MansionBet Faller Insurance Chase (Novices' Limited Handicap)

Off time: 12:28 | Winning time: 4m 6.15s

Maire Banrigh^t⁵¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 141| D

7/2

Thriving over fences (2-2); lowered the colours of the classy Thomas Darby with a fast, fluent round of fencing at Warwick (2m, good to soft) in early November; very likeable, albeit needs a career best off a revised mark of 141.

Form: 87/11-11

Baddesley Knight³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: L P Aspell| T: C Gordon| OR: 138| DWS

13/8

No match for Rouge Vif on chasing debut at Market Rasen (2m1f, good to soft) but exploited a late mistake from his chief threat (Moonlighter) at Wincanton (1m7½f, good) four weeks later; sits 7lb higher in the weights.

Form: 4513-21

Lust For Glory¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 134| D

7/2

Point/bumper and novice hurdle winner who changed hands (ownership) for £235,000 in May; runner-up in a Class 2 handicap hurdle at Ascot (1m7½f, soft) on seasonal reappearance; an interesting fences newcomer.

Form: 2105-20

Grey Diamond⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 128| D

4/1

Left Alan King over the summer; has scaled new heights for Nigel Twiston-Davies, winning over hurdles on heavy ground at Perth (2m) in September before a solid Wincanton second to Sebastopol (1m7½f, good); first start over fences.

Form: F1-F312

Eskendash¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Kielan Woods| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 122| D

12/1

Reasonably consistent over hurdles (without being a frequent winner); unconvincing over fences (0-2) so far, including at this track (2m3f); this looks to be a very tough assignment indeed; far safer to look elsewhere.

Form: 3325-85

Forecasts

Baddesley Knight (13/8), Maire Banrigh (7/2), Lust For Glory (7/2), Grey Diamond (4/1), Eskendash (12/1)

A strong pace is guaranteed with MAIRE BANRIGH, Baddesley Knight and Grey Diamond all known for front-running or prominent racing tendencies. Chris Gordon appears to have a number of progressive novice chasers this season with Commanche Red winning (stablemate On The Slopes third) at Kempton on Boxing Day, so his charge deserves respect despite a 7lb rise in the weights. However, the selection is a fast and fluent fencer, and that'll surely give her an edge over the less experienced chasing newcomers Grey Diamond and Lust For Glory. Although needing a career best from a revised mark of 141, Dan Skelton's likeable seven-year-old mare is difficult to oppose.