14:32 Catterick

Monday 28 December 2020

All11:5012:2012:5513:3014:0014:3215:07

Gordon Keeley Memorial Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:36 | Winning time: 6m 56.40s

Archie Brown¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: H Hogarth| OR: 107

40/1

Fairly useful 20f hurdles winner for Paul Nicholls. Below par for new yard this term, fourth of 6 in handicap chase at Newcastle (20.1f) on debut over fences 18 days ago. Up in trip with work to do.

Form: 513-704

Stormy Milan^p,t³³

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Tom Buckley⁽⁵⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 107

20/1

Landed 3m novice chase Huntingdon in early 2019 but ran badly aftter 19 months off when pulled up at Hereford on return. Cheekpieces go back on now but he still has it to prove.

Form: 9441/2-P

Path To Freedom^t1³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Page Fuller| T: Samantha & Jacqueline Coward| OR: 105

10/1

Lightly-raced maiden chaser. 25/1, respectable third of 6 in 3m handicap chase at Southwell on yard debut/return. Points winner so no forlorn hope.

Form: P3325-3

Chase The Wind^t³⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 104

25/1

Veteran who scored at Huntingdon (3m) last October but not at best this term, pulled up in 26f handicap chase at Sedgefield 34 days ago. Has questions to answer.

Form: 123-P7P

Event Of Sivola^p⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: H Cobden| T: M Walford| OR: 102

4/1

Ex-French winning chaser who arrives in good form over fences for current yard, clear second of 11 in 26f handicap at Sedgefield last time. Up 3 lb but he's a big player.

Form: 632-432

Solid Strike¹⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 11-9| J: Theo Gillard⁽⁷⁾| T: Paul Collins| OR: 102

40/1

Fair winning chaser at his best but veteran offerered little on return when pulled up in 20f handicap at Hexham. Returns to further with plenty to prove.

Form: 35P52-P

Iskabeg Lane²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Sam Coltherd⁽³⁾| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 99

20/1

Unreliable sort who was well below par after 17 months off when remote fifth of 7 in 21f handicap chase at Sedgefield 24 days ago. Needs a big step forward.

Form: 17/22P-5

Gold Runner¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 96| BF

9/2

Fair maiden hurdler who (16/5) showed promise on chasing bow in 2m Carlisle novice handicap, still in touch when bad error 3 out and pulled up. Takes big step up in trip but he can't be ruled out.

Form: 292/92P

Uisce Ur^p³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: B S Hughes| T: B Pauling| OR: 92

8/1

Modest 3m hurdle winner. 14/1, best run over fences when fifth of 12 in 3m handicap chase at Ludlow 35 days ago on yard debut. In the mix off 2 lb lower mark.

Form: 71/843-5

Iwasthefutureonce^p¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Danny McMenamin⁽³⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 89

4/1

Point winner and fair over hurdles. Yet to convince over fences under Rules, though, never-dangerous fourth of 12 in 19f handicap chase here 13 days ago. Back up in trip with work to do.

Form: P33/U74

Smuggler's Stash^v¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin| OR: 88

14/1

Temperamental chaser who has been well below par both runs this term, sixth of 14 in 3m handicap at Hexham 19 days ago. Others appeal more.

Form: 3P42-86

Sigurd^b,t²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: G Sheehan| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 81

13/2

Modest winning chaser who got back on track when third of 13 in 3m handicap chase at Market Rasen 25 days ago. Blinkers back on so he's one for the shortlist.

Form: 3P4P-53

Buzzkillbob^h¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-1| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽³⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 80

25/1

Modest maiden chaser in Ireland for Sean Byrne in 2018. 33/1, never-dangerous eleventh of 14 in 3m handicap at Hexham for new yard on comeback 19 days ago. May still do better.

Form: P2342-0

Non-Runners

Epsom Des Mottes²⁸

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: P A Kirby J: Ross Chapman

Forecasts

Event Of Sivola (4/1), Iwasthefutureonce (4/1), Gold Runner (9/2), Sigurd (13/2), Uisce Ur (8/1), Path To Freedom (10/1), Epsom Des Mottes (10/1), Smuggler's Stash (14/1), Iskabeg Lane (20/1), Stormy Milan (20/1), Chase The Wind (25/1), Buzzkillbob (25/1), Solid Strike (40/1), Archie Brown (40/1)

Lots of these have question marks against them so this looks a good opportunity for EVENT OF SIVOLA to open his account for Mark Walford after a run of good efforts in the frame. Gold Runner is unexposed over fences and has the potential to have a big say if his stamina holds out over this much longer trip, while Epsom Des Mottes is another who is weighted to go well if on song.