Racing Welfare Supporting Mental Health Awareness Week Novices' Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:00 | Winning time: 5m 6.2s

Beyond The Pale²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 121

13/8

Fairly useful hurdle winner who arrives on back of good third in 3m Ayr handicap 26 days ago. Much respected now going chasing.

Form: 9/11223-

Smith's Bay^h⁵⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A King| OR: 118

11/2

Has shaped wtth promise both runs over fences, fading late on first run for 4 months when fourth in handicap chase at Doncaster (20.5f, good) 55 days ago. That form is working out well. Big player.

Form: 1227/F4-

Dog Of War^t²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 117| D

5/1

Bids for a hat-trick after making it 2-2 over fences in handicap chases at Exeter and Bangor (20.3f, good) 25 days ago. Up another 5 lb but not taken lightly in his current mood.

Form: 7/P3811-

Presentandcounting³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 115| BF

5/1

Dual Newcastle bumper winner who has posted two good placed efforts over hurdles at Musselburgh and Kelso (18.1f, good to soft) this spring. Goes chasing now, and he can't be ruled out.

Form: 233122-

Black Buble²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Harry Bannister| T: A W Carroll| OR: 110| D

17/2

Fairly useful over hurdles/fences, running one of his better races when third of 6 to Dog of War in handicap chase at Bangor (20.3f, good) 25 days ago. Unreliable on the whole, however.

Form: 75U4P3-

Cremant¹⁷⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 110| BF

9/1

Gained breakthrough hurdling win at Stratford in November but only tenth in Musselburgh handicap later that month on only run since. Sent over fences now but no forlorn hope with yard in good form.

Form: 442310-

Minella Mojo^p²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: James Davies| T: C J Down| OR: 107| D

18/1

Winless over hurdles since 2019, off 5 months before fair fourth of 6 in handicap at Exeter (18.5f, good to firm) 20 days ago. Needs to hit the ground running on his chasing bow.

Form: 25U504-

Forecasts

Beyond The Pale (13/8), Presentandcounting (5/1), Dog Of War (5/1), Smith's Bay (11/2), Black Buble (17/2), Cremant (9/1), Minella Mojo (18/1)

A very open novices' handicap chase in which marginal preference is for SMITH'S BAY who is fancied to build on his Doncaster fourth (form been franked) and put his chasing experience to excellent use. Hat-trick seeking Dog of War rates an obvious threat, although chasing-newcomers Beyond The Pale, Cremant and Presentandcounting are all worth a second look too.