Ascot Supports Thames Hospice Novices' Limited Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:56 | Winning time: 4m 25.94s

Greaneteen⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 132

3/1

Made a steady start for Paul Nicholls before striking in an Exeter maiden (2m2½f) on New Year's Day and then doubling up with a gritty display at Fontwell (2m1½f); tailed-off on seasonal reappearance in the Grade 3 Silver Trophy at Chepstow.

Form: 3/611-0

Debuchet³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: D E Mullins| T: Ms M Mullins| OR: 131

7/4

Useful hurdler (albeit a highly rated maiden, 0-11); made all under a confident ride from Danny Mullins on chasing debut at Fairyhouse (2m, soft to heavy) last month to beat the recent Navan scorer An Fraoch Mor by 4L; sets the benchmark.

Form: 23220-1

Capital Force^p,t²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Patrick Cowley⁽⁵⁾| T: M Keighley| OR: 129

33/1

Former Henry De Bromhead inmate; kept busy throughout the summer months after winning over fences at Ludlow (2m, good) in May; made it no further than the first fence back there latest and this looks to be a tad too competitive.

Form: 43339U

Sully D'Oc Aa²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: R P McLernon| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 127| D

5/2

Won three times over hurdles in France for G.Cherel (inc. on very soft at Pau) before being acquired by JP McManus; low mileage over fences; finished two places (& 8¾L) in front of The Flying Sofa when no match for Fanion D'Estruval at Newbury (2m).

Form: 211/P-62

The Flying Sofa²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 122

11/2

Worried out of things on chasing debut at Kempton (2m2f, good) in October, yet has performed consistently since over the larger obstacles; will handle the forecast heavy ground, but the form book indicates that he has work to do with Sully D'Oc AA.

Form: 021-244

The Granson¹⁰⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Nick Scholfield| T: P Henderson| OR: 119

28/1

Not the most consistent historically, yet did manage to win a 2m novices' chase at Tramore (good) in August for Denis Gerard Hogan; is in fairly deep making his first start for Paul Henderson; others considered more likely.

Form: 0F87-17

Forecasts

Debuchet (7/4), Sully D'Oc Aa (5/2), Greaneteen (3/1), The Flying Sofa (11/2), The Granson (28/1), Capital Force (33/1)

Cheltenham aside, the Goresbridge handler Mags Mullins rarely ventures across the Irish Sea with her runners (is 0-8 away from Cheltenham) so we should probably take the hint that DEBUCHET is unlikely to be too far away from following up his comfortable Fairyhouse win. Given a confident front-running ride by Danny Mullins on that occasion, his fencing was relatively solid throughout with today's similarly testing ground virtually guaranteed to prove favourable. His main danger is the JP McManus-owned Sully D'Oc AA who has the clear measure of The Flying Sofa on the basis of recent Newbury form.