16:00 Taunton

Saturday 23 January 2021

All12:3013:0513:3514:1014:4515:2516:0016:30

Newton King Estate Agents Mares' Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 5m 41.4s

Lucca Lady¹⁷⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 12-2| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price| OR: 122

50/1

Bumper winner/fairly useful chase winner at 2½m. Caught the eye on return from 14 months off at Newton Abbot but was off the bridle when falling before halfway at Southwell in July. Off again since.

Form: 14/32-4F

Born In Borris³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-2| J: T J O'Brien| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 122

8/1

Point/novice hurdle winner who made a sound start over fences when third at Exeter (17.5f, heavy) 37 days ago. Open to improvement in this sphere.

Form: 11-3633

Jubilympics⁷⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Ben Jones⁽³⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 118

13/2

Fairly useful hurdler/chaser who arrives in good form over fences, second of 6 in 2½m handicap chase at Kempton last time.

Form: 263-612

Whatsdastory¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Lee Edwards| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 117

10/1

Winning pointer. Generally progressive over hurdles and plenty of encouragement when third at Southwell on his first go over fences. Unseated first at Doncaster since. Worth another chance.

Form: 2152-3U

Oriental Cross^t⁶⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 115

22/1

Three hurdle wins over 2½m, the latest off this mark. Beaten a long way in 2 chases this term but better than result at Warwick latterly and open to progress.

Form: 5115-54

Agent Valdez^t⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 110| BF

4/1

Ex-pointer who was winless over hurdles but more like it sent chasing, scoring at Leicester (23f, heavy) last month. Too many mistakes over stiffer fences at Cheltenham since. Likely still in form.

Form: 62-7315

Fally Jem^t1⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: R T Dunne| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 110

14/1

Won over fences/hurdles in France but well held in hurdle/chase for this yard a year apart. Hard to assess at present.

Form: 0/6485-6

Molly Carew⁵⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Millie Wonnacott⁽⁷⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 106

10/3

Made up into a fairly useful chaser but disappointed back over hurdles both starts this season. Back over fences now.

Form: 4333-85

Ellens Way^p,t²³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Lorcan Williams⁽³⁾| T: J Scott| OR: 103| D

7/1

Three-time hurdle winner who hasn't looked the force of old since returning from a 2-year absence last January, fading into a remote fifth at Warwick last time.

Form: P3-P525

Theatre Mix⁵²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: James Best| T: Miss J Du Plessis| OR: 91

13/2

Looked set to make winning chase debut here (2¼m) when falling 3 out in October. Going well when making bad mistake (all but unseated) at Ludlow since. Can win off this mark if she can cut out errors.

Form: 5967-F5

Forecasts

Molly Carew (10/3), Agent Valdez (4/1), Theatre Mix (13/2), Jubilympics (13/2), Ellens Way (7/1), Born In Borris (8/1), Whatsdastory (10/1), Fally Jem (14/1), Oriental Cross (22/1), Lucca Lady (50/1)

WHATSDASTORY is worth another chance to confirm the promise of her chase debut third at Southwell. Theatre Mix could pose a big threat if she can avoid the bad mistakes which have proved costly for her over fences so far. Born In Borris can build on her Exeter chase debut third and also makes the shortlist.