13:57 Warwick

Thursday 10 December 2020

All12:2212:5213:2713:5714:3215:0215:32

Wigley Building & Development Novices' Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:57 | Winning time: 4m 14.10s

Belargus³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 12-1| J: N F Houlihan⁽⁷⁾| T: N J Gifford| OR: 121| D

7/2

Best effort yet over fences when runner-up at Huntingdon (19.8f) in October, albeit looking less than straightforward. Jumping let him down at Newbury since and he can ill afford any mistakes here.

Form: 4437-2F

Iconic Muddle²⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 118

7/2

Much improved over hurdles last season and he made most of good opportunity to get off the mark in a Plumpton novice (20.5f) in March. Market should guide now chasing on return.

Form: 232321-

Coral^t1²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽⁵⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 117WS

12/1

Fairly useful sort in France who joined this yard for €23,000 in July. Some promise to glean from his fifth place finish at Ffos Las (19.4f) last month and this will reveal more on back of wind op.

Form: 14225-5

Don't Shout^h1²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 116

9/2

Fair novice hurdles winner (19.6f) who ran okay considering he didn't settle off a slow pace on return at Ludlow (21f) in November. He's the type to make a chaser and well worth a second look.

Form: 2/3105-3

Darling Du Large^t³⁶¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: James Bowen| T: T R George| OR: 115| D

14/1

Off the mark on the back of a wind op over hurdles at Hereford (2m) in November 2019 but not in anything like the same form the following month. Conditions should hold no fears now chasing.

Form: 3323/1P-

King D'Argent³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 114| D

11/4

Off the mark on hurdles bow at Wetherby (2m) in October 2018 but winless since. Creditable placed efforts both starts this term and he's not ruled out in an open affair now chasing.

Form: 0835-23

Tidal Watch¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 114| D

40/1

Useful handicap chaser at his best but still to get his head in front and arrives out of sorts, no threat before 4 out when sixth of 7 at Wetherby (15f) recently.

Form: 345766

Bardd²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Page Fuller| T: Mrs D O'Neill| OR: 103| D

14/1

Maiden hurdler who showed an aptitude for chasing when fifth in a novices' handicap chase at Ludlow (2m) recently. However, hard to think he has a great deal more to offer.

Form: 62P-435

Old Harry Rocks⁵²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: C Gethings| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 99| D

40/1

Maiden/selling hurdles winner for Harry Fry. Placed on 3 of his 4 starts over fences during 2019 but looked hard work at Newton Abbot (21f) when last seen.

Form: 082/733-

Non-Runners

Jackson Hill¹⁰

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: M F Harris J: Non Runner

Furiously Fast²¹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 8

T: D Burchell J: Non Runner

Forecasts

King D'Argent (11/4), Belargus (7/2), Iconic Muddle (7/2), Don't Shout (9/2), Jackson Hill (8/1), Coral (12/1), Darling Du Large (14/1), Bardd (14/1), Furiously Fast (16/1), Old Harry Rocks (40/1), Tidal Watch (40/1)

Chase-debutants DON'T SHOUT and Iconic Muddle look the pair to focus on. The latter has marginally better form over hurdles, but the former is the type to make a better chaser, so he gets the nod before market clues. King d'Argent can't be ruled out, either.