Best Mate Beginners' Chase

Off time: 16:10 | Winning time: 4m 15.10s

Moonlighter²⁷⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Chester Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs J Williams| D

3/1

Looked useful when winning an Ascot maiden hurdle (2m3½f, good) last November. Going well when crashing out at Newbury next time and pulled too hard when last seen back at Ascot in January. Half-brother to two 2m chase winners. Interesting.

Form: 16/31F7-

Southfield Stone²⁰⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 142

4/5

Won the Grade 2 Dovecote over hurdles at Kempton (2m, good) in February, after which his top trainer suggested he would make a good novice chaser this season. Sure to be well prepared and has plenty of scope for improvement.

Form: 113217-

The Mighty Don²²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: L P Aspell| T: N J Gifford| OR: 149

5/1

Won big field Pertemps qualifier (3m) over hurdles at Cheltenham this time last year, off a mark of 135. Kept Grade 2/Grade 1 company thereafter, without further success. Highest BHA rating in this field, though trip short enough on chase debut.

Form: U13408-

Litterale Ci⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Aidan Coleman| T: H Fry| OR: 140

6/1

Multiple hurdles winner at up to 2m5½f, on good or slower. Blundered badly and pulled up when 9-4 on sole chase start at Ffos Las in June. Ran well in one of three Flat starts since. Interesting if she jumps round.

Form: 1/1412-P

Non-Runners

Thistle Do Nicely¹⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: Jamie Snowden J: G Sheehan

Forecasts

Southfield Stone (4/5), Moonlighter (3/1), The Mighty Don (5/1), Litterale Ci (6/1), Thistle Do Nicely (6/1)

A good contest and all of this quintet should be capable of winning races in this discipline. However, for today the suggestion is SOUTHFIELD STONE, who is a Grade 2 winner over hurdles, goes well on good ground, and it would be no surprise to see him contesting Festival races at around 2m come the end of the season. Litterale Ci and Moonlighter are both of interest, although Thistle Do Nicely could arguably be better suited by either of them by today's trip. The Mighty Don is the best of the lot on official BHA ratings, but his hurdles form was all over significantly further.