13:20 Newbury

Wednesday 18 December 2019

All12:2012:5013:2013:5514:2515:0015:30

Prodec Networks Chase (Novices' Limited Handicap)

Off time: 13:21 | Winning time: 6m 3.75s

Fontsanta⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 134

3/1

Bumper winner at Fontwell who gradually improved over hurdles tow win at Hereford in March having shown up well in a couple of decent event prior to that win. Given a demanding debut over fences over 2m7f here behind Champ; showed potential.

Form: 14/551-5

Ready And Able^p²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 133

10/1

Made a great start to his handicap career over hurdles winning his first three before not quite being able to match that form. Made a successful chasing debut at Southwell in the summer; shaped encouragingly back over hurdles last time.

Form: 1F-4413

Gowiththeflow^t²²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: N de Boinville| T: B Pauling| OR: 130| D

8/1

A winner when last seen over hurdles earlier in the year since when his stable have had a torrid time (just starting to fire better now). Didn't really shine over fences when trying them before, bit to prove now he tries chasing fir the second time.

Form: 18/23P-1

Notachance³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 130| C

3/1

Already bettered his hurdling form building on a promising debut at Southwell to go one better at Exeter in a 3m handicap off 9lb lower. Looks a thorough stayer but did have a rather tough race last time and the rise in the weights looks quite harsh.

Form: 3351-21

Jammy George^p1¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: G Sheehan| T: H Whittington| OR: 129

9/1

Bumper and hurdles winner (progressed well over timber); sent chasing after a wind op. Given a stiff task and mark for his Ascot fencing debut but showed up well to finish fifth; fell first last time at Newcastle; cheekpieces now on for first time.

Form: 2441-5F

Hes No Trouble²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Ned Curtis⁽³⁾| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 128

10/1

Looks the type to make a better chaser than hurdler and despite a win in that sphere this winning Irish point-to-pointer bettered his hurdles form last time at Huntingdon. Forged clear late on, won decisively off 6lb lower, hard to ignore here.

Form: 1/714-U1

Sussex Ranger^b²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 125

25/1

Lightly-raced over hurdles he has a relatively patchy record in that sphere and it doesn't really look as though he's taken to chasing. May well have found the test at Lingfield (3m, heavy) too much last time but hard to be totally convinced by him.

Form: 195-543

Sizing Cusimano¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 122| D

10/1

Barely seen this year but lived up to the level of his useful hurdles form when showing promise on his chasing debut at Huntingdon behind stablemate Slate House. Not knocked around, he can improve (not off a bad mark), interesting for handicaps.

Form: 5P1PP-3

Court Master²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Brendan Powell| T: M Scudamore| OR: 115

8/1

Hurdles form got worse and worse last year but he bounced back to form after a wind op and trying fences for the first time. Not the first from this yard to improve for a move to fences; this is harder, he's entitled to respect trying to win again.

Form: 2/430P-1

Forecasts

Notachance (3/1), Fontsanta (3/1), Court Master (8/1), Gowiththeflow (8/1), Jammy George (9/1), Ready And Able (10/1), Sizing Cusimano (10/1), Hes No Trouble (10/1), Sussex Ranger (25/1)

Plenty of these have the scope for further improvement and it won’t be an easy contest to win. Alan King has trained the last two winners of this and his Notachance gives him a good chance of landing the hat-trick although the hard race he had last time and the 9lb rise could leave him vulnerable. Hes No Trouble impressed on his second chasing start looking just the type the yard do well with Ready And Able returning to fences another threat. Court Master is up in grade but his attitude couldn’t be faulted last time but the vote goes to FONTSANTA. Only fifth here on his chasing debut that was a hot race and he had previously run in some very decent novice hurdles.