14:25 Newbury

Friday 27 November 2020

All12:1512:4513:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Get Your Ladbrokes 1 Free Bet Today Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 4m 56.60s

Clondaw Castle³³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 151| D

11/2

Ended last season with success at Warwick (20f) in February and career-best display when runner-up in Old Roan Chase on return in October. 2 lb higher now but no surprise to see another good showing.

Form: 44/291-2

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Oldgrangewood³³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 147| CD

9/2

Beneficiary of wind surgery last term, winning handicaps at Newbury and Cheltenham (Grade 3). Went with plenty of zest for long way when fourth in Old Roan and respected having won this 12 months ago.

Form: 33114-4

Gala Ball^p²⁹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 147| CD

33/1

Lightly raced in recent seasons but looked as good as ever when winning 5-runner Wincanton handicap (20f) in January. Not disgraced in deeper race following month and he's gone well fresh in the past.

Form: 221/014-

San Benedeto^p,t¹⁴⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 147| CD

6/1

Very smart chaser on his day (C&D winner) who wasn't seen to best effect when midfield in Summer Plate at Market Rasen in July. Operating from last winning mark now and he's interesting.

Form: 173/64-8

Fidux⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A King| OR: 142| D

12/1

Second in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen before winning weaker handicap over the same 21.4f last month, showing a good attitude. This is clearly much tougher.

Form: 3P-2241

Count Meribel⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: M D Grant| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 142| D

14/1

Ended last season on a low-key note and difficult to gauge if he had returned in form having unseated early on at Ascot (21f) last week. Likely he has more handicaps in him over fences.

Form: 47/26P-U

Musical Slave²⁵⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 137

12/1

Progressive over hurdles and similar story over fences, successful at Exeter (19.2f) on New Year's Day and placed both starts thereafter. Remains with potential, particularly at 3m+.

Form: 158132-

Whatswrongwithyou²⁵⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 137| C

10/1

Won a couple of small-field novice chases in early 2019. However, never looked the most straightforward and he wasn't at his very best at Kempton when last seen in March. Mark has eased at least.

Form: 178/P57-

Sully D'Oc Aa^t²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: R P McLernon| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 135

7/2

Winless over fences last term but often shaped well and very much back on the up when scoring at Ascot (18.8f) in October, jumping soundly. 10 lb higher now but he may yet have more to offer.

Form: P/6256-1

Defi Sacre^p1,t²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: James Best| T: R Hobson| OR: 129| C

15/2

Improved model over fences last season, rattling off a hat-trick over 2m here in December. Aintree second on return at the start of the month akin to his best form and he's unexposed at around 20f.

Form: 42111-2

Non-Runners

Cepage²⁶²

Weight: 11-12| Age: 8

T: Miss V Williams J: Charlie Deutsch

Forecasts

Sully D'Oc Aa (7/2), Oldgrangewood (9/2), Clondaw Castle (11/2), San Benedeto (6/1), Cepage (7/1), Defi Sacre (15/2), Whatswrongwithyou (10/1), Musical Slave (12/1), Fidux (12/1), Count Meribel (14/1), Gala Ball (33/1)

A really intriguing handicap with SAN BENEDETO selected to come out on top. Lightly raced since his victory in the Greatwood Gold Cup over C&D back in 2019, he wasn't seen to anything like best effect in the Summer Plate on his latest start in July and makes appeal now operating from his last winning mark. Sully d'Oc Aa, last year's winner Oldgrangewood and Clondaw Castle head the dangers.