KKA-Highpoint Beginners' Chase

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 5m 38.05s

Beakstown^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 140| BF

13/2

Grade 2 winning hurdler (140-rated); fenced perfectly proficiently on chasing debut at Wetherby (2m3½f, good to soft) three weeks ago, but ultimately out-speeded from the final fence by the very classy Sam Spinner.

Form: 2/121P-2

Champ²¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: B J Geraghty| T: N J Henderson| OR: 152| C

8/13

Proved himself to be a top-notch hurdler last season by winning the Grade 1 Challow (here) and the Sefton (Aintree), also runner-up to City Island in the 2m5f Ballymore at the Cheltenham Festival (soft); more to come now sent chasing?

Form: 111121-

Dashel Drasher²⁰⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Matt Griffiths| T: J Scott| OR: 145| C

4/1

Front-runner who improved at a rate of knot over hurdles from the turn of the year, winning four on the bounce (Chepstow, Ascot, Newbury and Cheltenham); scaled new heights in a Class 2 novices' hurdle (2m4f) latest; chasing debut.

Form: 341111-

Fontsanta²⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 134

40/1

Bumper (Fontwell) and hurdles winner (Hereford), although that latest success came in a Class 4 novices' contest (3m2f, good to soft); set a very stiff task on seasonal reappearance/chasing debut; expected to struggle accordingly.

Form: 14/551-

Highest Sun²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 136| BF

16/1

Beat Casa Tall by 3½L when winning a Class 3 handicap hurdle from a mark of 131 at Chepstow (2m, good to soft) in February; that kind of form leaves him short of the very demanding benchmark set by the Grade 1 winner Champ; chasing debut.

Form: 34210-3

Red River^t³³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| BF

14/1

145-rated hurdler (2-3); injured after slithering on landing at the fourth last (travelling smoothly at the time) on chasing debut at Ludlow (3m, soft) last December; off since, but very highly regarded by his trainer Kim Bailey; low mileage.

Form: 2131/P-

Forecasts

Champ (8/13), Dashel Drasher (4/1), Beakstown (13/2), Red River (14/1), Highest Sun (16/1), Fontsanta (40/1)

A truly mouthwatering early season Beginners' Chase with the Grade 1 winning hurdler CHAMP fully deserving of top-billing amongst the four newcomers to the larger obstacles. On official BHA hurdle ratings, he has 7lb in hand of the progressive Dashel Drasher and should confirm that superiority at level weights granted a fluent round of fencing. That said, any signs of weakness will almost certainly be pounced upon by his five rivals with Beakstown (no match for Sam Spinner) and Red River (very highly regarded by Kim Bailey) each having the benefit of a single start over fences to draw upon.