12:55 Ludlow

Wednesday 2 December 2020

All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:3515:1015:45

Sir Toby Memorial Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:55 | Winning time: 5m 17.58s

Caspers Court²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr Joshua Newman⁽⁷⁾| T: K Woollacott| OR: 107

9/2

Reacted positively to wind surgery when landing gamble in 18.5f Exeter hurdle on return. Didn't seem to stay 23f there since and this former point winner is respected now chasing back over shorter.

Form: 37/8P-16

Muse Of Fire^t²⁷⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Lee Edwards| T: J Groucott| OR: 103| DWS

5/1

Showed ability in 2m novice hurdles here at the beginning of the year and this former point winner rates a possible improver now handicapping over fences on his return (has had wind surgery).

Form: 1/47497-

Miss Gemstone^p²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: C Gethings| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 103

4/1

Bettered any of her hurdles efforts when second on 21f Stratford chase debut/reappearance last month. Cheekpieces back on. Open to improvement in this sphere.

Form: 55464-2

Secret Court^t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: R T Dunne| T: S Allwood| OR: 98

5/1

Point winner who is a potential improver for her new yard and though beaten when unseating 3 out she did travel for a long way in Leicester chase last month (not helped by badly hampered 6 out).

Form: 94-746U

Theatre Mix³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: James Best| T: Miss J Du Plessis| OR: 94

7/1

Modest form over hurdles but set to make a much better chaser based on her first attempt at Taunton 5 weeks ago, 4 lengths up and looking in control when falling 3 out. Off same mark.

Form: 4/5967-F

Happy News^t1²⁸⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁵⁾| T: J Groucott| OR: 93WS

18/1

Maiden jumper. Stumbled and unseated soon after eleventh in C&D novice on chase debut when last seen in February. Had wind surgery ahead of this reappearance (also tongue tied first time).

Form: 8/8980U-

Astra Via³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: S Bowen| T: Evan Williams| OR: 92

11/1

Modest maiden hurdler who offered little on Bangor chase debut/reappearance in October. Will need to leave that run well behind.

Form: 2/7337-7

Anndarrow⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Rex Dingle⁽³⁾| T: J Scott| OR: 90

10/1

Reached the frame 3 times from 5 attempts in handicap hurdles but unseated early here when switched to fences on recent return for new yard after 16 months off.

Form: 248/83-U

Man Of The North²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Harry Bannister| T: A W Carroll| OR: 90

20/1

Improved from out of the blue to score over hurdles at Uttoxeter last December but he's merely added to his patchy record when pulled up twice since. Chase debut.

Form: 4/071P-P

Mrsgrey^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: David Noonan| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 80

9/1

Modest maiden hurdler who has been below par in handicaps this season so isn't an obvious sort to make a winning chase debut.

Form: 96U-808

Deewhy²⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Dave Crosse| T: Mrs L C Jewell| OR: 69

100/1

Looks of little account, failing to complete in 2 chases at the start of 2020.

Form: 0P/00FP-

Hes Our Robin^h⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: W T Kennedy| T: M Mullineaux| OR: 69

150/1

Long-standing maiden who is likely to come up short once more.

Form: 4SP-0UU

Forecasts

Miss Gemstone (4/1), Caspers Court (9/2), Secret Court (5/1), Muse Of Fire (5/1), Theatre Mix (7/1), Mrsgrey (9/1), Anndarrow (10/1), Astra Via (11/1), Happy News (18/1), Man Of The North (20/1), Deewhy (100/1), Hes Our Robin (150/1)

THEATRE MIX races off the same mark as when looking firmly in control when falling 3 out at Taunton in October so she could take a bit of stopping with a clear round. Miss Gemstone hails from a good yard and rates an obvious danger after her chase debut second. Caspers Court's point background provides hope that he'll take to fences and he's also respected.