 62-1112

Twotwothree¹⁸⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 98

9/2

Falling in the handicap after a few moderate efforts so far, has looked one paced on more than one occasion but does at least handle some cut and this trip probably fine. Others more persuasive, but not a lost cause.

Form: 538536-

Emissaire²⁰⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Blair Campbell⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 97

14/1

Bumper winner on debut back in 2017 but mixed efforts since then. Connections wasting little time getting him over fences, so could improve plenty. Yard's tend to need a run, but all the same, more interesting than a few here.

Form: 0/53476-

Ballybreen¹⁷⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 96

16/1

Point-to-point winner back in 2018, four starts over hurdles have revealed little in the way of ability but gets a more realistic task today, and handicapper has basically guessed at opening mark. Have a look in the market for any support.

Form: 41/5598-

Stupid Cupid⁴⁸⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Sheila Lewis| OR: 89

40/1

Point-to-point winner back in 2016 but has shown little in eight hurdles starts for the yard, and has now been absent for well over a year. May improve for switch to fences but can only really be watched until showing a little more.

Form: P00/7P9-

Best Director⁵⁰¹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: Miss L Brooke⁽⁷⁾| T: J Groucott| OR: 73

16/1

Hit the frame in a novice handicap chase here when last seen, but that was well over a year ago and in truth, was well beaten anyway. Yard know the time of day here, so any money for him needs noting, but more likely winners.

Form: 36P51/3-

Noble Saffron^p1¹⁰^{(ex 7)}

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 75

2/1

Made virtually all to win at Plumpton last week, rallying well under pressure, so clearly in form and there should be more to come from this unexposed sort, but penalty to carry and slower ground to contend with here are the questions to answer.

Form: 0P5P0-1

Forecasts

Beni Light (5/4), Noble Saffron (2/1), Twotwothree (9/2), Emissaire (14/1), Best Director (16/1), Ballybreen (16/1), Stupid Cupid (40/1)

The major worry for both the form picks, Noble Saffron and Beni Light, is whether they can reproduce their good recent form on ground that's forecast to be a lot slower. It makes this a more open race than first appears, and maybe< b>EMISSAIRE can take advantage. Plenty from the yard are needing a run, but they are having winners too, and Emissaire could improve a chunk for the switch to fences today. Ballybreen needs a market check for support, and even the likes of Stupid Cupid and Best Director can't be discounted.