14:20 Carlisle

Monday 3 February 2020

All13:5014:2014:5515:2516:0016:30

Introducing Racing TV Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:24 | Winning time: 6m 45.60s

Mymilan²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson| OR: 99| BF| C

3/1

Winner over 2m on heavy going around here in December on chase bow and good second since at Kelso upped to this sort of trip (all fences in home straight omitted, low sun). Up 5lb but there could be more to come and better suited by jumping test.

Form: 0F6-012

Gatacre Street^p1³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 89

6/1

Improved for switch to fences when winning at Newcastle (2m7½, heavy) in November and good third under 7lb penalty at Uttoxeter (2m4f) next time. Another placed effort back at Midlands venue since from this mark and cheekpieces on today; player.

Form: 50P-133

Ballybreen^b¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 88| D

9/2

Broke his duck at the ninth attempt when scoring at Hereford (3m1f, heavy) and followed up recently at Exeter (3m, heavy) with a decisive success after a 4lb rise. Further penalised this time, but entitled to consideration nonetheless.

Form: 783P11

Asking For Answers^v³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Sean Quinlan| T: M Todhunter| OR: 88

9/1

Maiden under rules (0-11) but produced best effort to date when second at Ayr (3m, soft) last month (winner defied 12lb hike to score next time out). Only rated 1lb higher for this and entitled to give a good account if building on that Ayr run.

Form: U-5U5F2

Trimmers Lane¹²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 87| D

40/1

Winner of a 3m point-to-point at Kirkistown (soft-to-heavy) in November but has proved disappointing under rules before that and since. Lots to prove based on two defeats at Catterick last month.

Form: 80/P185

Cudgel²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: C O'Farrell| T: J Walton| OR: 85| BF

4/1

Hurdles winner at Hexham over similar trip in December and fine effort when chasing home Ask Paddy last month at Catterick on second chase start (winner has won both starts since). Should hold leading claims with scope for better to come.

Form: 242132

Hard Knocks^p,t³⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: Alison Clarke⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 83| BF

9/1

Best suited over this trip, he put a poor reappearance at Newcastle behind (had been absent 424 days) when finishing second in successive Wetherby novice handicaps (2m3½f/3m, soft) and rates a solid contender once more.

Form: 687-622

Real Armani^t¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Ross Chapman| T: Mrs J Walton| OR: 78

8/1

Modest hurdler (0-8) is race-fit at least but will really need to take to chasing in order to open account at first time of asking over fences.

Form: 6-57663

Son Of Feyan³²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Mrs L B Normile| OR: 70

100/1

Long-standing maiden on the Flat and over hurdles, easily beaten last month at Ayr (2m4½f, soft) on return from more than 400 days off; can only be watched now tackling fences for the first time.

Form: 0/442P-6

K O Kenny^p¹²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: J Kington| T: A Crook| OR: 69

150/1

Maiden, twice pulled up since going chasing at Catterick in races won by Ask Paddy, conqueror of Cudgel previously. No reason to forecast a dramatic change in fortune here.

Form: 2P/60-PP

Forecasts

Mymilan (3/1), Cudgel (4/1), Ballybreen (9/2), Gatacre Street (6/1), Real Armani (8/1), Hard Knocks (9/1), Asking For Answers (9/1), Trimmers Lane (40/1), Son Of Feyan (100/1), K O Kenny (150/1)

A case can be made for plenty of these and it should be very competitive as such. Mymilan probably wasn't helped by the low sun last time at Kelso, with plenty fences left out. He's got more to offer while Ballybreen is also thriving after successive wins at Hereford and Exeter. His latest ratings-rise isn't certain to ground him. Asking For Answers and Hard Knocks make solid appeal but this might fall to CUDGEL. He was no match for the winner at Catterick last time but that was only his second chase start and that rival has won twice since. Further improvement can make James Walton's charge a tough nut to crack now.