Patrick Coyne Memorial Altcar Novices' Chase (Grade 2)

Off time: 13:30 | Winning time: 5m 5.45s

Joke Dancer⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 141| C

5/1

Fell on his first start over fences but improved well since, winning over 2m here before backing that up at Warwick (2m) last Saturday. Now propelled into graded company but looks a race he can progress in.

Form: 00-3F11

Knight In Dubai^t³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 143| D

5/2

Fairly useful handicapper but taken brilliantly to fences this season, with back-to-back wins at Bangor (2m4f) and Doncaster (2m3f). Now tried in graded company but has obvious claims.

Form: F205-11

Sam Brown¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 148

9/4

Only beaten once in five starts under rules and went unchallenged on chasing debut when 22L winner at Lingfield (2m7f) earlier this month. Drops back in trip but is a likely front runner and dangerous to ignore.

Form: 1141/1

Windsor Avenue³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: B Ellison| OR: 153| BF| D

2/1

Looked to be the north's leading novice chasing hope with easy wins at Sedgefield (2m3f) and Carlisle (2m4f) but suffered major blip when well-beaten in 3m Doncaster Grade 2 last time. Excuses since and no shock if he bounces back.

Form: 412-112

Forecasts

Windsor Avenue (2/1), Sam Brown (9/4), Knight In Dubai (5/2), Joke Dancer (5/1)

Claims can be made for all of the horses who remain unexposed in graded company but it may be wise to give WINDSOR AVENUE another chance after a tam effort last time out. He lacked his natural fluency that day and seemingly didn't stay, so he can be forgiven and has been highly-touted by his trainer, who is a shrewd sort with classy sorts. Knight in Dubai has looked classy in two wins this season and will have no problem with this trip - and it's interesting the stable's leading jockey turns up here - while Sam Brown is likely to set the pace and will be dangerous if getting a soft lead. Joke Dancer has relatively few chinks in his armour, but the slight worry is the step up in trip.