Marchington Novices' Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:22 | Winning time: 3m 59.6s

Beyond The Clouds²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: B S Hughes| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 142| C

7/4

Winner of first 2 starts over fences and mistake at the third-last proved costly when 5¼ lengths last of 3 to Pisgah Pike at Worcester (16.5f) last time. 8 lb better off with that rival here.

Form: 150-113

Pisgah Pike^t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 135

13/8

Quickly made up into a useful hurdler and produced a good round of jumping when seeing off Tomorrow Mystery and the re-opposing Beyond The Clouds on chase debut at Worcester. Obvious claims.

Form: 12125-1

Courtandbould²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 134| BF

15/8

Useful three-time hurdles winner. Should have learnt plenty when finishing runner-up on last month's chase debut at Southwell (15.8f) and improvement should be forthcoming.

Form: 2125-82

Currabeha Hill⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Fergus Gregory⁽³⁾| T: J Coulson| OR: 77

250/1

Has offered little in 5 starts over hurdles (refused to race when tried in cheekpieces recently) and very hard to warm to on this chase debut.

Form: P000/P-R

Earth Spirit^t²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr G Barfoot-Saunt| T: Mrs Tracey Barfoot-Saunt| OR: 81

250/1

Yet to show much spark, both between the flags and under Rules, and looks set for another struggle.

Form: P5/0FP3

Forecasts

Pisgah Pike (13/8), Beyond The Clouds (7/4), Courtandbould (15/8), Earth Spirit (250/1), Currabeha Hill (250/1)

There was much to like about the way PISGAH PIKE did the job on his chase debut at Worcester and, with the promise of better to come from him in this sphere, he is taken to follow up. Beyond The Clouds is weighed to finish much closer to the selection than he did at Worcester (8 lb better off for 5¼-length beating), but he looks vulnerable nonetheless and Courtandbould could be a bigger threat.