16:20 Newcastle

Saturday 14 March 2020

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

Hit The Target At BetUK.com Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 5m 33.4s

Bollin Ace^p¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 12-3| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: T D Easterby| OR: 124| D

3/1

Won a Leicester beginners' chase (2m, heavy) in March 2018; has kept solid form since returning recently from a 22-month absence; clear second best to Flowery (The Paddy Pie third) at Sedgefield (2m5f, heavy) a fortnight ago; broadly appealing.

Form: 1522/32

Chasma^t¹¹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Conor Shoemark| T: D Skelton| OR: 121| CD

25/1

Made a winning debut for Dan Skelton (ex-Mick Easterby) at Newton Abbot (3m2f, good) last summer; consistent thereafter (222) until under-performing at Fontwell in November; off since (118 days).

Form: 712225

Ard Chros¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Coltherd⁽³⁾| T: W Coltherd| OR: 119

18/1

Overall has produced a mix bag of goods since switched to fences, with January's Ayr win (2m+, soft) a standout best performance; on balance, others appear to be more reliable.

Form: 4PF177

The Paddy Pie¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 118| BF| D

11/4

Remains feasibly handicapped from a mark of 118 (4lb below his last winning perch); finished third (7½L behind the reopposing Bollin Ace) at his favoured Sedgefield (2m5f, heavy) a fortnight ago; place chance.

Form: 24-73F3

Fiddlers Bow^p²³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-8| J: Ross Chapman| T: Julia Brooke| OR: 115

10/1

Veteran; won back-to-back races at Ayr (2m-2m5f+) during January 2019; was readily cast aside by the 18L winner Enrichissant at Huntingdon (2m4f, heavy) last month.

Form: 211-262

Kamil^p¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Quinlan| T: H Hogarth| OR: 114| D

22/1

Showed promise over obstacles when with Noel Meade, before being sold fairly cheaply (£17,000) in late 2018; pulled-up on belated return to action at Doncaster (2m3f, soft) 15 days ago; others are more convincing.

Form: 7/1145-P

Stoney Rover⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson| OR: 110| D

15/8

Strapping chasing type; failed to fulfil his true potential (for whatever reason) for the Galashiels trainer Katie Scott; on a reduced mark on debut for Sandy Thomson over what could well be his optimum trip; market helpful.

Form: P4F234

Paddling³⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 93

16/1

Often placed, but has won just once in 28 starts and that's obviously a shade disconcerting; didn't fence at all fluently when performing well below his usual standards at Sedgefield (2m5f, soft) latest.

Form: 42D328

Forecasts

Stoney Rover (15/8), The Paddy Pie (11/4), Bollin Ace (3/1), Fiddlers Bow (10/1), Paddling (16/1), Ard Chros (18/1), Kamil (22/1), Chasma (25/1)

The most obvious candidate is the top-weight Bollin Ace who has acquitted himself splendidly (holds The Paddy Pie) since returning from a 22-month absence. However, in pursuit of a better-priced each-way alternative we'll chance our arm on the likeable STONEY ROVER. After a promising start to his racing career for the Galashiels trainer Katie Scott he failed to fulfil his obvious potential. It's entirely possible that a simple change of scenery could have done him the world of good, and therefore he receives the tentative vote (over his optimum trip) on debut for Sandy Thomson.