16:20 Sedgefield

Sunday 1 March 2020

All14:1014:4015:1515:4516:2016:50

Festival Form Study At attheraces.com/cheltenham Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 5m 44.6s

King's Odyssey²⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 141| D

14/1

Idled when winning a 3m veterans' race at Warwick (3m, soft) - beat the Haydock Grand National Trial winner Smooth Stepper by ½L; turned in a laboured effort at Sandown next time and found the 2m3½f trip on the sharp side at Wetherby four weeks ago.

Form: 6F-21P4

Flowery^h³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: C O'Farrell| T: I Jardine| OR: 133| C| D

7/2

Hasn't always been straightforward but has found his niche over fences, rising a total of 22lb in the weights for wins here (2m3½f) and at Wetherby (2m5½f); was headed close home over hurdles at Uttoxeter (2m4f, heavy) five weeks ago.

Form: 1211-22

River Frost^p³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 132| D

12/1

Running consistently well (over fences and hurdles) since winning readily at Ayr (2m4½f, heavy) in November; finished fourth of six to The Con Man and McGowan's Pass at Kelso (2m5f, soft) 34 days ago; stablemate of Scoop The Pot.

Form: 412234

Eceparti³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Hugh Nugent⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 127| D

6/1

Progressive chaser (3-5); represents an in-form trainer (2-13; 15% at Sedgefield - career); nailed on the line at Fakenham (2m5½f, gd/sft) last month; continues to rise in the weights, so will appreciate Hugh Nugent's 5lb claim; solid.

Form: 23-1132

Instant Replay^p⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: B Ellison| OR: 127| CD

6/1

Course specialist -form figures over fences here read 1121221; backed up his 2018 race win when repeating the trick here last month (beat Flowery by 1L, The Paddy Pie third); no issues with this extra yardage, albeit sits another 5lb higher.

Form: 50-2421

Scoop The Pot³³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: Alain Cawley| T: B Haslam| OR: 122

25/1

Twice a winner over fences (Exeter & Fontwell) for Philip Hobbs; has eased in the weights (some 11lb or so) since joining Ben Haslam (also saddles River Frost); essentially is difficult to fancy given his current form.

Form: 247445

Bollin Ace^p²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: T D Easterby| OR: 122| CD

13/2

Won a Leicester beginners' chase (2m, heavy) in March 2018 and twice runner-up in novice company thereafter; finished third (to Nuts Well) on return from a 22-month absence at Wetherby (2m3½f, soft) four weeks ago.

Form: 21522/3

Charmix³⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: Callum Bewley| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 120| D

18/1

Struggled in Ireland for Gordon Elliott; has rediscovered something akin to his peak form this winter, finishing a creditable third (beaten 5¼L) to Ravenhill Road at Haydock (2m5½f, soft) on his penultimate start; others stronger here?

Form: F6/8-334

The Paddy Pie³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 120| C

5/2

Competitively handicapped off a reduced mark (120); has previous course form with Flowery (5lb better off for 1L); on the premises when falling three out at Wetherby (2m3½f) five weeks ago; finished runner-up in this race last year.

Form: 224-73F

Forecasts

The Paddy Pie (5/2), Flowery (7/2), Instant Replay (6/1), Eceparti (6/1), Bollin Ace (13/2), River Frost (12/1), King's Odyssey (14/1), Charmix (18/1), Scoop The Pot (25/1)

Many are re-routed from last Saturday's cancelled Newcastle fixture including The Paddy Pie who not only has related from with Flowery and the course specialist Instant Replay, but who also finished runner-up in this contest last year. King's Odyssey probably found the trip on the short side when beaten at Wetherby latest, but would hold a chance on the strength of his Warwick win (beat Smooth Stepper by ½L). However, the in-form Venetia Williams isn't necessarily a Sedgefield regular and we should take the hint with the progressive ECEPARTI (3-5 over fences) who could just scrape another victory before the handicapper thwarts his positive momentum.