13:50 Doncaster

Friday 24 January 2020

All12:4013:1513:5014:2514:5515:2515:55

Sky Bet Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 4m 4.82s

Croco Bay^p⁴¹

Age: 13| Weight: 11-5| J: Kielan Woods| T: B I Case| OR: 141| C| D

20/1

Overcame an absence and odds of 66-1 to land the Grand Annual in March dominating a large field and holding on well from the challengers. Unable to dominate in two underwhelming starts since and not getting any younger.

Form: 35/21-37

Hatcher³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 141| BF| DWS

10/1

Ludlow win penultimately took chase record to 3-5 but flopped at the same track since with trainer unable to offer any explanation. Obviously that effort hard to ignore but earlier form gives him genuine claims.

Form: 11-4516

Ball D'Arc¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Alison Clarke⁽⁷⁾| T: P Winks| OR: 137| D

33/1

Lost way badly for Gordon Elliott and two runs for this yard underwhelming although they were over hurdles. Need to see some signs before getting involved.

Form: 033-056

Duke Of Navan⁵⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 10-13| J: R D Day| T: N G Richards| OR: 135| CD

6/1

Likable sort took this race in 2018 but has been in less persuasive form of late with two ordinary efforts to start this season. Handicap within range if he is the horse of old but must prove that.

Form: P53F-75

Hawk High^b¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: T D Easterby| OR: 134| BF| D

9/2

Won twice as a novice and second three times this season all over 1m7f at Wetherby. Latest effort behind a progressive novice and a big player here off a mark just 1lb higher.

Form: 141-222

Western Miller^p,t²³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Paul O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 133

16/1

Twice a winner in the summer but well held since in warmer contests. This perhaps a shade easier but still not seen enough in those efforts to recommend him.

Form: 611P85

Ashoka¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Conor Shoemark| T: D Skelton| OR: 130| D

50/1

Landed back-to-back races after a 372-day absence in the summer but non-factor more recently so perhaps handicapper now has his measure. Others preferred.

Form: 2-110P5

Movie Legend^p³⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-8| J: L P Aspell| T: L Wadham| OR: 130| CD

7/1

Same mark as when a C&D winner on good ground here in March. Fair effort on soft when third at Ludlow latest and looks likely to make a bold bid today with most boxes ticked as in his favour.

Form: 2110-43

Cracking Find⁴⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 128| CD

7/2

Won this race 12 months ago after a string of fine efforts including a prior win over Marracudja. In nothing like that form this season but yard in great order now after a slow start and he is 3lb lower than a year ago.

Form: 13F-488

Wishfull Dreaming^p,t⁴⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 127| C| D

8/1

Won three times a s novice including over 2m3f here and ran a cracker when second (albeit beaten 16L) in the Grand Sefton over the Grand National fences last time out. May still be on the up based on that and respected here.

Form: 521-932

Twotwothree⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 122| BF| D

6/1

Emphatic winner of first two starts this season at Bangor and Huntingdon before getting bogged down on heavy at Warwick upped 12lb. Could bounce back on better ground and off bottom weight here.

Form: 536-113

Non-Runners

Winter Escape²⁸

Weight: 11-12| Age: 9

T: B Haslam J: R P McLernon

Forecasts

Cracking Find (7/2), Hawk High (9/2), Duke Of Navan (6/1), Twotwothree (6/1), Movie Legend (7/1), Wishfull Dreaming (8/1), Hatcher (10/1), Winter Escape (10/1), Western Miller (16/1), Croco Bay (20/1), Ball D'Arc (33/1), Ashoka (50/1)

Very few of these can safely be ruled out in what is a really warm contest. Seemingly progressive second-season chaser WISHFULL DREAMING ran really well at Aintree last time out and he gets the nod today with his jumping certainly a major plus. After three seconds in as many races this term Hawk High deserves to win again and he looks sure to go well once more. Movie Legend won off this mark over C&D just 10 months ago so he also looks sure to make his presence felt.