racingtv.com Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:20 | Winning time: 5m 22.72s

Chateau Robin²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: N G Richards| OR: 117| D

5/4

Narrowly beaten on debut for Nicky Richards (ex-Kim Bailey) at Perth in July (2m4f, good) but a comfortable 2¾L winner at Ayr (2m4½f, soft) four weeks ago; rising steadily in the weights (7lb higher); a player nevertheless.

Form: 24/32-21

Tokaramore^h⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Ross Chapman| T: I Jardine| OR: 112| CD

5/1

10lb higher than when picking up the pieces in a fast-run race at Hexham (2m4f, good) in September; ran in snatches when finishing a well beaten 26L third to Weakfield on soft ground back there in October; vulnerable?

Form: 3-48513

Mance Rayder^p²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: H Hogarth| OR: 112

33/1

Off the mark over hurdles at the tenth attempt when a game winner of a conditional jockeys' handicap at Carlisle (2m3f, good) in February; well out of his depth when pulled up on chasing debut at Wetherby (3m, soft) 24 days ago.

Form: 39231-P

Court Master²⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Nick Scholfield| T: M Scudamore| OR: 112WS

5/1

Point winner (Nov 2017) who made a pleasing start under rules in a Wetherby bumper in February 2018; hasn't kicked on positively since over hurdles (0-4) but undoubtedly of greater interest now reverting to fences; first run for 248 days.

Form: 12/430P-

Castletown^b²²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Henry Brooke| T: Miss P Robson| OR: 106| D

10/3

Still a maiden over fences (0-15) but regularly placed over a variety of trips, notably when an excellent second to Donna's Diamond at Kelso (2m7f, good to soft) last December; won over hurdles at Ayr (2m4½f, good) in April; off since.

Form: 722231-

Buyer Beware^v¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: J Kington| T: L Bailey| OR: 103| C

11/1

Sprung a surprise when breaking his duck over fences at the sixth attempt here (2m) three weeks ago - beat Istimraar by ¾L; a subsequent 4lb rise looks fair but this is arguably a stronger race (albeit the same grade) on paper.

Form: 4344-61

Forecasts

Chateau Robin (5/4), Castletown (10/3), Court Master (5/1), Tokaramore (5/1), Buyer Beware (11/1), Mance Rayder (33/1)

Chateau Robin has acquitted himself extremely well since joining Nicky Richards, but as a result has risen steadily in the weights (some 17lb or so), while this is a stronger race than the 2m contest won by Buyer Beware here three weeks ago. Therefore, with plenty of placed form over fences and assuming that he's race-fit returning from a 226-day absence this could quite feasibly be the day for the Pauline Robson-trained CASTLETOWN.