13:45 Carlisle

Thursday 17 October 2019

All12:1512:4513:1513:4514:2014:5515:2516:00

Every Race Live At Racing TV Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:48 | Winning time: 6m 20.9s

Looksnowtlikebrian²³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Charlie Price⁽⁷⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 137| CD

3/1

Winner of this heat off a 12lb lower mark last year he went onto to win again here over further before failing to win again. Despite those wins jumping remains a problem (can be very sketchy); faces a stiff task off this mark.

Form: 16/11P8-

Arthur's Gift²¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 137| CD

15/8

Gained his first win over fences when taking a C&D contest in February building on the promise he had shown on chasing debut. Failed to stay in testing conditions (Midland Grand National) only subsequent start; still unexposed, stable in good form.

Form: 40/481P-

Pop Rockstar^t¹⁹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 130| D

10/1

Dual hurdles winner who confirmed the promise of his first two chasing starts when scoring at Chepstow over 3m in April. Handicapper reacted harshly to that win (12lb rise); still unexposed in this sphere though; leading contender back from a break.

Form: 6/572F1-

Loose Chips^b¹⁸⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 11-3| J: Paul O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 126| D

18/1

Usually a bold front-runner who scored in a Sandown veterans' event (3m) last November, struggled after that off higher marks; out of sorts when last seen. Now returns from an absence (may have freshened him up); looks vulnerable to younger rivals.

Form: 35P5P5-

Bandsman¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 125

16/1

Took advantage of a fall in the weights when scoring at Market Rasen in May over a shorter trip but failed to live up to that performance in two subsequent starts. Looked amiss back from a wind op (pulled up) last time; not one to rely on.

Form: P27-16P

Silver Tassie¹⁴³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-1| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 124| D

20/1

Has flattered to deceive on plenty of recent occasions and it was the usual story of another creditable placed effort when he was last seen at Cartmel in May. Mark continues to edge downwards without being able to take advantage.

Form: 2/3273-3

Lough Derg Farmer¹⁸⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 124| CD

11/2

Has shown his fair share of quirks in the past and those foibles often hold him back as they did when last seen at Haydock in the spring (finished second; laboured effort). On a going day when making all to win over C&D in February; comes with risks.

Form: 223162-

Aasleagh Dawn²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Adrian Heskin| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 123

8/1

Fairly useful over hurdles at handicap level she's yet to really perform to that level over fences and looks summed up by her mark. Faces one or two useful types in this and would need some to falter to get involved.

Form: 208444

Non-Runners

Jonniesofa⁶⁵⁶

Weight: 11-10| Age: 9

T: R Dobbin J: Craig Nichol

Forecasts

Arthur's Gift (15/8), Jonniesofa (5/2), Looksnowtlikebrian (3/1), Lough Derg Farmer (11/2), Aasleagh Dawn (8/1), Pop Rockstar (10/1), Bandsman (16/1), Loose Chips (18/1), Silver Tassie (20/1)

All of the principals are returning from a break and this present a complex puzzle with fitness sure to be key. Nigel Twiston-Davies has a good record in the past few weeks at bringing his handicappers back from breaks and the relatively unexposed ARTHUR’S GIFT who had excuses for his two defeats over fences is chosen to add to that record and add another C&D win. Last year’s winner Looksnowtlikebrian must be respected but his jumping remains rather hit-and-miss and with a 12lb higher mark to cope with easy Chepstow winner Pop Rockstar is seen as the main danger. Jonniesofa was shaping nicely over fences before he was injured and with his stable on the way back he looks of interest.